3. Sura al-Imran

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ...

3: 103. And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;

C429. The simile is that of people struggling in deep water, to whom a benevolent Providence stretches out a strong and unbreakable rope of rescue.

If all hold fast to it together, their mutual support adds to the chance of their safety.

...وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء...

and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you;

...فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا...

for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His grace, ye became brethren;

C430. Yathrib was torn with civil and tribal feuds and dissensions before the Messenger of Allah set his feet on its soil. After that, it became the City of the Prophet, Madinah, and unmatched Brotherhood, and the pivot of Islam.

This poor quarrelsome world is a larger Yathrib: can we establish the sacred feet on its soil, and make it a new and larger Madinah?

...وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىَ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا...

and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it.

...كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾

Thus doth Allah make his signs clear to you: that ye may be guided.

Other Versions:

3: 103

Asad And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God,………..In this way God makes clear His messages unto you, so that you might find guidance,

Pickthall And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate. And remember Allah's favor 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;

Transliteration Wa'tasimu_ bi hablilla_hi jami'aw wa la_ tafarraqu_, wazkuru_ ni'matalla_hi'alaikum iz kuntum a'da_'an fa allafabaina qulu_bikum fa asbahtum bi ni'matihi ikhwa_na_(n), wa kuntum 'ala_ syafa_ hufratim minan na_ri fa anqazakum minha_, kaza_lika yubayyinulla_hu lakum a_ya_tihi la'allakum tahtadu_n(a).