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Chapter 3

The Family of ImranĀl ʿImrān ( آل عمران )

200 verses • revealed at Medinan

»The surah that mentions that God has chosen The Family of Imran to inherit prophethood above the people of all the world (Imran was a common ancestor of Moses and Jesus). It takes its name from the expression “the House of ʿImrān” (āl-i ʿImrān) mentioned in verse 33. It begins by emphasizing that the Quran confirms the earlier scriptures and goes on to say later that the central tenet of faith is devotion to God (verse 19 ff.). The story of Zachariah, Mary, and Jesus is given in verse 35 ff. and the fact that Jesus was unfathered, just as Adam was created without a father, is accentuated. Aspects of the battles of Badr (year 2/624) and Uḥud (year 3/625) are described, especially the latter, where most of the early Muslims disobeyed the Prophet Muḥammad and were defeated. The surah first introduce the tension that arose between the Muslims and certain of the Jews and Christians (verse 65 ff. and verse 98 ff.), then closes by emphasizing the unity of faith and conduct between the Muslims and some of these People of the Book, explaining that these will have their reward from God (verse 199).«

The surah is also known as The Family of Imraan, The House of Imran, The Imrans

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

(Muntakhab): In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful)

1
الم

(Muntakhab)

A. (Alef), L. (Lam), M. (Meem); [The Surah opens with letters from the Arabic alphabet to draw attention to the miracle of the Quran, though written in the people's tongue, it cannot be emulated.]