Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 154

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Then, after the grief, He poured tranquility upon you - a drowsiness overtaking a group of you. Another group was worrying about their own selves, harboring thoughts about Allah that were untrue - thoughts of ignorance. They were saying, “Is there anything in our hands?” Say, “The whole thing belongs to Allah.” They conceal in their hearts what they do not disclose to you.They say, “If we had any say in the matter, we would not have been killed here.”Say, “If you were in your homes, those destined to be killed would have come out all the way to their (final) resting -places.” (All this was done) so that Allah may test your inner qualities and may purify what is in your hearts. Allah is All-Aware of what lies in the hearts.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Then after distress, He sent down serenity in the form of drowsiness overcoming some of you, while others were disturbed by evil thoughts about Allah—the thoughts of ˹pre-Islamic˺ ignorance. They ask, “Do we have a say in the matter?” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “All matters are destined by Allah.” They conceal in their hearts what they do not reveal to you. They say ˹to themselves˺, “If we had any say in the matter, none of us would have come to die here.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Even if you were to remain in your homes, those among you who were destined to be killed would have met the same fate.” Through this, Allah tests what is within you and purifies what is in your hearts. And Allah knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Then He sent down tranquility upon you after distress: a slumber overtaking a group of you, while another group cared only about themselves, having false thoughts about Allah, the untrue thoughts of ignorance, saying, “Do we have any say in the matter?” Say, “All matters belong to Allah.” They conceal in their hearts what they do not reveal to you. They say, “If we had any say in the matter, none of us would have been killed here.” Say, “Even if you had been in your homes, those among you who were destined to be killed would have come out to their killing places.” But Allah did this so that He may test your inner thoughts and distinguish what is in your hearts. For Allah is All-Knowing of what is in the hearts.

A. J. Arberry

Then He sent down upon you, after grief, security -- a slumber overcoming a party of you; and a party themselves had grieved, thinking of God thoughts that were not true such as the pagans thought, saying, 'Have we any part whatever in the affair?' Say: 'The affair belongs to God entirely.' They were concealing in their hearts that they show not to thee, saying, 'Ah, if we had had a part in the affair, never would we have been slain here.' Say: 'Even if you had been in your houses, those for whom slaying was appointed would have sallied forth unto their last couches'; and that God might try what was in your breasts, and that He might prove what was in your hearts; and God knows the thoughts in the breasts.

Abdul Haleem

After sorrow, He caused calm to descend upon you, a sleep that overtook some of you. Another group, caring only for themselves, entertained false thoughts about God, thoughts more appropriate to pagan ignorance, and said, ‘Do we get a say in any of this?’ [Prophet], tell them, ‘Everything to do with this affair is in God’s hands.’ They conceal in their hearts things they will not reveal to you. They say, ‘If we had had our say in this, none of us would have been killed here.’ Tell them, ‘Even if you had resolved to stay at home, those who were destined to be killed would still have gone out to meet their deaths.’ God did this in order to test everything within you and in order to prove what is in your hearts. God knows your innermost thoughts very well.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then, after sorrow, He sent down unto you a security-- slumber coming over a section of you; While anot her section, concerned about themselves, bethought of Allah unjustly: the thought of paganism. They said: have we aught at all of the affair? Say thou: the affair is wholly Allah's. They hide within themselves that which they disclose not unto thee, saying: had we aught of the affair, we would not have been slain here. Say thou: had ye stayed in your houses, even then those decreed to be slain would surely have gone forth to their places of slaughter; and this happened in order that he might prove that which was in your breasts, and purge that which was in your hearts; and Allah is Knower of that which is in the breasts.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

After (the excitement) of the distress, He sent down calm on a band of you overcome with slumber, while another band was stirred to anxiety by their own feelings, Moved by wrong suspicions of Allah-suspicions due to ignorance. They said; "What affair is this of ours?" Say thou; "Indeed, this affair is wholly Allah's." They hide in their minds what they dare not reveal to thee. They say (to themselves); "If we had had anything to do with this affair, We should not have been in the slaughter here." Say; "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death"; but (all this was) that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts. For Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then, after inflict-ing this grief, He sent down an inner peace upon you - a sleep which overtook some of you. Those who were concerned merely about themselves, entertaining false notions about Allah - the notions of the Age of Ignorance - asked: 'Have we any say in the matter?' Tell them: 'Truly, all power of decision rests solely with Allah.' Indeed, they conceal in their hearts what they would not reveal to you, saying: 'If we had any power of decision, we would not have been slain here.' Say: 'Even if you had been in your houses, those for whom slaying had been appointed would have gone forth to the places where they were to be slain.' And all this happened so that Allah might test your secret thoughts and purge your hearts of all impurities. Allah knows well what is in the breasts of men.

Ahmed Ali

Then after affliction He Sent you a drowsiness as comes after security, overwhelming some among you, and making some anxious for themselves, and made them think thoughts of pagan ignorance; and they said: "Have we a say in any affair?" Say: "All affairs rest with God." They hide in their hearts what they do not disclose to you. They say: "If we had a say in the affair we would not have been killed in this place." Tell them: "Even had you stayed at home, those of you who were ordained to fight would have gone to their place of (eternal) rest. God had to try them to bring out what they concealed in their breasts, and to bring out the secrets of their hearts, for God knows your innermost thoughts.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Then after grief, He sent down a peaceful slumber (calm), which engulfed a group among you – and another party kept fearing for their own lives, thinking wrongfully of Allah – like the thoughts of ignorance; they say, “Do we have any authority in this matter?” Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “All authority lies only with Allah”; they hide in their hearts what they do not reveal to you; they say, “Had we any control, we would not have been slain here”; say, “Even if you had been in your houses, those destined to be slain would have come forth to their places of slaying; and in order that Allah may test what is in your breasts and reveal whatever is in your hearts”; and Allah knows well what lies within the hearts.

Ali Quli Qarai

Then He sent down to you safety after grief—a drowsiness that came over a group of you—while another group, anxious only about themselves, entertained false notions about Allah, notions of [pagan] ignorance. They say, ‘Do we have any role in the matter?’ Say, ‘Indeed the matter belongs totally to Allah.’ They hide in their hearts what they do not disclose to you. They say, ‘Had we any role in the matter, we would not have been slain here.’ Say, ‘Even if you had remained in your houses, those destined to be slain would have set out toward the places where they were laid to rest, so that Allah may test what is in your breasts, and that He may purge what is in your hearts, and Allah knows well what is in the breasts.’

Ali Ünal

Then, after grief, He sent down peace and security for you: a slumber overtook some of you; and some, being concerned (merely) about themselves, were entertaining false notions about God – notions of (the pre-Islamic) Ignorance – and saying: "Do we have any part in the authority (in the decision-making)?" Say (to them, O Messenger): "The authority rests with God exclusively." Indeed, they concealed within themselves what they would not reveal to you, and were saying (among themselves): "If only we had had a part in the authority (in the decision-making), we would not have been killed here." Say (O Messenger): "Even if you had been in your houses, those for whom killing had been ordained would indeed have gone forth to the places where they were to lie (in death)." (All of this happened as it did) so that He may test what (thoughts, intentions, and inclinations) is in your bosoms and purify and prove what is (the faith) in your hearts. God has full knowledge of what lies hidden in the bosoms.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Then, after the sorrow He sent down tranquility upon you - a slumber which overwhelmed a party of you, while another party (of the hypocrites) whom their own personal interests had made anxious, entertained unjustly false notions about Allâh like the false notions (they used to bear in the days) of ignorance. They said, `Have we any authority in (the execution of) the matter (of administration)?´ Say, `The whole authority rests with Allâh.´ They hide in their minds (- thoughts) which they would not disclose to you. They say, `If we had any authority in (the execution of) the matter (of administration) we would not have been killed here.´ Say, `Even if you had been confined in your homes, surely those who were ordained to be slain would have, nevertheless, gone forth to the places where they were destined to fall. And (all this that took place in the Battle of Uhud was) that Allâh might reveal what was in your hearts and so that He might purge what was in your minds. And Allâh knows well what is in the minds (of the people).

English Literal

Then (He) descended on you from after the grief/depression safety/security, slumbering/dozing (to) cover/make unconscious a group from you, and a group, their selves had interested/concerned them, they suspect with God other than the truth , the pre-Islamic Paganism`s/ignorance`s suspicion . They say: "Is there for us from a thing from the matter/affair?" Say: "That the matter/affair, all of it (is) to God." They hide in themselves what they do not show to you. They say: "If (there) was for us from the matter/affair a thing, we would not (have) killed/fought here here." Say: "If you were in your houses/homes, those who (it) was written/decreed on them the fighting would have emerged/appeared to their places of lying down (beds), and (for) God to test what is in their hearts (innermosts), and to purify/clarify/cleanse what is in your hearts/minds and God (is) knowledgeable with of the chests (innermosts).

Faridul Haque

Then after grief, He sent down a peaceful slumber (calm), which engulfed a group among you - and another party kept fearing for their own lives, thinking wrongfully of Allah - like the thoughts of ignorance; they say, “Do we have any authority in this matter?” Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “All authority lies only with Allah”; they hide in their hearts what they do not reveal to you; they say, “Had we any control, we would not have been slain here”; say, “Even if you had been in your houses, those destined to be slain would have come forth to their places of slaying; and in order that Allah may test what is in your breasts and reveal whatever is in your hearts”; and Allah knows well what lies within the hearts.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, those of you who turned your backs on that day when the two armies met, it was but Satan who made them slip because of something they had earned. But Allah has now pardoned them; verily, Allah is Forgiving and Clement.

Hilali & Khan

Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their ownselves, ignoring the others and the Prophet SAW) and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in the affair?" Say you (O Muhammad SAW): "Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah." They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: "If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death," but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to Mahis that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All-Knower of what is in (your) breasts.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

When you went away far, and paid no heed to anyone, and the Messenger was calling you in your rear. So He gave you (another) grief for (your) first grief that you might not grieve at what escaped you, nor (at) what befell you. And Allah is Aware of what you do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Then after sorrow He sent down security upon you, a calm coming upon a party of you, and (there was) another party whom their own souls had rendered anxious; they entertained about Allah thoughts of ignorance quite unjustly, saying: We have no hand in the affair. Say: Surely the affair is wholly (in the hands) of Allah. They conceal within their souls what they would not reveal to you. They say: Had we any hand in the affair, we would not have been slain here. Say: Had you remained in your houses, those for whom slaughter was ordained would certainly have gone forth to the places where they would be slain, and that Allah might test what was in your breasts and that He might purge what was in your hearts; and Allah knows what is in the breasts.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then, after grief, He sent down security for you. As slumber did it overcome a party of you, while (the other) party, who were anxious on their own account, thought wrongly of Allah, the thought of ignorance. They said: Have we any part in the cause? Say (O Muhammad): The cause belongeth wholly to Allah. They hide within themselves (a thought) which they reveal not unto thee, saying: Had we had any part in the cause we should not have been slain here. Say: Even though ye had been in your houses, those appointed to be slain would have gone forth to the places where they were to lie. (All this hath been) in order that Allah might try what is in your breasts and prove what is in your hearts. Allah is Aware of what is hidden in the breasts (of men).

Muhammad Sarwar

After the sorrows you suffered, He sent you relief and some of you were encompassed by slumber. To some others of you, your lives were so important that you, like ignorant people, began thinking suspiciously of God saying, "Do we have any say in the matter?" (Muhammad), tell them, "All matters belong to God." They try to hide within their souls what they do not reveal to you. They say, "Had we had the matter in our hands, we would not have been killed there." Tell them, "Even if you had stayed in your own homes, your sworn enemies could have attacked you and slain you while you were in your beds. God wanted to test you and purge what existed in your hearts.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Then, after sorrow, He sent down upon you safety. Slumber overtook a party, while another party cared only for themselves, thinking of Allah thoughts that were not true, the guess of ignorance, saying: 'Have we any say in the affair' Say: 'The entire affair belongs to Allah' They conceal in themselves what they do not disclose to you. They say: 'If we had any say in the affair we should not have been killed here' Say: 'Had you stayed in your homes, those of you for whom slaying was written would have come out to their (death) beds so that Allah might try what was in your chests and that He will examine what is in your hearts' And Allah knows the innermost of the chests.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves and thought wrongly of Allah -- the thought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in the affair" Say: "Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah." They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: "If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death," but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to purify that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All-Knower of what is in the breasts.

Wahiduddin Khan

Then, after sorrow He sent down peace [of mind] upon you in the shape of drowsiness that overcame some of you, but there were others who were anxious only about themselves. They entertained false notions about God, like the notions of the days of ignorance. "Have we any say in the matter?" they asked. Say to them, "All is in the hands of God." They conceal in their hearts what they would not reveal to you. They say, "Had we had any say in the matter, none of us would have been killed here." Say to them, "Had you stayed in your homes, those whose death had been decreed would nevertheless have gone forth to the places where they were destined to die." And all this befell you so that God might test what is in your minds. And in order to purify what was in your hearts. For God is aware of your innermost thoughts.

Talal Itani

Then after the setback, He sent down security upon you. Slumber overcame some of you, while others cared only for themselves, thinking of God thoughts that were untrue—thoughts of ignorance—saying, “Is anything up to us?” Say, “Everything is up to God.” They conceal within themselves what they do not reveal to you. And they say, “If it was up to us, none of us would have been killed here.” Say, “Even if you Had stayed in your homes, those destined to be killed would have marched into their death beds.” God thus tests what is in your minds, and purifies what is in your hearts. God knows what the hearts contain.

Tafsir jalalayn

Then He sent down upon you, after grief, security -- a slumber (nu`san, `slumber' substitutes for amanatan, `security') overcoming (yaghsh or taghsh) a party of you, namely, the believers. They would become dizzy under their shields and their swords would fall from their hands; and a party whose own souls distressed them, that is, they caused them grief, so that their only wish was their deliverance, regardless of the Prophet and his Companions, and they were unable to fall asleep; these were the hypocrites; thinking wrongly of God, thoughts of, those thoughts during the, age of ignorance, the moment they thought that the Prophet had been killed or that he would not be given victory, saying, `Have we any part whatever in the affair?' (read [interrogative] hal as [negative] m) that is, [we have no part in] the assistance which we were promised. Say, to them; `The affair belongs entirely (read accusative kullahu to denote an emphasis, or nominative kulluhu as a subject [of a new sentence], the predicate of which is [what follows]) to God', that is to say, the decree is His, He does what He wills. They conceal within their hearts what they do not disclose, what they [do not] manifest, to you, saying, (yaqlna, `saying', is an explication of the preceding [statement]) `Had we had any part in the affair, we would not have been slain here', that is to say, `Had the choice been ours, we would not have set out and thus been slain; but we were forced to set out'. Say, to them; `Even if you had been in your houses, with some among you whom God had appointed that they be slain, those, of you, for whom it had been appointed, decreed, that they be slain would have sallied forth, would have gone forth, to the places where they were to lie', the battleground where they were to fall, and they would have been slain; and their staying put [at home] would not have saved them, for God's decree will be, inevitably. And, He did what He did at Uhud, that God might try, [that He might] test, what was in your breasts, your hearts, of sincerity or hypocrisy, and that He might prove, [that He might] distinguish, what was in your hearts; and God knows what is in the breasts, what is in the hearts. Nothing can be hidden from Him, and He tries people only to make [matters] manifest for them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Slumber Overcame the Believers; the Fear that the Hypocrites Suffered

Allah says;

ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن بَعْدِ الْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَى طَأيِفَةً مِّنكُمْ

Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you,

Allah reminds His servants of His favor when He sent down on them tranquility and slumber that overcame them while they were carrying their weapons and feeling distress and grief. In this case, slumber is a favor and carries meanings of calmness and safety. For instance, Allah said in Surah Al-Anfal about the battle of Badr,

إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِّنْهُ

(Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him. (8;11)

Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said that, Abu Talhah said,

"I was among those who were overcome by slumber during the battle of Uhud. My sword fell from my hand several times and I would pick it up, then it would fall and I would pick it up again."

Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith in the stories of the battles without a chain of narration, and in the book of Tafsir with a chain of narrators.

At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim recorded from Anas that Abu Talhah said,

"On the day of Uhud, I raised my head and looked around and found that everyone's head was nodding from slumber."

This is the wording of At-Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Sahih".

An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith from Anas who said that Abu Talhah said,

"I was among those who were overcome by slumber."

The second group mentioned in the Ayah were the hypocrites who only thought about themselves, for they are the most cowardly people and those least likely to support the truth,
يَظُنُّونَ بِاللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ
(and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance) for they are liars and people who have doubts and evil thoughts about Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.

Allah said,

ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن بَعْدِ الْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَى طَأيِفَةً مِّنكُمْ

Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you,

the people of faith, certainty, firmness and reliance (on Allah) who are certain that Allah shall give victory to His Messenger and fulfill his objective.

وَطَأيِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ

While another party was thinking about themselves,

and they were not overcome by slumber because of their worry, fright and fear.

يَظُنُّونَ بِاللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ

and thought wrongly of Allah --- the thought of ignorance.

Similarly, Allah said in another statement,

بَلْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَن لَّن يَنقَلِبَ الرَّسُولُ وَالْمُوْمِنُونَ إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ أَبَداً

Nay, but you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families. (48;12)

This group thought that the idolators achieved ultimate victory, when their forces took the upper hand in battle, and that Islam and its people would perish. This is typical of people of doubt and hesitation, in the event of a hardship, they fall into such evil thoughts.

Allah then described them that,

يَقُولُونَ

they said,

in this situation,

هَل لَّنَا مِنَ الَامْرِ مِن شَيْءٍ

"Have we any part in the affair?"

Allah replied,

قُلْ إِنَّ الَامْرَ كُلَّهُ لِلَّهِ يُخْفُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِم مَّا لَا يُبْدُونَ لَكَ

Say;"Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah."

They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you. Allah exposed their secrets, that is,

يَقُولُونَ لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الَامْرِ شَيْءٌ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَاهُنَا

saying;"If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here."

although they tried to conceal this thought from the Messenger of Allah.

Ibn Ishaq recorded that Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr said that Az-Zubayr said,

"I was with the Messenger of Allah when fear intensified and Allah sent sleep to us (during the battle of Uhud).

At that time, every man among us (except the hypocrites) was nodding off. By Allah! As if in a dream, I heard the words of Mu`attib bin Qushayr, `If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here.'

I memorized these words of his, which Allah mentioned later on,
يَقُولُونَ لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الَامْرِ شَيْءٌ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَاهُنَا
(saying;"If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here.)"

Ibn Abi Hatim collected this Hadith.

Allah the Exalted said,

قُل لَّوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ لَبَرَزَ الَّذِينَ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَتْلُ إِلَى مَضَاجِعِهِمْ

Say;"Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death,"

meaning, this is Allah's appointed destiny and a decision that will certainly come to pass, and there is no escaping it.

Allah's statement,

وَلِيَبْتَلِيَ اللّهُ مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ وَلِيُمَحَّصَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ

that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to purify that which was in your hearts,

means, so that He tests you with whatever befell you, to distinguish good from evil and the deeds and statements of the believers from those of the hypocrites.

وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ



and Allah is All-Knower of what is in the breasts,

and what the hearts conceal.
Some of the Believers Give Flight on the Day of Uhud

Allah then said