To this end Abu Sufyan was leading a richly-laden caravan from Syria to Makkah. The design of the Makkans was to gather all the resources they could, and with an overwhelming force, to crush and annihilate Muhammad and his party. The little exiled community of Makkan Muslims, with their friends in Madinah had organised themselves into a God-fearing community, but were constantly in danger of being attacked by their Pagan enemies of Makkah in alliance with some of the disaffected elements (Jews and Hypocrites) in or near Madinah itself. This refers to the battle of Badr in Ramadhan in the second year of the Hijra. But perhaps the meaning is wider: the 'mother of the Book' must include the very foundation on which all Law rests, the essence of Allah's Message, as distinguished from the various illustrative parables, allegories, and ordinances.

The Commentators usually understand the verses 'of established meaning' (muhkam) to refer to the categorical orders of the Shariat (or the Law), which are plain to everyone's understanding. It is very fascinating to take up the latter, and exercise our ingenuity about its meaning, but it refers to such profound matters that are beyond human language and though people of wisdom may get some light from it, no one should be dogmatic, as the final meaning is known to Allah alone. (1) the nucleus or foundation of the Book, literally 'the mother of the Book' (2) the part which is not entirely clear. Broadly speaking it may be divided into two portions, not given separately, but intermingled: viz. This passage gives us an important clue to the interpretation of the Holy Qur-an.

Surah al imran full