The Majestic Quran

3. Ale ʿImran The Family of Imran This chapter was revealed after the battle of Uhud, which took place in Shawwal 624 ce. ‘The family of Imran,’ refers to Imran, the father of Mary, the mother of Prophet Jesus. Three major themes of the chapter are: God’s Oneness, tawhid , and His unique power and majesty. Criticism of certain Jewish and Christian doctrines and practices, especially sectarianism. There follows an invitation to the Jews and Christians to follow the Prophet Muhammad r who is praised for his brilliant leadership. The last part of the chapter deals with the battle of Uhud. The chapter opens by proclaiming that God’s revelation has been continuous from the beginning of time, and that it includes the Torah of the Jewish Scriptures, the scrolls revealed to many other prophets and the Gospel of Jesus. The Quran is a continuation of that chain and therefore the final revelation. So, the People of The Book are invited to embrace this final testament, and to follow it. The Quran warns against erroneous interpretation of metaphorical passages and making interpretations that go against the spirit of the divine message, thus sowing the seeds of conflict, even though, “Only God knows their exact meaning” (7). This kind of ‘stretching’ the meanings of divine scripture was the root of sectarianism rampant among the Jews and Christians. The Christian doctrine of the divinity of Jesus and the “son ship of God,” is an example of this arbitrary interpretation of the message of Jesus. The Quran challenges the Christian doctrine of Jesus being either one with God or the “son” of God. Instead it asserts that “Jesus is