(3:130) Believers! Do not swallow interest, doubled and redoubled, and be mindful of Allah so that you may attain true success.*98

*98. The major cause of the setback suffered at Uhud was that precisely at the moment of their victory the Muslims succumbed to the desire for worldly possessions, and turned to collecting booty rather than completing their task of crushing the enemy. Hence God thought fit to raise a barrier against this excessive adoration of money, and to urge them to give up usury which keeps man constantly absorbed in considering ways and means of amassing wealth and generally whets his appetite for money.

(3:131) And have fear of the Fire which awaits those who deny the Truth.

(3:132) And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy. And hasten to the for-giveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers."

(3:133) And hasten to the for-giveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing.

(3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers." *99

*99. The existence of interest in a society generates two kinds of moral disease. It breeds greed and avarice, meanness and selfishness among those who receive interest. At the same time, those who have to pay interest develop strong feelings of hatred, resentment, spite and jealousy. God intimates to the believers that the attributes bred by the spread of interest are the exact opposite of those which develop as a result of spending in the way of God, and that it is through the latter rather than the former that man can achieve God's forgiveness and Paradise. (For further explanation see Surah 2, n. 320 above.)

(3:135) These are the ones who, when they commit any indecency and wrong against themselves, instantly remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - for who will forgive sins save Allah? - and who do not wilfully persist in the wrong they did.

(3:136) They shall be recompensed by forgiveness from their Lord and by gardens beneath which rivers flow; there they shall abide. How good is the reward of those who labour!

(3:137) Many eras have passed before you. Go about, then, in the land and behold the end of those who gave the lie to (the directives and ordinances of Allah).

(3:138) This is a plain exposition for men, and a guidance and admonition for the Godfearing.

(3:139) Do not, then, either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of faith.

(3:140) If a wound has befallen you a similar wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you.*100 We make such movements to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth):*101 for Allah does not love the wrong-doers,

*100. This alludes to the Battle of Badr. The intention is to point out to the Muslims that if the unbelievers were not demoralized by the setback they suffered at Badr then the Muslims should not be disheartened by the setback thev suffered in the Battle of Uhud.

*101. The actual words of this verse, can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning could be that God wanted to select some of them so that He could bestow upon them the honour of martyrdom. The second meaning could be that out of the hotch-potch of true believers and hypocrites which their community consisted of at that moment, God wanted to sift those who were truly His witnesses over all mankind. (See Qur'an 2: 143 - Ed.)

(3:141) and makes men go through trials in order that He might purge the believers and blot out those who deny the Truth.

(3:142) Did you think that you would enter Paradise even though Allah has not yet seen who among you strove hard in His way and remained steadfast?

(3:143) You previously longed for death (in the way of Allah): now you have faced it, observing it with your own eyes.*102

*102. This is with reference to those Companions who had urged the Prophet to go out of Madina and take on the enemy there because of their ardent desire for martyrdom. (See Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 2, p. 38 - Ed.)