2-130 And who forsakes the religion of Abraham but he who makes a fool of himself. And certainly We made him pure in this world and in the Hereafter he is surely among the righteous.a
وَمَن يَرۡغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفۡسَهُ ۥۚ وَلَقَدِ ٱصۡطَفَيۡنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَإِنَّهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (١٣٠)
2-130a: يَرۡغَبُ – رغب connotes expansiveness, and رغبة – رغبیٰ -رغب means expansiveness of intention. If the relative pronoun of رغب is الیٰ or فی then the meaning is wish or desire as in: إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٲغِبُونَ (surely to our Lord we make petition) (68:32) and if the relative pronoun is عن the meaning is a change of wish or desire as in this verse (R).
سَفِهَ نَفۡسَهُ – سفه is spoken of a person whose body weight is light and is also used for dim wittedness as a result of lack of intelligence and نَفۡسَهُ is the object of the verb. سَفِهَ نَفۡسَهُ was in reality سَفِهَ نَفۡسُه (R), or نَفۡسَهُ is used as the polite form.
ٱصۡطَفَيۡنا – The root of اصفیٰ is صفو means pure, and the meaning of اصطفاء is to take the part which is pure. Allah’s اصطفاء is of two types: One is to keep a person free from adulteration and impurities and secondly to choose someone and to make him saintly and respected. Our Prophet’s name is مصطفےٰ because he was born free of all impurities and adulterations.
The real characteristic of Abrahamic faith: Because the holiness of Abraham is well established in many faiths, the real feature of the Abrahamic faith is mentioned here and it is stated that if he is accepted as a shared personality, then the differences in the principles of faith can be easily settled. To reject this, is to tread against the basic principle of one’s own faith.
2-131 When his Lord said to him, Submit, he said: I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.a
إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُ ۥ رَبُّهُ ۥۤ أَسۡلِمۡۖ قَالَ أَسۡلَمۡتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٣١)
2-131a: A practical principle: The basic and most practical feature of the Abrahamic faith is mentioned first. Namely, it is to submit completely to the will of God, and not to care for any worldly wealth, respect, fame, ease, and even one’s life when it comes to obeying the commands of Allah. The mention of the nurturing of the Lord of the worlds along with submission is to show that it is God’s creation that benefits from submission. In other words, the idea that is expressed in one place as:أَسۡلَمَ وَجۡهَهُ ۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٌ۬ (…submits himself entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good) (2:112) is here expressed as: أَسۡلَمۡتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds).
The elevated position of a Muslim: What is submission? It is declared here as the fundamental principle of Abrahamic faith. Perfect submission as meant by the word Islam demands that one must not bow before any other thing whether it is greed for worldly wealth and honor or whether it is the fear of any power below God. One who performs his duty even in the presence of all kinds of temptations and difficulties is a Muslim in the real sense of the word. This is the highest status to which one can rise.
2-132 And the same did Abraham enjoin on his sons, and (so did) Jacob: O my sons, surely Allah has chosen for you (this) religion, so die not unless you are submitting ones.a
وَوَصَّىٰ بِہَآ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعۡقُوبُ يَـٰبَنِىَّ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ (١٣٢)
2-132a: وَصَّىٰ – The meaning of وَصَّیة is to present something to another along with a homily requiring him to act upon it as instructed. (R). It does not require this to be done immediately on summoning the person or be done when a person is dying.
يَعۡقُوب – Jacob is the name of Abraham’s grandson, the son of Isaac. His other name is Israel. According to the Bible, Isaac’s two sons, Esau and Jacob, were born as twins in such a manner that at birth, Jacob’s hand was holding the heel of Esau, the first born. It was for this reason that he was named Yaqub (Jacob in English). The blessings promised to Isaac were fulfilled exclusively in the progeny of Jacob and Bani Israel is the progeny of Jacob.
Abraham’s firm stand on monotheism: The objective of this verse is to show how highly devoted Abraham was to the oneness of God. The advice that he gave to his children as his final will and testament was to hold firmly to the oneness of God and this advice influenced his future generations. Jacob gave this same advice to his sons. This evidences that the testament of prophets is about matters of faith. These holy individuals come into the world to establish piety and this is their legacy and bequest. They do not leave an inheritance of goods and wealth. It is for this reason that Mukhbar Sadiq stated: ما ترکناہ صدقة
2-133 Or were you witnesses when death visited Jacob, when he said to his sons: What will you serve after me? They said: We shall serve thy God and the God of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, one God only, and to Him do we submit.a
أَمۡ كُنتُمۡ شُہَدَآءَ إِذۡ حَضَرَ يَعۡقُوبَ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ إِذۡ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِى قَالُواْ نَعۡبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ ءَابَآٮِٕكَ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ إِلَـٰهً۬ا وَٲحِدً۬ا وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ مُسۡلِمُونَ (١٣٣)
2-133a: ابَآ – is the plural of اب and it means father. But, like اُمّ, the use of اَبۡ is widespread, being employed for everything that is the cause of bringing something into existence or is the means of reforming or manifesting a thing (R). A paternal uncle and father are referred together as اَبَوعن ; as too are father and grandfather, and also father and mother. Here Ishmael, who was the paternal uncle of Jacob, has been included in آباء .
إِسۡحَـٰقَ – Isaac is the name of the second son of Abraham born from his wife Sarah.
That the word عبادت (service) is used in this verse, points to the truth that worship is through service and actions.
2-134 Those are a people that have passed away; for them is what they earned and for you what you earn; and you will not be asked of what they did.
تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبۡتُمۡۖ وَلَا تُسۡـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ (١٣٤)
خَلَتۡ – When خلٰی is used in the context of time, it means مضیٰ و ذحب, that is, they have passed away (R). In other words, their connection with this world is terminated and they have passed on for their meeting with God.
All the prophets are one nation: In this verse, all prophets and holy persons are called one nation because they all followed the same path, even though there may be minor differences in the law they brought. But since the reference here is to the practical principles of Islam, and all prophets certainly adhered to the same fundamental principles, they are called here one nation. By stating that this is a nation that has passed away, the intention is to convey that their actions (that is, the actions of the previous prophets) cannot help them now, even though they are the progeny of those prophets.
2-135 And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say: Nay, (we follow) the religion of Abraham, the upright one, and he was not one of the polytheists.a
وَقَالُواْ ڪُونُواْ هُودًا أَوۡ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تَہۡتَدُواْۗ قُلۡ بَلۡ مِلَّةَ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ حَنِيفً۬اۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ (١٣٥)
2-135a:حَنِيفً۬ – is from the root حنف which means one who is inclining to a right state or tendency (R). The opposite of that is جنف which means going astray from righteousness. So حَنِيفً۬ signifies sticking to the right state.
The real beliefs of the Abrahamic faith: Having narrated the fundamental practical principle of the Abrahamic faith, the fundamental belief principle of the Abrahamic faith is narrated: complete abstinence from any association with Allah. But before doing that, it narrates what the opponents were alleging. The Jews state that salvation is achieved by adopting the Jewish beliefs while the Christians state that guidance results from adopting the Christian faith. In response, it is stated that both these faiths have inclined to associating partners with Allah. The fundamental foundation from the point of view of faith must be the acceptance of the unity of Allah free from the adulteration of any association.
2-136 Say: We believe in Allah and (in) that which has been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and (in) that which was given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them and to Him do we submit.a
قُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّنۡهُمۡ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ مُسۡلِمُونَ (١٣٦)
2-136a: أَسۡبَاطِ – is the plural of سِبۡط which means tribe, that is a group of people who are the descendants of a common ancestor. This word has particularly been used for the progeny of Israel because each one of the twelve sons of Israel became the progenitor of a tribe.
نُفَرِّقُ – تفریق is an intensive form of فرق . The meaning of not making a distinction between the prophets is to say they must all be accepted. It does not mean that they are all of the same spiritual status because the Quranic statement فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ۘ (…some of these messengers to excel others) (2:253) contradicts such an assumption.
أَحَدٍ۬ – When the word أَحَدٍ۬ (‘one’) is negated, it carries the plural sense. Hence not making the distinction is applied to أَحَدٍ۬
Comprehensiveness of the religion of Islam: This verse not only mentions the fundamental religious article of belief in the unity of God but also mentions the comprehensiveness of the true and perfect religion by stating that this fundamental principle of belief in one God is not just specific to the Abrahamic nation.
All the prophets of the world subscribed to the same religion: The fundamental principle of all the prophets of the world was the same. Hence a Muslim believes in all the prophets because all of them subscribed to the same principle and were charged to accomplish the same purpose. In this verse, first the four great prophets are mentioned, that is Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, followed by a mention of all the Israelite prophets in the word أَسۡبَاطِ . This is followed by Moses, the greatest prophet of the Jews, and then Jesus, the prophet of the Christians. Finally, by stating مَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ (…that which was given to the prophets), it is made clear that there were other prophets in the world besides those from the Abrahamic and Mosaic systems. Their message was the same and we consider those prophets to be true as well.
Commentary on مَآ أُنزِلَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِك : This term which was used at the start of the Quran is elaborated here to mean revelation granted to previous prophets regardless of the nation that they belonged to.
2-137 So if they believe as you believe, they are indeed on the right course; and if they turn back, then they are only in opposition. But Allah will suffice thee against them; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.a
فَإِنۡ ءَامَنُواْ بِمِثۡلِ مَآ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَواْۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّمَا هُمۡ فِى شِقَاقٍ۬ۖ فَسَيَكۡفِيڪَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ (١٣٧)
2-137a: شِقَاقٍ۬ – is form شق which means a split or cleavage as in: ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقًّ۬ا (Then cleave the earth, cleaving (it) asunder) (80:26). And شِقَّة is said of a part that has separated. شِقَاقٍ is derived from it and means opposition. In other words, the شق (cleavage) in شِقَاقٍ۬ has taken the form of opposition. And شِق in the sense of toil or distress is also used in the Quran as in: إِلَّا بِشِقِّ ٱلۡأَنفُسِ (but with distress to yourself) (16:7).
سَيَكۡفِيڪَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ – The meaning of کفایة is to remedy a difficulty and to gain ones wish or objective. And the meaning of this phrase is کفاك اللّٰه شرھم , that is Allah will save you from their mischief and escort you to your goal and their opposition will not harm you any.
Islam does not call any holy person a fabricator: What is narrated here is that those who do not believe in such a clear and comprehensive faith can only be the ones who are enemies of the truth. To accept such a religion that considers all the prophets of the world righteous is in accordance with rationality and justice. Islam does not call any holy person a liar and fabricator. If they do not accept this righteous principle, then one should understand that they are simply stuck on opposing the truth. Their opposition should just be ignored, and God will protect the Holy Prophet and his followers from their mischief.
2-138 (We take) Allah’s color, and who is better than Allah at coloring, and we are His worshippers.a
صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبۡغَةً۬ۖ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ (١٣٨)
2-138a: صِبۡغَةَ – Literally صِبۡغَةَ means color, but here, religion is implied because just as cloth is affected by color, religion brings about a change in the mentality of a person and gives its own color to a person’s views. Some take it to mean nature or temperament. Al-Mufradat states that the term صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِ indicates a thing that Allah created in humans specifically, that is intelligence, which distinguishes humans from animals. In Taj-ul-Arus, however, the meaning of صِبۡغَةَ is religion and every path that takes one close to Allah. It is stated in the Quran: وَصِبۡغٍ۬ لِّلۡأَڪِلِينَ (…and relish for the eaters) (23:20) where the meaning is relish or gravy. The rite of baptism where a baby is dipped in water is called صِبۡغَةَ or اصطباغ (R).
Comparison of the religion of Islam with Christian baptism: By likening the religion of Islam to صِبۡغَةَ or coloring, the verse encourages a comparison between Islamic coloration and the Christian اصطباغ or baptism. In the religion of Islam there is divine baptism that colors a person with the ideal that all prophets are righteous; in Christianity there is human baptism by water with the fundamental principle that there is none righteous in the world except the Messiah. A religion that declares everyone to be fabricators cannot succeed. صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِ is in the accusative case (with the vowel fathah at the end and not the vowel dammah). There are three possible reasons for this. (1) it may be the object of امَنَّا (We believe) in امَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ which is at the beginning of verse 136, (2) To urge the necessity of acquiring the coloring of Allah, (3) Some say it is a substitute for ملة ابراھیم occurring at the end of verse 135, so that the meaning is that صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِ is what ملة ابراھیم was.
2-139 Say: Do you dispute with us about Allah, and He is our Lord and your Lord, and for us are our deeds and for you your deeds; and we are sincere to Him?a
قُلۡ أَتُحَآجُّونَنَا فِى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّڪُمۡ وَلَنَآ أَعۡمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُكُمۡ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ مُخۡلِصُونَ (١٣٩)
2-139a: The difference between خالص and صافی : ۥ مُخۡلِصُونَ- خالص and صافی are similar and mean free of any adulteration. But صافی is unadulterated from inception and خالص is that which gets purified later (R). The اخلاص or purity of the Muslims is that they are not blameworthy like the Jews for claiming a filial relationship with God and the Christians for innovating the Trinity (R). In another place it is said: مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ (…sincere to Him in obedience) (98:5), that is those whose obedience is unadulterated. This is the meaning here, those who in their belief and obedience are sincere to Allah and keep their belief free from all kinds of adulteration and dross.
The extensiveness of God’s nurturing: All the nations of the world with one exception limit the nurturing of Allah to their own people. Only Islam puts forward the concept of God who is ربنا and ربکم . These attributes mean that He nurtures all, Muslims, and also the Christians and Jews, who are opposing Islam. Here they are addressed, and reminded that He is their Lord and nurturer as well. This is, in other words, the definition of رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (The Lord of the Worlds).
Muslims taught to sympathize with their enemies: Simultaneously, the Muslims were given the lesson that their God is also the Lord of those who oppose their religion. It therefore becomes incumbent on a Muslim, to create the open heartedness which has real sympathy and well wishes even for enemies because a Muslim who worships Allah and thereby tries to inculcate His attributes in him is تخلق با خلاق اللّٰه (to have nature like the nature of Allah). This is a very difficult stage to reach. But the Book that teaches the lesson of ربنا و ربکم (our Lord and your Lord) envisions its followers to reach this stage. This is the example seen in the lives of the Holy Prophet and his companions. They manifested love and kindness to enemies by forgiving them for their past cruelties. In the term لَنَآ أَعۡمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُكُمۡ (for us are our deeds and for you your deeds;), Allah teaches that real success depends on actions. Good deeds are urged but a reminder is given that the unadulterated ways of doing good are to be found only in Islam. A nation whose deeds are only for Allah is definitely successful in the end because obedience and actions are born out of belief. This is the reason for mentioning it here.
2-140 Or do you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes were Jews or Christians?a Say: Do you know better or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not heedless of what you do.
أَمۡ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطَ كَانُواْ هُودًا أَوۡ نَصَـٰرَىٰۗ قُلۡ ءَأَنتُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ أَمِ ٱللَّهُۗ وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَـٰدَةً عِندَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ (١٤٠)
2:140a: Christian doctrine of atonement and previous prophets: The Quran here alleges that the Jews and Christians hold that previous prophets were Jews or Christians, that is, they followed the beliefs that they preach. This charge is based on facts. Even today, the Christians hold that the previous prophets believed in the Christian belief of atonement because without it salvation is not possible. There can be no greater injustice than to distort the fundamental teachings of belief in one God and righteousness of all previous prophets in the light of clear testimony to the contrary. The same applies to the Jews. They claim that only adoption of the Jewish law can save man. By virtue of being the children of prophets, they considered themselves exempt from the importance of action.
2-141 Those are a people that have passed away; and for them is what they earned and for you what you earn; and you will not be asked of what they did.a
تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبۡتُمۡۖ وَلَا تُسۡـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ (١٤١)
2-141a: Because pure actions are the result of right beliefs, it is reiterated that the actions of past generations cannot benefit them.
Bayan-ul-Quran 