مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ 67
Translations
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allāh]. And he was not of the polytheists.
Transliteration
Maa kaana Ibraahimu yahuudiyyaw wa laa nasraaniyyaw wa laakin kaana haniifaw muslimaw wa maa kaana minal mushrikeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah clarifies that Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither Jewish nor Christian, but rather a man of pure monotheistic faith (hanif) who submitted wholly to Allah (muslim). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this refutes the claims of both Jewish and Christian communities who sought to appropriate Ibrahim as exclusively belonging to their respective traditions. The ayah establishes that Ibrahim's core identity was submission to Allah's oneness, predating the later religious divisions, and he certainly did not associate partners with Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader Medinan discourse (Surah Ali 'Imran) addressing theological disputes with the People of the Book—Jews and Christians in Medina who competed for the spiritual legacy of Ibrahim. The context follows discussions about the true followers of Ibrahim and serves to establish that authentic faith in the Abrahamic tradition centers on tawhid (monotheism) and submission to Allah, not on tribal or religious labels.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The closest of people to Ibrahim on the Day of Resurrection will be the Prophet and those who believed in him' (Sahih Bukhari 3344). Additionally, the Quran later states: 'Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam' (3:19), reinforcing the universal principle that true religion is submission to Allah alone.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that religious identity should be grounded in sincere submission to Allah and adherence to divine principles rather than sectarian labels or cultural affiliations. It reminds us that all authentic prophetic traditions share the foundation of pure monotheism and rejection of idolatry, uniting believers across time in their commitment to Allah's oneness.