وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ 135
Translations
They say, "Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided." Say, "Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists."
Transliteration
Wa qāloo koonoo hūdan aw nasārā tahtadoo. Qul bal millata Ibrāhīma hanīfan wa mā kāna mina al-mushrikīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Jews and Christians claim that following their respective religions is the path to guidance, but Allah commands the Prophet to reject this claim and instead call people to the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham), which was monotheistic submission to Allah alone. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that Ibrahim's path predated both Judaism and Christianity, making it the original, pure monotheism (hanīf) that rejected all forms of polytheism and religious innovation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a broader Medinan passage addressing interfaith disputes in Medina, where the Muslim community interacted with Jewish and Christian communities. The context reflects the Prophet's interactions with these groups who attempted to convert Muslims to their faiths, prompting this clarification that Islam represents a return to the authentic Abrahamic monotheism rather than a new religion.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'I have been commanded to follow the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanif' (Sunan An-Nasa'i). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet emphasizes that he is closest to Ibrahim among all people.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true guidance lies in pure monotheism and sincere submission to Allah alone, not in following religious traditions merely because of ancestry or cultural inheritance; it calls believers to examine the roots of faith and distinguish between human innovations and divine guidance.