The closing passage of Sūrah Al-Imran is rich in subject matter and imagery. It -
defines and establishes the fundamentals of the Islamic outlook and, through the debate with the people of earlier revelations and later on with the “hypocrites” of Madinah and the Arab unbelievers.
removes all the confusion and misinterpretation all those groups tried to create.
expounds the Divine order of life, its human and financial obligations, and teaches the Muslims how to honor those obligations and how to deal with the hardships and ordeals encountered in so doing.
shows the Muslims how to dedicate themselves and their possessions to fulfilling those enormous obligations.
These concluding strains resonate perfectly with the theme and the style of the Sūrah as a whole in content as well as context and presentation.
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ (190)
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (191)
Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَنْ تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ (192)
Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire - You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلْإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا ۚ رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ (193)
Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.
رَبَّنَا وَآتِنَا مَا وَعَدْتَنَا عَلَىٰ رُسُلِكَ وَلَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۗ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ (194)
Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise."
فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّي لَا أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ ۖ بَعْضُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَأُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا فِي سَبِيلِي وَقَاتَلُوا وَقُتِلُوا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ثَوَابًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ (195)
And their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another. So those who emigrated or were evicted from their homes or were harmed in My cause or fought or were killed - I will surely remove from them their misdeeds, and I will surely admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow as reward from Allah, and Allah has with Him the best reward."
لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ (196)
Be not deceived by the [uninhibited] movement of the disbelievers throughout the land.
مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ (197)
[It is but] a small enjoyment; then their [final] refuge is Hell, and wretched is the resting place.
لَٰكِنِ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا نُزُلًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِلْأَبْرَارِ (198)
But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allah . And that which is with Allah is best for the righteous.
وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ لِلَّهِ لَا يَشْتَرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ (199)
And indeed, among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in Allah and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to Allah . They do not exchange the verses of Allah for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (200)
O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.
This section presents a most profound concept: that the entire physical world is an open “book” which in itself conveys the signs and evidence of faith. It points to the hand that runs it with care and prudence, and reveals that beyond this life there is another where accountability and reward will be decided. These signs, however, are only perceived and appreciated by people “who understand”; those who do not go through life with their eyes and minds closed to the overwhelming marvels of this “open book”. This represents one of the most fundamental concepts of the Islamic outlook on the physical world, and the very close and harmonic relationship that exists between it and man’s basic and pristine nature. This concept asserts that -
the physical world, in itself, is living and tangible proof of the existence of its Creator.
a manifestation of the system that underpins its existence, and the purpose, the principle and the meaning that define that existence.
This concept is of the utmost importance in defining man’s attitude towards the physical world and its Lord, Allah Almighty, and is, therefore, a central pillar of the Islamic outlook on all existence. Then follows Allah’s obliging response to “those who understand,” who turned to Him in earnest and penitent supplication while reflecting on His open book of the universe and all the signs it displays and the thoughts it evokes and inspires.
This response is accompanied by a recommendation to work hard, to strive, sacrifice and persevere in fulfilling the obligations of the faith they have earned from contemplating the wonders of Allah’s open book. The sūrah again underplays the effect and influence of the opponents of Islam, no matter how much material power they may possess in this world. It highlights the everlasting values of the rewards in the Hereafter to which true believers ought to aspire and hope to receive.
Further to the lengthy discussion on the people of earlier revelations and their stance towards the Muslims, the sūrah talks here of the believing ones among them and their just rewards. Preserving the same context of piety, it describes them as devout people who are too polite and modest with Allah (swt) to demean His revelation, like some of their coreligionists, referred to earlier in the sūrah. The closing ayat encapsulates Allah’s advice to the Muslims and represents what is required of them, and the obligations whose fulfillment will guarantee them success and accomplishment. “Believers, be patient in adversity, and let your patience never be exhausted, be ever ready and fear God so that you may prosper.” (Ayat 200) It is an ending that fits beautifully with the central theme of the sūrah and all the other subjects it deals with.
Rest Allah knows best.
Note: Please do check the home page for detailed tafsir on the bullet points mentioned as a summary.
Source: Quran, Sunnah, In the shade of the Quran, also visit: https://understandquran.com/6-life-lessons-last-ten-ayaat-surah-ale-imraan/