Quran (3:139) – Muslims Ordered To Never Lose Hope Or Be Sad
If the verse you’re referring to is 3:139 , then please note that it’s in a specific context. The meaning should clear up if you read the verse in context. While it’s true that we should never lose hope in God, it doesn’t mean that we should strictly negate human emotions at all times. We can be happy or sad all the while still maintaining our belief and hope in God. Believers! The final victory shall be yours.] Numerous examples of this have gone before you. So, roam about in this land of yours and see what fate those who disbelieved met.This is a very clear warning to those [who are adamant in denying the Prophet] and a guidance and counsel to the God-fearing. [So, rest assured] and do not despair and be sad [because of the losses you have been inflicted with] .[954] If you are believers, you shall finally reign supreme.[955]If you have suffered a wound [now], a similar wound [956] was suffered [before this] by the enemy [957] too. And We alternate these vicissitudes [958] among people to test them [959] and so that God may know the true believers and sift out those [who by even laying down their lives] bear witness to the truth [960] – [try to understand these expediencies] and [remember that] God does not like those who are unjust [961] –and [962] We alternate these vicissitudes so that God may separate the believers and destroy these disbelievers.[963]Did [964] you suppose that you would enter Paradise and God has not even seen as yet those among you who waged jihād [and those who did not] – and We alternate these vicissitudes so that God also knows the enduring among them.[965][Now you are giving up courage] and you have been wishing for death before it manifested itself in front of you [in this manner.] So, [your wish has been granted because] you have stared death in its face.[966] Javed Ahmed Ghamidi English Translation by Dr. Shehzad Saleem — 954 The reference is to the defeat suffered by the Muslims in the battle of Uḥud because of their own fault. 955 This is an allusion to the established practice of God as per which people who deliberately deny their respective messenger are faced with punishment in this world, while those who profess faith in Him are granted supremacy. As a manifestation of this practice, the signs and remnants of the people of ‘Ād and Thamūd and of the followers of the Prophet Lot (sws) and Shu‘ayb (sws) existed in Arabia at that time. The Qur’ān has termed these signs and remnants as sunan (examples). 956 Reference is to the battle of Badr. 957 The actual word is: الۡقَوۡم. As per the conventions of the Arabs, this word is used for adversaries and enemies when used in this way. 958 The actual word is: الۡاَيَّام.When it comes as plural the way it has come here, it refers to historic days in which great incidents and happenings took place. 959 This is the conjugate clause (ma‘ṭūf ‘alayh) of the expression: وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا which has been suppressed as per linguistic principles of Arabic. 960 It is evident from this that among other expediencies in the set-back suffered in the battle of Uḥud one was to give people who desired to become martyrs for the cause of truth the opportunity to do so. One can gauge from this how intense was the desire among Muslims to become martyrs: the Almighty in order to appease this desire deemed it necessary to provide them an opportunity. 961 Because of this set-back, Muslims should not think that the Almighty has now started loving these disbelievers; this is certainly not so; He never loves people who are unjust to their souls. It is only that He had some expediencies before Him because of which He put up with this defeat of the Muslims. 962 After the parenthetical sentence, the discourse resumes from where this sentence had begun. 963 The implication is that it was only possible to destroy the rejecters when they had been isolated and pin-pointed. So it was necessary that people be put through strenuous tests so that their evil is sifted out. Consequently, the defeat of the Muslims was a measure in itself to destroy the disbelievers. 964 This once again is another parenthetical sentence in which the addressees are warned forthwith on a thought that crossed their minds in response to the previous verse: Why was not the existence of faith in Muslims a sufficient yardstick to distinguish them from the rejecters? Why was it necessary to put people through such a trial? 965 The actual words are: وَيَعْلَمَ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ. It is obvious that they are conjugated to وَ لِيَعۡلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا and the sentence between it and وَ يَمۡحَقَ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ is a parenthetical sentence which arose to warn instantly the believers of a thought that crossed their minds, as indicated earlier. 966 This is a sarcastic remark on the fervour for jihād and on the claims to even sacrifice life for the cause of God expressed by the addressees before the battle of Uḥud.