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Names

This surah is called Surat Al ?Imran. [47] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 3/143.
It was narrated that An-Nawwas ibn Sam?an Al-Kilabi said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: ?The Qur?an will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, as will its people who used to act in accordance with it, led by Surat Al-Baqarah and Al ?Imran?? [48] Narrated by Muslim, 805.

This surah and Surat Al ?Imran are called ?the two bright ones.?
It was narrated that Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: ?Recite the two bright ones, Al-Baqarah and Surat Al ?Imran?? [49] Narrated by Muslim, 804.

Virtues and characteristics

Surat Al ?Imran will plead on behalf of its companions on the Day of Resurrection, along with Surat Al-Baqarah:
It was narrated that Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: ?Recite the Qur?an, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection interceding for its companions. Recite the two bright ones, Al-Baqarah and Surat Al ?Imran, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or canopies, or like two dense flocks of birds, pleading on behalf of their companions.? [50] Narrated by Muslim, 804. ?
It was narrated that An-Nawwas ibn Sam?an (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: ?The Qur?an will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, as will its people who used to act in accordance with it, led by Surat Al-Baqarah and Al ?Imran.? And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterwards. He said: ?As if they are two clouds, or two black canopies, with light between them, or as if they are two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading on behalf of their companions.? [51] Narrated by Muslim, 805.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) held in high esteem the one who learned Al-Baqarah and Al ?Imran:
It was narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If a man learned Al-Baqarah and Al ?Imran, he would be held in high esteem among us. [52] Narrated by Ahmad, 12215; Al-Bayhaqi: As-Sunan As-Saghir, 789.

Makki or Madani?

Surat Al ?Imran is Madani and it was narrated from a number of commentators that there was consensus on that. [53] Consensus regarding that was narrated by Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Taymiyah, and Ibn Kathir. See: Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, 4/1; Ibn Taymiyah: Minhaj As-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah, 6/422; Ibn Kathir: Al-Bidayah wa?l-Nihayah, 1/155.

Objectives

The most important objectives of Surat Al ?Imran include:
Affirming the Oneness of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted,, and establishing proof and evidence for that.
Highlighting the importance of belief in loyalty towards the believers and disavowal of the disbelievers (Al-wala? wa?l-bara?); warning against taking non-Muslims as allies and showing loyalty to them; and highlighting the behaviour and attitude of the People of the Book.
Highlighting aspects of educating, advising and directing the believers.

Topics

The most significant topics addressed in Surat Al ?Imran include:
Explaining the absolute Oneness of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted,, and discussing the three types of Tawhid: Oneness of divinity, Oneness of Lordship and Oneness of the divine names and attributes.
Affirming the one source from which all the Books and divine messages were sent down.
Listing types of people on the basis of their attitude regarding the clear verses of the Qur?an and its ambiguous verses.
Warning the disbelievers who oppose Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for authority, power, high status and sons will not avail them or protect them from the punishment and vengeance of Allah; pointing out that their end will be clear loss in this world and the hereafter; pointing out what happened to the people of Pharaoh and those who came before them.
The Battle of Badr and some details of what happened at the Battle of Uhud.
Mention of the things that are most desirable to man, and that there is something better than that, which is what Allah has prepared of eternal bliss in the gardens of eternity for those who fear Him.
Highlighting the importance of the religion of Islam, and that it is the religion of Allah, and He does not accept any religion other than it.
Discussing some aspects of the behaviour and attitude of the People of the Book, exposing their misguidance and what happened to them of differing regarding matters of their religion; the acts of evildoing and grave sins that they committed by rejecting the signs of Allah and killing the prophets and those who called them to Allah; their refusal to refer for judgement to His Book; their story with ?Isa (peace be upon him) and their disbelief in him; the Prophet?s call to challenge (mubahalah) everyone who argued about ?Isa (peace be upon him); Allah?s command to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? to call them to come to common terms, meaning the word of Tawhid; their argument concerning Ibrahim (peace be upon him); telling them the truth concerning him; listing some of their misdeeds, such as their wanting to misguide the Muslims, their disbelief in the signs of Allah, their mixing truth with falsehood, their distorting the Book with their tongues by misinterpreting it in order to confuse the believers; Allah?s command to His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to debate with them and explain the truth to them in more than one place in the surah; Allah?s warning to His believing close friends against following them and obeying them; Allah?s stating that the People of the Book are not all the same and His praising some of them, namely those who recite the verses of Allah during the night and believe in the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and other matters having to do with the People of the Book.
Highlighting and emphasising the importance of believing in loyalty towards the believers and disavowal of the disbelievers (Al-wala? wa?l-bara?), and warning against taking disbelievers as allies and taking them as close friends to the exclusion of the believers.
There are signs, indications and outcomes of loving Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted,. One of these signs is following His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and its outcomes include Allah?s love for those who obey His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Mention of the Prophets (peace be upon them) and highlighting their high status and the fact that Allah has chosen them; mentioning the story of Maryam and her son ?Isa (peace be upon them), and the story of Zakariyya and his son Yahya (peace be upon them).
This surah mentions some instructions for the Muslim community, such as instructing them to fear Allah, hold fast to the rope of Allah, and avoid division and dispute; instructing them to call to goodness, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; urging them to spend, and other important instructions that are to be found throughout the surah; reminders of the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon the believers by making them the best nation brought forth for humankind.
Mention of some Islamic rulings, such as the prohibition on consuming riba (usury) and stealing from the war booty, and highlighting the punishment for the one who withholds zakah.

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