Detailed explanations of SURAH AL IMRAN

Surah al-Imran, 89th in chronological order, is one of the longest surahs. It has two hundred verses revealed in Medina. It owes its title to the father of Moses and Aaron: 'Imrâ, grandson of Levi. The circumstances of its revelation take place in the year 9 of the Hegira (631 AD) on the occasion of the arrival in Medina of a delegation composed of sixty dignitaries and Christian theologians who had come from Najran to meet the Prophet and the maintain relations between Christianity and Islam. This delegation arrives at the time of al-'açar prayer (afternoon). It was also the time of prayer for Christians. The Prophet saw no harm in them doing it inside the mosque. The discussion mainly revolved around the nature of Jesus. It goes without saying that the surah also contains other themes. It has two aspects. The first is both historical and theological: it argues and provides proof of the Oneness of God. The second has a legislative character: it deals with certain religious dogmas. The surah ends with prayers, a call for patience and the need to guard against God, knowing that death is inevitable. Professor Tahar Gaïd was born in 1929 in Algeria. He studied in the madrassahs of Constantine and Algiers. He taught Arabic, then he participated in the struggle for the liberation of Algeria. He founded the general union, then opted for a diplomatic career as ambassador. In 1978, he ceased all political activity and devoted himself to the study of Islam. He publishes more than thirty works between writing and translation.