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Ayah
Word by Word
أَمۡ
Or
تَقُولُونَ
(do) you say
إِنَّ
that
إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ
Ibrahim
وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ
and Ismail
وَإِسۡحَٰقَ
and Ishaq
وَيَعۡقُوبَ
and Yaqub
وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطَ
and the descendants
كَانُواْ
were
هُودًا
Jews
أَوۡ
or
نَصَٰرَىٰۗ
Christians
قُلۡ
Say
ءَأَنتُمۡ
Are you
أَعۡلَمُ
better knowing
أَمِ
or
ٱللَّهُۗ
(is) Allah
وَمَنۡ
And who
أَظۡلَمُ
(is) more unjust
مِمَّن
than (the one) who
كَتَمَ
concealed
شَهَٰدَةً
a testimony
عِندَهُۥ
(that) he has
مِنَ
from
ٱللَّهِۗ
Allah
وَمَا
And not
ٱللَّهُ
(is) Allah
بِغَٰفِلٍ
unaware
عَمَّا
of what
تَعۡمَلُونَ
you do
أَمۡ
Or
تَقُولُونَ
(do) you say
إِنَّ
that
إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ
Ibrahim
وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ
and Ismail
وَإِسۡحَٰقَ
and Ishaq
وَيَعۡقُوبَ
and Yaqub
وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطَ
and the descendants
كَانُواْ
were
هُودًا
Jews
أَوۡ
or
نَصَٰرَىٰۗ
Christians
قُلۡ
Say
ءَأَنتُمۡ
Are you
أَعۡلَمُ
better knowing
أَمِ
or
ٱللَّهُۗ
(is) Allah
وَمَنۡ
And who
أَظۡلَمُ
(is) more unjust
مِمَّن
than (the one) who
كَتَمَ
concealed
شَهَٰدَةً
a testimony
عِندَهُۥ
(that) he has
مِنَ
from
ٱللَّهِۗ
Allah
وَمَا
And not
ٱللَّهُ
(is) Allah
بِغَٰفِلٍ
unaware
عَمَّا
of what
تَعۡمَلُونَ
you do
Translation
Or do ye say that Abraham, Isma'il Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know better than Allah? Ah! who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah? but Allah is not unmindful of what ye do!
Tafsir
Or, nay, do you say (taqooloona, also read yaqooloona, 'do they say?'): 'Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes - they were Jews, or they were Christians?' Say, to them: 'Have you then greater knowledge, or has God?, that is, God has greater knowledge; He dissociated Abraham from both [groups], when He said, Abraham was not a Jew, nor a Christian [Q. 3:67]; and those mentioned with him [Abraham] are his followers [in not belonging to either group]. And who does greater injustice than he who conceals, hides from people, a testimony, he has, received from God?, that is, there is none more unjust than him: these are the Jews, for they concealed God's testimony about Abraham's pure faith in the Torah; And God is not heedless of what you do': [this is] a threat for them.
"The Muslim believes in all that Allah `revealed and all the Prophets
Allah says;
قُولُواۡ امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبۡرَاهِيمَ وَإِسۡمَاعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَالاسۡبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ مُسۡلِمُونَ
Say (O Muslims):""We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat (the offspring of the twelve sons of Yaqub), and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and `Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).""
Allah directed His believing servants to believe in what He sent down to them through His Messenger Muhammad and in what was revealed to the previous Prophets in general.
Some Prophets Allah mentioned by name, while He did not mention the names of many others.
Allah directed the believers to refrain from differentiating between the Prophets and to believe in them all.
They should avoid imitating whomever Allah described as,
وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواۡ بَيۡنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيقُولُونَ نُوۡمِنُ بِبَعۡضٍ وَنَكۡفُرُ بِبَعۡضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواۡ بَيۡنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلً
أُوۡلَـيِكَ هُمُ الۡكَـفِرُونَ حَقّاً
And wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, ""We believe in some but reject others,"" and wish to adopt a way in between.
They are in truth disbelievers. (4:150-151)
Al-Bukhari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said,
""The People of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and translate it into Arabic for the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said,
لَاا تُصَدِّقُوا أَهۡلَ الۡكِتَابِ وَلَاا تُكَذِّبُوهُمۡ وقُولُوا امَنَّا بِاللهِ وَمَا أُنۡزل إِلَيۡنَا
Do not believe the People of the Book, nor reject what they say. Rather, say, `We believe in Allah and in what was sent down to us.""
Also, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn Abbas said,
""Mostly, the Messenger of Allah used to recite,
امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا
(We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us) (2:136), and,
امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَاشۡهَدۡ بِأَنَّا مُسۡلِمُونَ
(We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah) (3:52) during the two (voluntary) Rak`ah before Fajr.""
Abu Al-Aliyah, Ar-Rabi and Qatadah said,
""Al-Asbat are the twelve sons of Jacob, and each one of them had an Ummah of people from his descendants. This is why they were called Al-Asbat.""
Al-Khalil bin Ahmad and others said,
""Al-Asbat among the Children of Israel are just like the tribes among the Children of Ismail.""
This means that the Asbat are the various tribes of the Children of Israel, among whom Allah sent several Prophets. Moses said to the Children of Israel,
اذۡكُرُواۡ نِعۡمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَعَلَ فِيكُمۡ أَنۡبِيَأءَ وَجَعَلَكُمۡ مُّلُوكاً
Remember the favor of Allah to you:when He made Prophets among you, made you kings. (5:20)
Also, Allah said,
وَقَطَّعۡنَـهُمُ اثۡنَتَىۡ عَشۡرَةَ أَسۡبَاطًا
And We divided them into twelve tribes. (7:160)
Al-Qurtubi said,
""Sibt is the group of people or a tribe all belonging to the same ancestors.""
Qatadah said,
""Allah commanded the believers to believe in Him and in all His Books and Messengers.""
Also, Sulayman bin Habib said,
""We were commanded to believe in the (original) Torah and Injil, but not to implement them.
Allah said,
فَإِنۡ امَنُواۡ بِمِثۡلِ مَا امَنتُم بِهِ
So if they believe in the like of that which you believe,
Allah said, if they, the disbelievers among the People of the Book and other disbelievers, believe in all of Allah's Books and Messengers and do not differentiate between any of them,
فَقَدِ اهۡتَدَواۡ
then they are rightly guided,
meaning, they would acquire the truth and be directed to it.
وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاۡ
but if they turn away,
from truth to falsehood after proof had been presented to them,
فَإِنَّمَا هُمۡ فِي شِقَاقٍ فَسَيَكۡفِيكَهُمُ اللّهُ
then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them,
meaning, Allah will aid the believers against them.
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الۡعَلِيمُ
And He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Allah said,
صِبۡغَةَ اللّهِ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ صِبۡغَةً وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ عَابِدونَ
Our Sibghah (religion) is) the Sibghah of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah can be better than Allah's. And we are His worshippers.
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas commented on Allah's statement,
صِبۡغَةَ اللّهِ
(The Sibghah of Allah),
""The religion of Allah.""
This Tafsir was also reported of Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ikrimah, Ibrahim, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Abdullah bin Kathir, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, As-Suddi and other scholars.
The Ayah,
فِطۡرَةَ اللَّهِ
(Allah's Fitrah (i.e. Allah's Islamic Monotheism), (30:30) directs Muslims to, ""Hold to it.
Allah directed His Prophet to pre-empt the arguments with the idolators:
قُلۡ أَتُحَأجُّونَنَا فِي اللّهِ
Say (O Muhammad to the Jews and Christians), ""Dispute you with us about Allah,
meaning, ""Do you dispute with us regarding the Oneness of Allah, obedience and submission to Him and in avoiding His prohibitions!
وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمۡ
while He is our Lord and your Lord,
meaning, He has full control over us and you, and deserves the worship alone without partners.
وَلَنَا أَعۡمَالُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَالُكُمۡ
And we are to be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds.
meaning, we disown you and what you worship, just as you disown us.
Allah said in another Ayah,
وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّى عَمَلِى وَلَكُمۡ عَمَلُكُمۡ أَنتُمۡ بَرِييُونَ مِمَّأ أَعۡمَلُ وَأَنَاۡ بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ
And if they belie you, say:""For me are my deeds and for you are your deeds! You are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what you do!"" (10:41)
and,
فَإنۡ حَأجُّوكَ فَقُلۡ أَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِىَ للَّهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ
So if they dispute with you (Muhammad) say:""I have submitted myself to Allah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow me."" (3:20)
Allah said about Ibrahim,
وَحَأجَّهُ قَوۡمُهُ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّى فِى اللَّهِ
His people disputed with him. He said:""Do you dispute with me concerning Allah."" (6:80)
and,
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِى حَأجَّ إِبۡرَهِيمَ فِى رِبِّهِ
Have you not looked at him who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord (Allah). (2:258)
He said in this honorable Ayah,
وَلَنَا أَعۡمَالُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَالُكُمۡ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ مُخۡلِصُونَ
And we are to be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds. And we are sincere to Him.
meaning, ""We disown you just as you disown us,""
وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ مُخۡلِصُونَ
And we are sincere to Him, in worship and submission.
Allah said,
أَمۡ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبۡرَاهِيمَ وَإِسۡمَاعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَالاسۡبَاطَ كَانُواۡ هُودًا أَوۡ نَصَارَى
Or say you that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and Al-Asbat, were Jews or Christians!
Allah criticized them in the claim that Ibrahim, the Prophets who came after him and the Asbat were following their religion, whether Judaism or Christianity.
Allah said,
...
قُلۡ أَأَنتُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ أَمِ اللّهُ
Say, ""Do you know better or does Allah!""
meaning, Allah has the best knowledge and He stated that they were neither Jews, nor Christians.
Similarly, Allah said in the Ayah,
مَا كَانَ إِبۡرَهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصۡرَانِيًّا وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسۡلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa (to worship none but Allah alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin. (3:67) and the following Ayat.
Allah also said,
...
وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللّهِ
And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony he has from Allah,
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,
They used to recite the Book of Allah He sent to them that stated that the true religion is Islam and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Their Book also stated that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and the tribes were neither Jews, nor Christians. They testified to these facts, yet hid them from the people.
Allah's statement,
...
وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
is a threat and a warning that His knowledge encompasses every one's deeds, and He shall award each accordingly.
Allah then said,
تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ
That was a nation who has passed away.
meaning, existed before you.
لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبۡتُمۡ
They shall receive the reward of what they earned, and you of what you earn.
meaning, they bear their deeds while you bear yours.
وَلَا تُسۡأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُواۡ يَعۡمَلُونَ
And you will not be asked of what they used to do.
meaning, the fact that you are their relatives will not suffice, unless you imitate their good deeds.
Further, do not be deceived by the fact that you are their descendants, unless you imitate them in obeying Allah's orders and following His Messengers who were sent as warners and bearers of good news.
Indeed, whoever disbelieves in even one Prophet, will have disbelieved in all the Messengers, especially if one disbelieves in the master and Final Messenger from Allah, the Lord of the worlds, to all mankind and the Jinns. May Allah's peace and blessings be on Muhammad and the rest of Allah's Prophets."
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