وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ 5
Translations
And they were not commanded except to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakāh. And that is the correct religion.
Transliteration
Wa mā umirū illā liyaʿbudū Allāha mukhliṣīna lahū ad-dīna ḥunafāʾa wa yuqīmū aṣ-ṣalāta wa yuʾtū az-zakāta wa dhālik dīn al-qayyimah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah encapsulates the essence of the divine message: humanity has been commanded to worship Allah alone with sincere devotion, establishing prayer and giving zakat, which constitute the straight and upright religion. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse summarizes the entire purpose of revelation—the perfection of tawhīd (monotheism) combined with righteous deeds. Al-Qurtubi notes that 'ad-dīn al-qayyimah' (the upright religion) refers to Islam as the eternally true path that stands firm against all falsehoods.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Bayyinah was revealed in Medina during the later Meccan/early Medinan period, addressing both believers and those of the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) who rejected the Prophet Muhammad's message. This ayah comes at the conclusion of the surah, serving as a definitive statement of Islam's core pillars and the unified message of all prophets.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger, establishing prayer, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan, and performing Hajj' (Sahih Bukhari 8). Additionally, Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh reported that the Prophet said: 'The best of deeds is faith in Allah and His Messenger, and the worst of deeds is associating partners with Allah' (Musnad Ahmad).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true worship requires both internal sincerity (ikhlāṣ) toward Allah and external manifestation through righteous acts—prayer and charitable giving—demonstrating that Islam is a holistic way of life balancing spiritual devotion with social responsibility. For believers today, it serves as a reminder that our purpose is singular: to worship Allah with complete devotion while fulfilling our obligations to both Creator and creation.
Related Ayahs
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
Within which are correct writings [i.e., rulings and laws].
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not to be parted [from misbelief] until there came to them clear evidence
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۖ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُۥ
Their reward with their Lord will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allāh being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.