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
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ ۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That was a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
Do you not know that to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and [that] you have not besides Allāh any protector or any helper?
ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.