Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Users
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Free Minds Forum Icon
  1. Home
  2. General Issues / Questions
  3. Questions/Comments on the Quran
  4. "The Three" in 9:118

"The Three" in 9:118

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Questions/Comments on the Quran
41 Posts 8 Posters 549 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • T Offline
    T Offline
    TellMeTheTruth
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Salamun Alaikum, Brothers and Sisters! Can some one describe the word "The Three" (&#1577 in Chapter 9 verse 118 without referring to any Hadith?

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • H Offline
      H Offline
      huruf
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      It seems that the Qur'an describes them itself, those who were left behind and felt constrained in spite of the wide space and felt that there was no refuge for them to flee God, but rather that they should seek refuge in God and God turned to them.

      Salaam

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • M Offline
        M Offline
        Mazhar
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        And upon "the known three" of those who had lethargically tarried back, until when the Earth, despite its vastness, had become straitened for them;
        And their own selves felt contracted; and they assessed that there was no refuge from Allah except with Him; afterwards He mercifully attended them so that they might be back to the position from where they had erred.
        The fact remains that Allah the Exalted is sympathetically oft Relenting, the Fountain of Mercy.

        It is a prepositional phrase coupled with adjectival phrase, the next clause is linkage clause for the Relative Pronoun.
        This sentence is the second part of compound sentence, the first is in the previous ayah.

        For semantics one will read before it

        In time frame of its revelation some people might be knowing the names of the three men mentioned since three is definite with article. But for others the Linkage clause has defined them.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • T Offline
          T Offline
          TellMeTheTruth
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Salamun Alaika Ya Mazhar!

          Thank you for giving your precious time to answer my question. What I understand is "the Three" is used for some certain persons. However, I am a bit confused when I check the context.

          Were these persons among the Momineen or Muhajireen or Ansar or Ahle-Madinah or Al-A'raab or Munfiqeen? Why they are specifically mentioned?

          Would appreciate if a source could be shared with me where I could study and understand this whole surah.

          Peace

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • M Offline
            M Offline
            Mazhar
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Indeed Allah the Exalted showered kindness upon the Elevated and Chosen Allegiant ; and also upon the Emigrants and the Local Helpers who literally followed him in letter and spirit in the hour of difficulty;

            This favour was upon noticing the fact that the hearts of a group of them were about to become eccentric-atilt-oblique. Afterwards, He the Exalted looked upon them mercifully.

            Indeed Allah the Exalted is to them most surely compassionate, the Most Merciful.

            And upon "the known three" of those who had lethargically tarried back, until when the Earth, despite its vastness, had become straitened for them;

            And their own selves felt contracted; and they assessed that there was no refuge from Allah except with Him; afterwards He mercifully attended them so that they might be back to the position from where they had erred.

            The fact remains that Allah the Exalted is sympathetically oft Relenting, the Fountain of Mercy.

            Chapter-9

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • P Offline
              P Offline
              parvez_mushtaq
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Indeed Allah the Exalted showered kindness upon the Elevated and Chosen Allegiant ; and also upon the Emigrants and the Local Helpers who literally followed him in letter and spirit in the hour of difficulty;

              This favour was upon noticing the fact that the hearts of a group of them were about to become eccentric-atilt-oblique. Afterwards, He the Exalted looked upon them mercifully.

              Indeed Allah the Exalted is to them most surely compassionate, the Most Merciful.

              And upon "the known three" of those who had lethargically tarried back, until when the Earth, despite its vastness, had become straitened for them;

              And their own selves felt contracted; and they assessed that there was no refuge from Allah except with Him; afterwards He mercifully attended them so that they might be back to the position from where they had erred.

              The fact remains that Allah the Exalted is sympathetically oft Relenting, the Fountain of Mercy.

              Chapter-9

              Assalamualaikum Rahamatullahi Wabarakathahu , Mazhar Baih
              my only doubt is "the known" in the word how you have arrived at "the known" three

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M Offline
                M Offline
                Mazhar
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Assalamualaikum Rahamatullahi Wabarakathahu

                Definite article prefixed.

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • P Offline
                  P Offline
                  parvez_mushtaq
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Assalamualaikum Rahamatullahi Wabarakathahu , Mazhar Baih
                  my only doubt is "the known" in the word how you have arrived at "the known" three

                  Yes , you are correct but i am asking about "known" .it should be the three not the "known" three

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • H Offline
                    H Offline
                    huruf
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    9-118. And about the three who were left behind, until, when the earth became strait for them, for all its breadth, and their souls became strait for them, and they thought that there was no shelter from God except in Him, then He turned towards them, that they might also turn; surely God turns, and is All-compassionate.

                    The "known" three are not known until we are told about them in the aya, and what we know is what the aya itself says. That is, there are no "known" three till the aya itself explains to us what about them. We are not rquired to look for another explanation. There were three people to whom what is said in 9.118 refers.

                    Salaam

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • M Offline
                      M Offline
                      Mazhar
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      9-118. And about the three who were left behind, until, when the earth became strait for them, for all its breadth, and their souls became strait for them, and they thought that there was no shelter from God except in Him, then He turned towards them, that they might also turn; surely God turns, and is All-compassionate.

                      The "known" three are not known until we are told about them in the aya, and what we know is what the aya itself says. That is, there are no "known" three till the aya itself explains to us what about them. We are not rquired to look for another explanation. There were three people to whom what is said in 9.118 refers.

                      Salaam

                      The agent of the bold sentence becomes some unknown person who left them behind. But the proxy subject of passive verb is plural relative pronoun. Verb is Form-II which is attributive. Definite article was for the first living readers who know specifically those three, for us they are specified by adjectival portrayal.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P Offline
                        P Offline
                        parvez_mushtaq
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        The agent of the bold sentence becomes some unknown person who left them behind. But the proxy subject of passive verb is plural relative pronoun. Verb is Form-II which is attributive. Definite article was for the first living readers who know specifically those three, for us they are specified by adjectival portrayal.

                        yes you are correct ,mazhar bhai .it emphasises the "known" three but "Known" should be in brackets not as the translation for the word .again its a suggestion/request

                        9-118. And about the three who were left behind, until, when the earth became strait for them, for all its breadth, and their souls became strait for them, and they thought that there was no shelter from God except in Him, then He turned towards them, that they might also turn; surely God turns, and is All-compassionate.

                        The "known" three are not known until we are told about them in the aya, and what we know is what the aya itself says. That is, there are no "known" three till the aya itself explains to us what about them. We are not rquired to look for another explanation. There were three people to whom what is said in 9.118 refers.

                        Salaam

                        yep, we does not require another explanation about those "known" three as Quran says they were answered for their prayers .but look at the verse 9.117

                        Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined , and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.

                        FM translation
                        God has pardoned the prophet and the emigrants and the supporters who had followed him in the darkest hour, even though the hearts of some of them nearly deviated, but then He pardoned them. He is towards them Compassionate, Merciful.

                        here ALLAH subhanavatala is forgiving all ,
                        1.emigrants
                        2.supporters
                        3.and those hearts almost got deviated

                        i think this concludes the entire Muslims of those period .
                        but as a special case ,in the next verse ALLAH subhanavatala ,talks about those three people .can you say why

                        FM translation
                        9118 And also the three who were left behind, until the land, as vast as it is, became strained to them, and their very souls became strained, and they thought there was no shelter from God except to Him. Then He pardoned them that they may repent. God is the Redeemer, the Merciful.

                        here are my questions to
                        1.what they left behind
                        2.why land became strained to them
                        3.why they thought the only shelter is ALLAH subhanvatala

                        what was there sin so that they were left alone .Quran is the universal book ,why it is making a special announcement for those three .what is the moral we should get from this ayah .do you think Quran alone Muslim should not ask these questions .

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Mazhar
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          May be "certain" in place of "known" seem better, to translate the definite article.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • H Offline
                            H Offline
                            huruf
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            yes you are correct ,mazhar bhai .it emphasises the "known" three but "Known" should be in brackets not as the translation for the word .again its a suggestion/request
                            yep, we does not require another explanation about those "known" three as Quran says they were answered for their prayers .but look at the verse 9.117

                            Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined , and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.

                            FM translation
                            God has pardoned the prophet and the emigrants and the supporters who had followed him in the darkest hour, even though the hearts of some of them nearly deviated, but then He pardoned them. He is towards them Compassionate, Merciful.

                            here ALLAH subhanavatala is forgiving all ,
                            1.emigrants
                            2.supporters
                            3.and those hearts almost got deviated

                            i think this concludes the entire Muslims of those period .
                            but as a special case ,in the next verse ALLAH subhanavatala ,talks about those three people .can you say why

                            FM translation
                            9118 And also the three who were left behind, until the land, as vast as it is, became strained to them, and their very souls became strained, and they thought there was no shelter from God except to Him. Then He pardoned them that they may repent. God is the Redeemer, the Merciful.

                            here are my questions to
                            1.what they left behind
                            2.why land became strained to them
                            3.why they thought the only shelter is ALLAH subhanvatala

                            what was there sin so that they were left alone .Quran is the universal book ,why it is making a special announcement for those three .what is the moral we should get from this ayah .do you think Quran alone Muslim should not ask these questions .

                            1. Nothing was left behind, the three were got left behind
                            2. As I understand the Arabic, they felt oppression in themselves, physical and animical, I guess because of the fact that they were left behind on their own and in uncertainty and they could not know what was God going to decree for them or for the rest and then saw that better address their worries to God himself instead of trying to avoid facing what might happe, so then God turned to them so that they might repent (for their errors) for God is the One who accepts repentance and the Most Merciful.

                            I guess we feel that we want to get more "narration" of the event so that we may feel reading it as if we were in a novel, but if we look at it soberly, in fact we do not need more than what is given, a statement of how God acts with people as people act.

                            I may seem boring saying the same thing again and again, but I fear readers of the Qur'an are too Biblicised, always expecting form Qur'an some kind of novelistic stories with arguments and plots, gripping events and so forth, like the Bible, but the Qur'an is no story nor a collection of them, but a spiritual and human knowledge book.

                            We are given enough humanity in this aya. Those three with the oppressive feeling form the sorroundings and from their own worries, who want to run away from it and finally realise they should turn to the source and seek shelter in Him. A not uncommon feeling, I think.

                            On the other hand, why make three lots of the people and expect that the three left behind should be part of any of those three lots? What difference does it make? If we are not told more, I think it is because it would be less effective than keeping it as it has been kept. That is we do not need more and if we got more we might get distracted from what we should get.

                            It is the same story as with the sacrificing of the heifer, in what way getting more date would make us more faithful or knowledgeable.

                            Salaam

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • H Offline
                              H Offline
                              hawk99
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Peace,

                              Ayat 9/118 clearly instructs the believers to "TRUST" Allah.

                              Those who stayed behind deeply regretted doing so!

                              peace

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • The_SardarT Offline
                                The_SardarT Offline
                                The_Sardar
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Peace,

                                Ayat 9/118 clearly instructs the believers to "TRUST" Allah.

                                Those who stayed behind deeply regretted doing so!

                                peace

                                I will never stop trusting Allah (SWTAY). I refuse to give up our beloved Divine Infinite Creator. I love you Allah/God(SWTAY) group group

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • H Offline
                                  H Offline
                                  huruf
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Peace,

                                  Ayat 9/118 clearly instructs the believers to "TRUST" Allah.

                                  Those who stayed behind deeply regretted doing so!

                                  peace

                                  From the text I do not get that they "stayed behind" but rather for whatever reason, were left behind. Might be inadvertent, and I do not get a sense of guilt on that count, but rather the feeling of helplessness when they found themselves alone and cut off from the whole.

                                  Salaam

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    parvez_mushtaq
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Peace,

                                    Ayat 9/118 clearly instructs the believers to "TRUST" Allah.

                                    Those who stayed behind deeply regretted doing so!

                                    peace

                                    From the text I do not get that they "stayed behind" but rather for whatever reason, were left behind. Might be inadvertent, and I do not get a sense of guilt on that count, but rather the feeling of helplessness when they found themselves alone and cut off from the whole.

                                    Salaam

                                    yes you are correct ,huruf .it is left behind .that they were left behind which made them to turn towards ALLAH subhanavatala .this verse is mentioning the effect not the cause .
                                    one more interesting thing i have found about this verse is the word is only of this kind .i mean ,a number coupled with definite article addressing humans . i have checked with all the numbers from two to ten .this is unique .in other words those people were so depressed everyone of those people knew them .probably ,this might be the reason why Mazhar Bhai has included "known" in his translation .so every one ,in those days knew the cause because of which they were left alone by the entire lot .and ALLAH subhanvatala is using a special verse with a special word to forgive them .
                                    unless we know the reason ,we cannot figure out the moral of this ayah .traditionally ,it is easy to figure out the cause .what hawk has posted was the traditional moral that can be deduce from the ayah .
                                    I don?t think is not proper to make research for the things which ALLAH subhanvatala has hinted us to do so .for example ,
                                    Verse 18.83
                                    And they ask you, , about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."
                                    Even traditional are not define about who was this king .

                                    Another example is
                                    Verse 20.105
                                    They will ask you about the mountains. Tell them "My Lord will uproot them from the base,
                                    Moreover, Quran has used all three forms of and . I mean singular, dual as well as plural .i don?t think we should get content with what quran says .i don?t find a reason why we should not make a research on this to know the root reason for using all this forms
                                    Likewise, I don?t find any reason why we should not look other source to get the core message of this ayah

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      parvez_mushtaq
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      May be "certain" in place of "known" seem better, to translate the definite article.

                                      i think it is only instance where ALLAH subhanvatala has used a number coupled with definite article to address humans .you know more than me ,Mazhar baih . am i correct

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • H Offline
                                        H Offline
                                        huruf
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        From the text I do not get that they "stayed behind" but rather for whatever reason, were left behind. Might be inadvertent, and I do not get a sense of guilt on that count, but rather the feeling of helplessness when they found themselves alone and cut off from the whole.

                                        Salaam

                                        yes you are correct ,huruf .it is left behind .that they were left behind which made them to turn towards ALLAH subhanavatala .this verse is mentioning the effect not the cause .
                                        one more interesting thing i have found about this verse is the word is only of this kind .i mean ,a number coupled with definite article addressing humans . i have checked with all the numbers from two to ten .this is unique .in other words those people were so depressed everyone of those people knew them .probably ,this might be the reason why Mazhar Bhai has included "known" in his translation .so every one ,in those days knew the cause because of which they were left alone by the entire lot .and ALLAH subhanvatala is using a special verse with a special word to forgive them .
                                        unless we know the reason ,we cannot figure out the moral of this ayah .traditionally ,it is easy to figure out the cause .what hawk has posted was the traditional moral that can be deduce from the ayah .
                                        I don?t think is not proper to make research for the things which ALLAH subhanvatala has hinted us to do so .for example ,
                                        Verse 18.83
                                        And they ask you, , about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."
                                        Even traditional are not define about who was this king .

                                        Another example is
                                        Verse 20.105
                                        They will ask you about the mountains. Tell them "My Lord will uproot them from the base,
                                        Moreover, Quran has used all three forms of and . I mean singular, dual as well as plural .i don?t think we should get content with what quran says .i don?t find a reason why we should not make a research on this to know the root reason for using all this forms
                                        Likewise, I don?t find any reason why we should not look other source to get the core message of this ayah

                                        e made.
                                        Researching, studying conjecturing in order to explore, all that is legitimate and humanly most logical. Man is curious and avid for intelectual endeavours and for that it is also elgitimte that man should resort to any means of advancing knowledge, nothing wrong with that. But what I mean that we do not need to know more than what is said in the Qur'an is regarding the teachings that are proper to it. Those teachings are complete such as they are presented in the Qur'an. But it is not legitimate to use things that are not completely spelled out to say that the Qur'an has shortcomings, or that it fails to make its points. If the point is not made then the point is not wanted by God to be as far as spiritual and human teachings conveyed by the Qur'an are concerned.

                                        However, look at from the point of view of a writing, regardless of its purpose, we are entitled to use it to further any enquiry we may wish to make and we may find help or not, or we may find help at one time and may be not at another time or circumstance, but no reason not to try.

                                        Dhul Qarnayn, we do nto need to match him with any known figure in history or legend in order to get the lessons of the Qur'an, but certainly we may try to do so for our own curiosity and advancement in the knowledge of history or whatever honest purpose, no problem there, equally with those three mentionned, we may look to find out who they were or why, or how, but we do not need all that to gain the lesson that is given to us by it in the human and spiritual sense.

                                        And it is this confusion between what is necessary for what that leads muslims so many times to resort to the bible to get "true knowledge of history", where the bible itself is no guranty of true history (far from it), and thus getting us trapped in historical conundrums and problems that do not pertain to the Qur'an, which whatever says be it historical or otherwise is true. It may not give many details, because we do not need them for its purpose. But whatever is said is true. But it seems that "muslims" are always missing things int he Qur'an and they take the bible to "fill the gaps" and to "correct" it with the most dismal results.

                                        Of course the Bible may be used, why not, but not to be taken as infallible absolute historical truth, but we should take ir for what it is. As spiritual teaching in which each one sees whatever is capable of seeing, and as historical recount, a compendium of mere self serving ethnic stories.

                                        I hope I have made myself clear as to what I personally consider legitimate for a Qur'an believer depending on what is tried to be attained.

                                        Salaam

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • H Offline
                                          H Offline
                                          hawk99
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Peace,

                                          Interesting thread, the question remains "why" did some stay behind?

                                          9/120
                                          It was not for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the
                                          bedouins that they remain behind after the Messenger of Allah
                                          or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted
                                          by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah , nor do they tread on any
                                          ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any
                                          infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed,
                                          Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

                                          It was personally easier for some to stay behind than to go on a very demanding journey!

                                          peace

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Users