Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 103

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Hold fast, all of you, to the cord of Allah, and be not divided. Remember the blessing of Allah upon you: When you were enemies to each other, and He brought your hearts together, so that, you became brothers through His blessing. You were at the brink of a pit of Fire, then He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His signs clear to you, so that you may take the right path.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah[[ i.e., Allah’s covenant.]] and do not be divided. Remember Allah’s favour upon you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so you—by His grace—became brothers. And you were at the brink of a fiery pit and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be ˹rightly˺ guided.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And hold fast to the rope of Allah all together and do not be divided. Remember the favor of Allah upon you when you were enemies, then He reconciled your hearts, making you brethren by His grace. And you were on the brink of a fiery pit and He delivered you from it. This is how Allah makes His verses clear to you, so that you may be guided.

A. J. Arberry

And hold you fast to God's bond, together, and do not scatter; remember God's blessing upon you when you were enemies, and He brought your hearts together, so that by His blessing you became brothers. You were upon the brink of a pit of Fire, and He delivered you from it; even so God makes clear to you His signs; so haply you will be guided.

Abdul Haleem

Hold fast to God’s rope all together; do not split into factions. Remember God’s favour to you: you were enemies and then He brought your hearts together and you became brothers by His grace; you were about to fall into a pit of Fire and He saved you from it- in this way God makes His revelations clear to you so that you may be rightly guided.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And hold ye fast, all of you, to the cord of Allah, so and separate not. And remember Allah's favour unto you in that ye were enemies and He joined your hearts together, so ye became by His favour brethren; and ye were on the brink of an abyss of the Fire and He rescued you therefrom. In this wise Allah expoundeth unto you His revelations that haply ye may remain guided.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you; That ye may be guided.

Abul Ala Maududi

Hold fast together to the cable of Allah and be not divided. Remember the blessing that Allah bestowed upon you: you were once enemies then He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessing you became brothers. You stood on the brink of a pit of fire and He delivered you from it. Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you that you may be guided to the right way.

Ahmed Ali

Hold on firmly together to the rope of God, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember the favours God bestowed on you when you were one another's foe and He reconciled your hearts, and you turned into brethren through His grace. You had stood on the edge of a pit of fire and He saved you from it, thus revealing to you His clear signs that you may find the right way perchance.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not be divided; and remember Allah’s favour on you, that when there was enmity between you, He created affection between your hearts, so due to His grace you became like brothers to each other; and you were on the edge of a pit of fire (hell), so He saved you from it; this is how Allah explains His verses to you, so that you may be guided.

Ali Quli Qarai

Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided [into sects]. Remember Allah’s blessing upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers with His blessing. And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, whereat He saved you from it. Thus does Allah clarify His signs for you so that you may be guided.

Ali Ünal

And hold fast all together to the rope of God and never be divided. Remember God’s favor upon you: you were once enemies and He reconciled your hearts so that through His favor you became like brothers. You stood on the brink of a pit of fire, and He delivered you from it. Thus God makes His signs of truth clear to you that you may be guided (to the Straight Path in all matters and be steadfast on it.)

Amatul Rahman Omar

Hold fast to the means of access to Allâh all together, and do not be disunited, and remember Allâh´s favours to you, when you were enemies one to another. He united your hearts in love so that by His grace you became brethren. And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, He saved you therefrom. Thus does Allâh explain to you His Messages that you may be guided aright.

English Literal

And hold fast/take protection with God`s rope/covenant , all together, and do not separate, and mention/remember God`s blessing on you when you were enemies, so He united between your hearts , so you became with His blessings brothers, and you were on (the) edge/brink (of) a pit/hole from the fire, so He rescued/saved you from it, like that God clarifies for you His signs/verses/evidences, maybe/perhaps you be guided.

Faridul Haque

And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not be divided; and remember Allah’s favour on you, that when there was enmity between you, He created affection between your hearts, so due to His grace you became like brothers to each other; and you were on the edge of a pit of fire (hell), so He saved you from it; this is how Allah explains His verses to you, so that you may be guided.

Hamid S. Aziz

And that there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and bid right conduct, and forbid what is wrong (or indecent); these are the successful.

Hilali & Khan

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, as it ought to be kept, and die not unless you are Muslims.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate. And remember Allah's favour unto you: How ye were enemies and He made friendship between your hearts so that ye became as brothers by His grace; and (how) ye were upon the brink of an abyss of fire, and He did save you from it. Thus Allah maketh clear His revelations unto you, that haply ye may be guided,

Muhammad Sarwar

All of you united hold fast to the rope of God (the Quran and His Messenger), and recall how He favored you when your hostility to each other had torn you apart. He united your hearts in one faith and through His Grace you became brothers. You were on the verge of falling headlong into the abyss of fire, but God saved you. This is how God explains to you His revelations so that you may have the right guidance.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And hold fast to the Bond of Allah, together, and do not scatter. Remember the Favor of Allah bestowed upon you when you were enemies, and how He united your hearts, so that by His Favor you became brothers. And how He saved you from the Pit of Fire when you were on the brink of it. And so Allah makes plain to you His verses, in order that you will be guided.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies of one another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His grace, you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear to you, that you may be guided.

Wahiduddin Khan

Hold fast to the cord of God and let nothing divide you. Remember the blessings He has bestowed upon you; you were enemies and then He united your hearts and by His grace you became brothers; you were on the brink of an abyss of Fire and He rescued you from it. Thus God makes His signs clear to you, so that you may find guidance.

Talal Itani

And hold fast to the rope of God, altogether, and do not become divided. And remember God’s blessings upon you; how you were enemies, and He reconciled your hearts, and by His grace you became brethren. And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, and He saved you from it. God thus clarifies His revelations for you, so that you may be guided.

Tafsir jalalayn

And hold fast to, clutch, God's bond, namely, His religion, together, and do not scatter, after submitting [to Islam]; remember God's grace, His bestowing of favours, upon you, O companies of the Aws and the Khazraj, when you were enemies, and He brought your hearts together, through Islam, so that by His grace you became brothers, in religion and comradeship; and you were upon the brink, the edge, of a pit of fire, such that to fall into it you only had to die disbelieving; but He delivered you from it, through belief. So, just as He has made clear for you what has been mentioned, God makes clear to you His signs that you might be guided.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.

It was said that,
بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ
(to the Rope of Allah),

refers to Allah's covenant, just as Allah said in the following Ayah,
ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُواْ إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ
(Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah, and from men); (3;112) in reference to pledges and peace treaties.

Allah's statement
وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ
(and be not divided among yourselves),

orders sticking to the community of the believers and forbids division.

There are several Hadiths that require adhering to the Jama`ah (congregation of believers) and prohibit division.

Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْضَى لَكُمْ ثَلَثًا وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَثًا

يَرْضَى لَكُمْ

أَنْ تَعْبُدُوهُ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْيًا

وَأَنْ تَعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَاأ تَفَرَّقُوا

وَأَنْ تَنَاصَحُوا مَنْ وَلاَّهُ اللهُ أَمْرَكُمْ

وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَثًا

قِيلَ وَقَالَ

وَكَثْرَةَ السُّوَالِ

وَإِضَاعَةَ الْمَال

It pleases Allah for you to acquire three qualities and displeases Him that you acquire three characteristics.

It pleases Him that;

you worship Him Alone and not associate anything or anyone with Him in worship,

that you hold on to the Rope of Allah altogether and do not divide, and

that you advise whoever Allah appoints as your Leader.

The three that displease Him are that;

you say, `It was said,' and, `So-and-so said,'

asking many unnecessary questions and

wasting money.

Allah said,

وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا

and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His grace, you became brethren.

This was revealed about the Aws and Khazraj. During the time of Jahiliyyah, the Aws and Khazraj were at war and had great hatred, enmity and ill feelings towards each other, causing long conflicts and battles to occur between them. When Allah brought Islam, those among them who embraced it became brothers who loved each other by Allah's grace, having good ties for Allah's sake and helping each other in righteousness and piety.

Allah said,

هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُوْمِنِينَ


وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الَارْضِ جَمِيعاً مَّا أَلَّفَتْ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ



He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the believers. And He has united their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.(8;62-63)

وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىَ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ ايَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ



and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear to you, that you may be guided.

Before Islam, their disbelief had them standing at the edge of a pit of the Fire, but Allah saved them from it and delivered them to faith. The Messenger of Allah reminded the Ansar (from both Aws and Khazraj) of this bounty when he was dividing the war booty of Hunayn. During that time, some Ansar did not like the way the booty was divided, since they did not get what the others did, although that was what Allah directed His Prophet to do.

The Messenger of Allah gave them a speech, in which he said,

يَا مَعْشَرَ الاْاَنْصَارِ أَلَمْ أَجِدْكُمْ ضُلَّلاًا فَهَدَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي

وَكُنْتُمْ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ فَأَلَّفَكُمُ اللهُ بِي


وَعَالَةً فَأَغْنَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي



O Ansar! Did I not find you misguided and Allah directed you to guidance because of me!

Were you not divided beforehand and Allah united you around me!

Were you not poor and Allah enriched you because of me!

Whenever the Prophet asked them a question, they would answer, "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have granted us bounty.