قُلْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ 84
Translations
Say, "We have believed in Allāh and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants [al-Asbāṭ], and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him."
Transliteration
Qul āmannā billāhi wa mā unzila ʿalaynā wa mā unzila ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa Ismāʿīla wa Isḥāqa wa Yaʿqūba wa al-asbāṭi wa mā ūtiya Mūsā wa ʿĪsā wa al-nabiyyūna min rabbihim lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadin minhumm wa naḥnu lahu muslimūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the Islamic creed of belief in Allah and all His revealed scriptures and messengers without discrimination among them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded to declare that Muslims believe in the Torah, the Gospel, and all divine revelations sent to the prophets, as well as the Qur'an revealed to him. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this verse emphasizes the continuity of the divine message throughout history and rejects the Jewish and Christian rejection of the Qur'an, while also rejecting any Muslim rejection of previous scriptures and prophets.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the Medinan period when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was addressing the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) who rejected his prophethood. The broader context of Surah Ali 'Imran concerns theological dialogue with these communities and clarifying the Islamic position on monotheism, the authenticity of previous scriptures, and the universality of the prophetic message. This particular verse responds to objections and misconceptions about Islam's stance toward previous revelations.
Related Hadiths
The statement 'We make no distinction between any of His messengers' (Qur'an 2:285) is echoed in numerous hadiths. Notably, in Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of 'Arafah, and the best thing that I and the prophets before me have said is: There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner.' This demonstrates the unified message across all prophets.
Themes
Key Lesson
True Islamic faith requires acknowledging all of Allah's messengers and scriptures with equal respect and reverence, recognizing that the message has always been one of pure monotheism. For modern believers, this teaches the importance of intellectual honesty in acknowledging the historical role of previous prophets while maintaining firm belief in the finality and completeness of Islam as the perfected religion.
Related Ayahs
۞ كُلُّ ٱلطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِلًّا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ ۗ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ فَٱتْلُوهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel [i.e., Jacob] had made unlawful to himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, [O Muḥammad], "So bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful."
ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Those who say, "Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire,"
قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ فِى فِئَتَيْنِ ٱلْتَقَتَا ۖ فِئَةٌ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخْرَىٰ كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ ٱلْعَيْنِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ
Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met [in combat at Badr] - one fighting in the cause of Allāh and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allāh supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
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?