سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 159
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ ﴿159﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And by the Mercy of Allâh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَبِمَا
fabimā
So because
رَحْمَةٍۢ
raḥmatin
(of) Mercy
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
لِنتَ
linta
you dealt gently
لَهُمْ ۖ
lahum
with them
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
كُنتَ
kunta
you had been
فَظًّا
faẓẓan
rude
غَلِيظَ
ghalīẓa
(and) harsh
ٱلْقَلْبِ
l-qalbi
(at) [the] heart
لَٱنفَضُّوا۟
la-infaḍḍū
surely they (would have) dispersed
مِنْ
min
from
حَوْلِكَ ۖ
ḥawlika
around you
فَٱعْفُ
fa-uʿ'fu
Then pardon
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
[from] them
وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ
wa-is'taghfir
and ask forgiveness
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
وَشَاوِرْهُمْ
washāwir'hum
and consult them
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ
l-amri
the matter
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
Then when
عَزَمْتَ
ʿazamta
you have decided
فَتَوَكَّلْ
fatawakkal
then put trust
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
loves
ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
l-mutawakilīna
the ones who put trust (in Him)
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 160,159) ➊ The emphasis was already created by the coming first of the prepositional phrase {فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ:} before { ”بِرَحْمَةٍ“ }, then by bringing {’’مَا‘‘} in {”فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ“}, the emphasis increased further. The tanween on {’’ رَحْمَةٍ ‘‘} is for magnification, that is why it is translated as "great mercy."
➋ On the day of Uhud, the Muslims made a terrible mistake and fled the battlefield, then when they gathered again at the invitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he did not reproach them in any way, but treated them with good character. Allah Almighty said that this good character and gentleness of nature is the result of Allah's special grace and mercy, otherwise it would not have been possible for the Muslims to gather. (Qurtubi) It is clear that gentleness and good character are extremely necessary for inviting to the religion; with bad character, harshness, and hard-heartedness, people can never come close.
➌ {فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ … :} That is, forgive them for the mistakes they made in the battle, seek forgiveness from Allah for them, and do not deprive them of consultation, but continue to consult them regularly. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "Perhaps the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was displeased with the Muslims and wished not to consult them anymore, so Allah the Exalted instructed that it is better to consult first, and when a matter is decided, then do not hesitate." (Mawdhih) In this verse, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is being commanded that whenever there is a matter of war or administrative nature in which no specific command has been given by revelation from Our side, then consult your companions, so that their hearts are comforted and they also learn to work together through mutual consultation. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) consulted the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in most important matters and acted upon them. (See Ibn Kathir under the discussed verse) After him, the Rightly Guided Caliphs also fully adhered to this Sunnah. Then, if after consultation a decision is made about something, then to carry it out with full determination and to leave the result to Allah is called tawakkul (trust in Allah). It is mentioned that on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, after the decision to fight in the open field, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out armed and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) realized their mistake and expressed willingness to stay in the city and fight according to his opinion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَيْسَ لِنَبِيٍّ اِذَا لَبِسَ لَأْمَتَهُ أَنْ يَّضَعَهَا حَتّٰي يُقَاتِلَ ] [ مسند أحمد : ۳؍۳۵۱، ح : ۱۴۷۹۹ ] "It is not befitting for a Prophet that once he has put on his armor, he should take it off before fighting." This verse and the verse: «وَ اَمْرُهُمْ شُوْرٰى بَيْنَهُم» [ الشوریٰ : ۳۸ ] are fundamental for the Islamic system of government. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to consult the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in many matters during his life. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: "(On the occasion of the Battle of Badr) when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) received news of Abu Sufyan's arrival, he consulted. Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) spoke, but he turned away from them. Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: 'Perhaps you want to ask us (the Ansar), O Messenger of Allah! By the One in whose hand is my soul! If you command us to drive our horses into the sea, we will surely do so, and if you command us to take the horses to Bark al-Ghamad (a place very far from Madinah), we will surely do so.'" [ مسلم، الجہاد والسیر، باب غزوۃ بدر : ۱۷۷۹ ] In the Battle of the Trench, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) consulted, Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) suggested digging a trench, which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) acted upon, and Allah Almighty placed much blessing in that consultation. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "After the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the caliphs continued to consult trustworthy people of knowledge." (Qurtubi)
Nowadays, many people consider consultation and voting to be the same thing and call democracy Islamic shura, whereas modern democracy and Islamic shura are two different things, because democracy is an independent religion. In it: (1) The vote of every competent and incompetent person is equal. (2) In it, the majority of the people is decisive; in decisions, they have the status of Allah and His Messenger, whether they make usury lawful, or adultery and the act of the people of Lot. There is no condition of obedience to Allah and His Messenger; if there is, it is only to deceive. (3) In it, the decision is by the majority of the representatives of the majority; the president is bound by this decision, whether he considers it wrong or right. (4) With them, the meaning of consultation is majority. Whereas in Islam: (1) The leader is bound to consult, but only in those matters which are not mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah, but are of a tactical and administrative nature. (2) The leader will consult those people who have the competence of opinion in that matter. Imam Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "It is necessary for rulers to consult scholars in those matters which they do not know, or about which they have confusion, to consult military commanders in military matters, to consult prominent people about the interests of the public, and to consult subordinate officials and governors about the needs and priorities of their areas." (3) After consultation, the final decision will be the leader's, as it is said: «فَاِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ» [ آل عمران : ۱۵۹ ] If he deems it appropriate, he may act on the decision of the majority, and if he considers the opinion of the fewer but more competent people to be better, then he may decide on that, because the final responsibility for the results of decisions will be on the leader, not the majority, and he will also act on the decision while trusting in Allah, not on the understanding of those who gave advice or his own intellect and understanding. In the next verse, again, trust in Allah is emphasized.
➋ On the day of Uhud, the Muslims made a terrible mistake and fled the battlefield, then when they gathered again at the invitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he did not reproach them in any way, but treated them with good character. Allah Almighty said that this good character and gentleness of nature is the result of Allah's special grace and mercy, otherwise it would not have been possible for the Muslims to gather. (Qurtubi) It is clear that gentleness and good character are extremely necessary for inviting to the religion; with bad character, harshness, and hard-heartedness, people can never come close.
➌ {فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ … :} That is, forgive them for the mistakes they made in the battle, seek forgiveness from Allah for them, and do not deprive them of consultation, but continue to consult them regularly. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "Perhaps the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was displeased with the Muslims and wished not to consult them anymore, so Allah the Exalted instructed that it is better to consult first, and when a matter is decided, then do not hesitate." (Mawdhih) In this verse, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is being commanded that whenever there is a matter of war or administrative nature in which no specific command has been given by revelation from Our side, then consult your companions, so that their hearts are comforted and they also learn to work together through mutual consultation. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) consulted the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in most important matters and acted upon them. (See Ibn Kathir under the discussed verse) After him, the Rightly Guided Caliphs also fully adhered to this Sunnah. Then, if after consultation a decision is made about something, then to carry it out with full determination and to leave the result to Allah is called tawakkul (trust in Allah). It is mentioned that on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, after the decision to fight in the open field, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out armed and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) realized their mistake and expressed willingness to stay in the city and fight according to his opinion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَيْسَ لِنَبِيٍّ اِذَا لَبِسَ لَأْمَتَهُ أَنْ يَّضَعَهَا حَتّٰي يُقَاتِلَ ] [ مسند أحمد : ۳؍۳۵۱، ح : ۱۴۷۹۹ ] "It is not befitting for a Prophet that once he has put on his armor, he should take it off before fighting." This verse and the verse: «وَ اَمْرُهُمْ شُوْرٰى بَيْنَهُم» [ الشوریٰ : ۳۸ ] are fundamental for the Islamic system of government. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to consult the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in many matters during his life. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: "(On the occasion of the Battle of Badr) when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) received news of Abu Sufyan's arrival, he consulted. Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) spoke, but he turned away from them. Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: 'Perhaps you want to ask us (the Ansar), O Messenger of Allah! By the One in whose hand is my soul! If you command us to drive our horses into the sea, we will surely do so, and if you command us to take the horses to Bark al-Ghamad (a place very far from Madinah), we will surely do so.'" [ مسلم، الجہاد والسیر، باب غزوۃ بدر : ۱۷۷۹ ] In the Battle of the Trench, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) consulted, Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) suggested digging a trench, which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) acted upon, and Allah Almighty placed much blessing in that consultation. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "After the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the caliphs continued to consult trustworthy people of knowledge." (Qurtubi)
Nowadays, many people consider consultation and voting to be the same thing and call democracy Islamic shura, whereas modern democracy and Islamic shura are two different things, because democracy is an independent religion. In it: (1) The vote of every competent and incompetent person is equal. (2) In it, the majority of the people is decisive; in decisions, they have the status of Allah and His Messenger, whether they make usury lawful, or adultery and the act of the people of Lot. There is no condition of obedience to Allah and His Messenger; if there is, it is only to deceive. (3) In it, the decision is by the majority of the representatives of the majority; the president is bound by this decision, whether he considers it wrong or right. (4) With them, the meaning of consultation is majority. Whereas in Islam: (1) The leader is bound to consult, but only in those matters which are not mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah, but are of a tactical and administrative nature. (2) The leader will consult those people who have the competence of opinion in that matter. Imam Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "It is necessary for rulers to consult scholars in those matters which they do not know, or about which they have confusion, to consult military commanders in military matters, to consult prominent people about the interests of the public, and to consult subordinate officials and governors about the needs and priorities of their areas." (3) After consultation, the final decision will be the leader's, as it is said: «فَاِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ» [ آل عمران : ۱۵۹ ] If he deems it appropriate, he may act on the decision of the majority, and if he considers the opinion of the fewer but more competent people to be better, then he may decide on that, because the final responsibility for the results of decisions will be on the leader, not the majority, and he will also act on the decision while trusting in Allah, not on the understanding of those who gave advice or his own intellect and understanding. In the next verse, again, trust in Allah is emphasized.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
159. 1 The Prophet ﷺ, who was the possessor of great character, Allah Almighty is mentioning a favor upon His Messenger that the gentleness and kindness within you ﷺ is the result of Allah’s special mercy, and this gentleness is extremely necessary for invitation and preaching. If you ﷺ did not have this, but instead you ﷺ were harsh and hard-hearted, then people would run away from you ﷺ instead of coming close to you. Therefore, you should continue to act with forgiveness.
159. 2 That is, for the satisfaction of the Muslims, consult with them. From this verse, the importance, benefit, necessity, and legitimacy of consultation is established. According to some, this command of consultation is for obligation, and according to others, it is for recommendation (Ibn Kathir). Imam Shawkani writes, “It is necessary for rulers to consult with scholars in matters about which they do not have knowledge, or in which they have doubts; with military commanders in military matters; with prominent people regarding public interests; and with subordinate officials and governors regarding the needs and priorities of their regions.” Ibn Atiyyah says that there is no disagreement about the obligation to remove such a ruler who does not consult with people of knowledge and people of religion. This consultation will be limited only to those matters about which the Shariah is silent or which are related to administrative affairs. (Fath al-Qadeer)
159. 3 That is, after consultation, whatever you have firmly decided upon, then put your trust in Allah and carry it out. From this, it is understood firstly that even after consultation, the final decision will be the ruler’s, not that of the consultants or their majority as is the case in democracy. Secondly, all trust and reliance should be upon Allah, not upon the intellect and understanding of those giving advice. In the next verse, there is further emphasis on trust in Allah.
159. 2 That is, for the satisfaction of the Muslims, consult with them. From this verse, the importance, benefit, necessity, and legitimacy of consultation is established. According to some, this command of consultation is for obligation, and according to others, it is for recommendation (Ibn Kathir). Imam Shawkani writes, “It is necessary for rulers to consult with scholars in matters about which they do not have knowledge, or in which they have doubts; with military commanders in military matters; with prominent people regarding public interests; and with subordinate officials and governors regarding the needs and priorities of their regions.” Ibn Atiyyah says that there is no disagreement about the obligation to remove such a ruler who does not consult with people of knowledge and people of religion. This consultation will be limited only to those matters about which the Shariah is silent or which are related to administrative affairs. (Fath al-Qadeer)
159. 3 That is, after consultation, whatever you have firmly decided upon, then put your trust in Allah and carry it out. From this, it is understood firstly that even after consultation, the final decision will be the ruler’s, not that of the consultants or their majority as is the case in democracy. Secondly, all trust and reliance should be upon Allah, not upon the intellect and understanding of those giving advice. In the next verse, there is further emphasis on trust in Allah.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
159. It is by Allah’s great mercy that you (O Prophet) have been gentle with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them, seek forgiveness for them [153], and consult them in matters (of the religion). Then when you have made a firm decision, put your trust in Allah [154]. Surely, Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.
[153]
The Prophet ﷺ Instructing to Forgive Those Who Make Mistakes:
After giving these instructions to the Muslims, the mention of the circumstances and outcomes of the Battle of Uhud is resumed. The punishment that befell the Muslims as a result of disobeying the Messenger of Allah was a lesson, and one aspect of this incident is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ could have taken strict action against those who disobeyed, or at the very least, could have become displeased with them. But it is also a great favor of Allah that you were very gentle-hearted towards the believers. Otherwise, if you had been harsh-hearted, or had taken strict action over this disobedience, then the Muslims would have started to avoid coming near you. Allah Almighty Himself had already forgiven those who disobeyed and those who fled. Now, He instructed His Prophet that you too should pardon them, and not only pardon them but also seek forgiveness for them from Me, and just as before the Battle of Uhud you used to consult them and include them in the council of consultation, you should continue to do so in the future as well. That is, do not let any kind of resentment remain in your heart for them.
[154]
The Purpose of Consultation:
The meaning of consultation is that all aspects of the matter become clear and every participant in the consultation is given the opportunity to freely express their opinion. Consultation can only be done in matters where there is no explicit command in the Book and Sunnah, and where there is an explicit command, there is no need for consultation. This is generally done in administrative matters. For example: where should a battle be fought? What should be its method? How should prisoners be treated? What methods should be used for the economic and moral welfare of the people, etc. In consultation, only this should be considered: which opinion is closer to the truth, that is, in accordance with the intent of the Book and Sunnah. This is true whether the opinion is held by a few people or many. The real purpose of consultation is the search for evidence. The number of people giving an opinion does not affect this, and the authority to declare an opinion as closer to the truth belongs to the head of the council of consultation. In other words, the authority for the final decision belongs to the head of the council, and the intention to implement this decision is called determination (azm), that is, after determination, one should begin the work by taking the name of Allah and placing trust in Him.
[153]
The Prophet ﷺ Instructing to Forgive Those Who Make Mistakes:
After giving these instructions to the Muslims, the mention of the circumstances and outcomes of the Battle of Uhud is resumed. The punishment that befell the Muslims as a result of disobeying the Messenger of Allah was a lesson, and one aspect of this incident is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ could have taken strict action against those who disobeyed, or at the very least, could have become displeased with them. But it is also a great favor of Allah that you were very gentle-hearted towards the believers. Otherwise, if you had been harsh-hearted, or had taken strict action over this disobedience, then the Muslims would have started to avoid coming near you. Allah Almighty Himself had already forgiven those who disobeyed and those who fled. Now, He instructed His Prophet that you too should pardon them, and not only pardon them but also seek forgiveness for them from Me, and just as before the Battle of Uhud you used to consult them and include them in the council of consultation, you should continue to do so in the future as well. That is, do not let any kind of resentment remain in your heart for them.
[154]
The Purpose of Consultation:
The meaning of consultation is that all aspects of the matter become clear and every participant in the consultation is given the opportunity to freely express their opinion. Consultation can only be done in matters where there is no explicit command in the Book and Sunnah, and where there is an explicit command, there is no need for consultation. This is generally done in administrative matters. For example: where should a battle be fought? What should be its method? How should prisoners be treated? What methods should be used for the economic and moral welfare of the people, etc. In consultation, only this should be considered: which opinion is closer to the truth, that is, in accordance with the intent of the Book and Sunnah. This is true whether the opinion is held by a few people or many. The real purpose of consultation is the search for evidence. The number of people giving an opinion does not affect this, and the authority to declare an opinion as closer to the truth belongs to the head of the council of consultation. In other words, the authority for the final decision belongs to the head of the council, and the intention to implement this decision is called determination (azm), that is, after determination, one should begin the work by taking the name of Allah and placing trust in Him.
