سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 140
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ ٱلْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿140﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allâh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allâh likes not the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِن
in
If
يَمْسَسْكُمْ
yamsaskum
touched you
قَرْحٌۭ
qarḥun
a wound
فَقَدْ
faqad
so certainly
مَسَّ
massa
(has) touched
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
قَرْحٌۭ
qarḥun
wound
مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ
mith'luhu
like it
وَتِلْكَ
watil'ka
And this
ٱلْأَيَّامُ
l-ayāmu
[the] days
نُدَاوِلُهَا
nudāwiluhā
We alternate them
بَيْنَ
bayna
among
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the people
وَلِيَعْلَمَ
waliyaʿlama
[and] so that makes evident
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
وَيَتَّخِذَ
wayattakhidha
and take
مِنكُمْ
minkum
from you
شُهَدَآءَ ۗ
shuhadāa
martyrs
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
love
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
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.
140. If you have suffered a wound, then surely the disbelievers have suffered a similar wound [126] before. Such days (of victory and defeat) We alternate among people, so that Allah may make evident those who (truly) believe, and so that He may take witnesses from among you. And Allah does not love the wrongdoers [127].
[126] The disbelievers suffered a greater blow in the Battle of Badr. At that time, seventy leaders of the disbelievers were killed and seventy were taken captive. Whereas in the Battle of Uhud, seventy Muslims were martyred, and by the grace and mercy of Allah, not a single Muslim was taken captive. Because ultimately, the field remained in the hands of the Muslims and the Quraysh of Makkah had to retreat.
The Wisdoms Behind the Temporary Defeat in the Battle of Uhud:
In this verse, the disheartened Muslims are being consoled. Then, some of the wisdoms behind this defeat are mentioned. One of them is that happiness and sorrow, victory and defeat, success and failure, prosperity and adversity are things that happen to everyone among people. Therefore, if the Muslims suffered a temporary defeat, there is no reason to be grieved or disheartened. They should look at the disbelievers, who, despite being badly beaten in the field of Badr, came again to fight in support of falsehood with renewed determination. The second wisdom in this battle is that the true believers and the hypocrites may be distinguished, which you may see with your own eyes.
﴿وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَا﴾
The second meaning of this could also be that some among you may attain the rank of martyrdom.
[127] By "the wrongdoers" is meant the same group of hypocrites who returned with Abdullah bin Ubayy, and at the time when the Muslims suffered defeat, these people were at the forefront in spreading disheartenment among the Muslims.
[126] The disbelievers suffered a greater blow in the Battle of Badr. At that time, seventy leaders of the disbelievers were killed and seventy were taken captive. Whereas in the Battle of Uhud, seventy Muslims were martyred, and by the grace and mercy of Allah, not a single Muslim was taken captive. Because ultimately, the field remained in the hands of the Muslims and the Quraysh of Makkah had to retreat.
The Wisdoms Behind the Temporary Defeat in the Battle of Uhud:
In this verse, the disheartened Muslims are being consoled. Then, some of the wisdoms behind this defeat are mentioned. One of them is that happiness and sorrow, victory and defeat, success and failure, prosperity and adversity are things that happen to everyone among people. Therefore, if the Muslims suffered a temporary defeat, there is no reason to be grieved or disheartened. They should look at the disbelievers, who, despite being badly beaten in the field of Badr, came again to fight in support of falsehood with renewed determination. The second wisdom in this battle is that the true believers and the hypocrites may be distinguished, which you may see with your own eyes.
﴿وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَا﴾
The second meaning of this could also be that some among you may attain the rank of martyrdom.
[127] By "the wrongdoers" is meant the same group of hypocrites who returned with Abdullah bin Ubayy, and at the time when the Muslims suffered defeat, these people were at the forefront in spreading disheartenment among the Muslims.
