يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ 65
Translations
O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?
Transliteration
Ya ahlal-kitabi lima tuhaajjuna fi ibrahima wa ma unzilat at-tawratu wa-l-injilu illa min ba'dihi afalaa ta'qilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), questioning why they dispute concerning Ibrahim's religious identity when the Torah and Injil were both revealed centuries after Ibrahim's time. The ayah employs logical reasoning to demonstrate that neither Jews nor Christians can exclusively claim Ibrahim as their own based on scriptures that postdate him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this is a rational argument (hujjah 'aqliyyah) against baseless claims, inviting reflection on the absurdity of attributing doctrines to Ibrahim that were formalized long after his era.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a Medinan passage addressing theological disputes with Jews and Christians in Madinah. The context follows verses discussing Ibrahim's faith and monotheism, and precedes verses clarifying that Ibrahim was neither Jewish nor Christian, but rather a Muslim (hanif) who submitted to Allah. The revelation addresses actual religious polemics the Muslim community encountered with People of the Book in Madinah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said regarding Ibrahim: 'Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a Muslim (hanif) who submitted to Allah' - referenced in Sahih Bukhari (2.3.48). Additionally, the Prophet stated that those closest to Ibrahim on the Day of Judgment would be those who followed him and the Prophet Muhammad - Sahih Bukhari (4.55.589).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that blind adherence to inherited religious claims without rational examination is spiritually and intellectually deficient. Believers should use their intellect ('aql) to distinguish between authentic divine guidance and human innovations, and recognize that true faith transcends sectarian boundaries.