إِذْ قَالَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥٓ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 131
Translations
When his Lord said to him, "Submit," he said, "I have submitted [in Islām] to the Lord of the worlds."
Transliteration
Idh qala lahu rabbuhu aslim. Qala aslamtu li-rabbi al-'alamin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the moment when Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim to submit (surrender his will completely to Allah), and Ibrahim responded with absolute obedience: 'I have submitted myself to the Lord of the worlds.' Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as the pinnacle of Ibrahim's faith and obedience, demonstrating that true Islam (submission) requires complete acceptance of Allah's commands without hesitation or qualification. The phrase 'Lord of the worlds' emphasizes the comprehensive sovereignty of Allah over all creation, making Ibrahim's submission universal and unconditional.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the broader context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of Ibrahim's faith and his role as a model for believers. It references a specific moment in Ibrahim's life (mentioned in Surah As-Saffat 37:103-105 as well) when he demonstrated his ultimate submission to Allah's commands, setting him as the archetypal example of a Muslim for all generations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Ibrahim was called Al-Khalil (the intimate friend of Allah)' (Sahih Bukhari 3372). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized following Ibrahim's path: 'The best of religion is the religion of Ibrahim' (Sunan Ibn Majah 3029).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith requires immediate and complete submission to Allah's commands without hesitation or negotiation, and that our identity as Muslims is fundamentally rooted in surrendering our will to the Lord of all creation. Ibrahim's response serves as an eternal model for believers to emulate in their own relationship with Allah.
Related Ayahs
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـٰسِكَكُمْ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا ۗ فَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـٰقٍ
And when you have completed your rites, remember Allāh like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share.
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allāh has ordained for you. Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُوا۟ مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
O you who have believed, fear Allāh and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.