Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 186

(Ayah 186) This address is to the Prophet ﷺ and to all Muslims, that in the future you will also be tested in your lives and wealth, and you will have to make all kinds of sacrifices, such as loss of wealth and falling ill, etc. You will have to hear extremely hurtful and heartbreaking taunts, obscene talk, and false accusations from the tongues of the People of the Book and the polytheists, just as the hypocrites tormented in every way. See the details in Surah Al-Munafiqun and Surah At-Tawbah. Also, Ka'b bin Ashraf, the Jew, satirized the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the noble companions رضي الله عنهم and, in his poems, mentioned Muslim women by name in romantic verses. But the remedy for this is that you should act with patience, that is, steadfastness and perseverance, and keep the fear of Allah in your hearts. If you face these trials with patience and taqwa, then this is indeed an act of great courage, resolve, and determination. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ and the noble companions رضي الله عنهم always acted with patience and taqwa, so much so that even in the state of war, they neither used foul language like them nor committed excesses in action as they did.

186. 1. The statement about testing the believers according to their faith, as has already been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse number 155. In the commentary of this verse, an incident is also mentioned that the chief of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy, had not yet professed Islam and the Battle of Badr had not yet taken place, when the Prophet ﷺ went to visit Sa’d bin Ubadah ؓ among the Banu Harith bin Khazraj. On the way, there was a gathering where polytheists, Jews, and Abdullah bin Ubayy, etc. were sitting. he expressed displeasure at the dust raised by your ﷺ mount, and you ﷺ also stopped there and invited them to accept Islam, upon which Abdullah bin Ubayy uttered insolent words. Some Muslims were also present there, who, on the contrary, praised you ﷺ. It was almost that a quarrel would break out among them, but you ﷺ calmed everyone down. Then you ﷺ reached Sa’d ؓ and narrated this incident to him, upon which he said that Abdullah bin Ubayy says such things because, before your ﷺ arrival in Madinah, the residents here were about to crown him as their chief. With your ﷺ arrival, his beautiful dream of leadership remained unfulfilled, which caused him great distress, and these words of his are an expression of his malice and enmity. Therefore, you ﷺ should act with forgiveness (Sahih Bukhari).

186. 2. By "People of the Book" are meant the Jews and Christians. They used to taunt and criticize the Prophet ﷺ, Islam, and the Muslims in various ways. The same was the case with the polytheists of Arabia. In addition, after coming to Madinah, the hypocrites, especially their chief Abdullah bin Ubayy, also continued to show disrespect towards the Prophet ﷺ. Before the Prophet’s ﷺ arrival in Madinah, the people of Madinah were about to make him their chief, and preparations for placing the crown of leadership on his head were complete, but with your ﷺ arrival, all his dreams were shattered, which caused him intense grief. Therefore, as an act of revenge, this person never missed any opportunity to act against you ﷺ (as the necessary details of this have already been mentioned in the previous footnote with reference to Sahih Bukhari). In these circumstances, the Muslims are being instructed to adopt forgiveness, patience, and piety. From this, it is understood that it is inevitable for the callers to truth to face hardships and difficulties on this path of truth, and the only remedy for this is patience for the sake of Allah, seeking help from Allah, and turning to Allah (Ibn Kathir).

(You believers!) You will surely be tested in your wealth and yourselves [185], and you will surely hear much that will grieve you from those who were given the Book before you [186] and from the polytheists. But if you are patient and fear Allah, then that is indeed a matter of great determination.

[185]
The Benefits of Trial:

By giving this warning, Muslims are being prepared for the difficulties that will come in the path of Islam, and the benefits of trials have already been mentioned. In brief, trials develop the habit of patience and steadfastness. They cure moral weaknesses. Ranks are elevated, and a distinction is made between the believers and the hypocrites.

[186] The list of hardships that Muslims suffered at the hands of the Jews and polytheists is very long, and is mentioned repeatedly in the Book and the Sunnah. It is not possible to enumerate them in the footnotes; rather, if it is said that during the Prophetic era, both before and after the Hijrah, his ﷺ life was spent enduring suffering from these people, it would not be incorrect. And Muslims are being informed of this so that they may be mentally prepared to endure these hardships.