Surah Al-Baqarah 2:135
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 135 of 286
وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ حَنِيفًۭا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Translation
They say, ‘Become Jews or Christians, and you will be rightly guided.’ Say [Prophet], ‘No, [ours is] the religion of Abraham, the upright, who did not worship any god besides God.’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse begins with a challenge and concludes with a profound declaration, all delivered through precise and potent words from Allah.
The Call to Exclusivity
The verse opens with the claim of the Jews and Christians: "وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟" (And they said, "Be Jews or Christians, you will be guided"). The term "قالوا" (they said) refers to both groups, each calling others to their own faith, believing it to be the sole path to guidance. The instruction "كونوا" (be or become) is a direct command. Importantly, the consequence "تهتدوا" (you will be guided) is phrased in a way that implies exclusivity. As Ibn Ashur points out, the structure suggests that *only* by being Jewish or Christian, as they understood it, could one be guided. This leaves no room for other paths in their view.
Allah's Clear Rebuttal
Allah then instructs the Prophet with the command "قُلْ" (Say), signaling an immediate and authoritative response. The particle "بَلْ" (bal) is critical here. It serves as a strong word of rebuttal and transition, firmly dismissing the preceding claim. Al-Razi highlights that this "بل" acts as a forceful correction, shifting the listener away from the false assertion to the true guidance. The phrase "مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ" (millata Ibrāhīm, the religion of Abraham) appears in the accusative grammatical case, which implies an unspoken verb like "we follow" or "we adhere to," as noted by al-Jadwal and al-Razi. This choice of wording emphasizes active adherence to Abraham's path.
The Meaning of 'Hanif'
Central to this declaration is the word "حَنِيفًۭا" (hanīfan), describing Abraham. Grammatically, it functions as a state, meaning Abraham was "inclining to the truth" or "upright." Scholars like al-Zamakhshari explain *hanif* as one who turns away from all false religions towards the true one. Ibn Ashur adds that the root "ḥanafa" originally meant to incline from the common path. It became a praiseworthy title because Abraham's faith inclined away from the widespread idolatry of his time. This word, therefore, highlights Abraham's distinctness and his singular devotion to God.
Abraham's Purity
The verse concludes with a powerful affirmation: "وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ" (And he was not of the idolaters). This direct and emphatic negation clarifies Abraham's pure monotheism. Al-Razi notes that attributing a son to God, as Christians and some Jews did, constitutes *shirk* (associating partners with Allah). Ibn Ashur views this closing statement as a precautionary clarification, ensuring that those who claimed to follow Abraham yet engaged in idolatry would understand that their path diverged from his. It firmly establishes that Abraham's true religion was free from any form of polytheism.
Through these specific words and their deliberate arrangement, the Quran refutes exclusivist claims, declares the universal truth of Abraham's pure monotheism, and clearly defines the path of true guidance.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Qur'anic Worlds
This powerful verse takes us back to the early days of Islam, helping us understand the crucial moments when the Muslim community was defining its identity.
The Scene of Revelation
Imagine the dynamic atmosphere in Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his followers were establishing the nascent Muslim society. As the plain meaning (al-Muyassar) tells us, Jewish leaders, like Abdullah ibn Suriya al-A'war, and Christian leaders from Najran, such as al-Sayyid and al-A'qib, would approach the Muslims. Each group would assert, "Be a Jew, or be a Christian, and you will be guided!" They were essentially inviting the Muslims to abandon their new faith and adopt theirs, claiming their path was the only true one, as al-Baghawi and Ibn Kathir detail. This verse is Allah's direct command to the Prophet, providing the decisive response to these claims. It's a moment of clear assertion and distinction for the emerging Muslim community.
The Path of Ibrahim
In response to these invitations, Allah instructs the Prophet to declare, "Say: 'No, but the way (مِلَّةَ) of Ibrahim (Abraham), inclining to truth (حَنِيفًۭا), and he was not of the polytheists (ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ).'" Here, *millah* refers to the religion or way of life. By invoking Ibrahim, the verse points to a figure revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Mufti Shafi explains that while both groups claimed to follow Ibrahim, their religions had become distorted and abrogated.
The key word here is *hanifan* (حَنِيفًۭا). Scholars like al-Tabari, al-Razi, and Ibn Kathir offer various interpretations: it means "straight," "inclining to truth," "following the way of Ibrahim," or "pure monotheism." Al-Tabari beautifully summarizes it as "steadfastness upon the religion of Ibrahim," a path that was free from associating partners with Allah (*shirk*), meaning pure worship of the One God. This isn't just about practices like pilgrimage or circumcision, though those were part of his way; it's about the fundamental, unblemished belief in Allah's Oneness.
A Foundational Truth
This verse transports us to the "Worlds of Past Nations" by calling upon the foundational figure of Prophet Ibrahim. It emphasizes that Islam is not a new religion that contradicts earlier prophets, but rather a return to the pristine, pure monotheism of Ibrahim, the patriarch of monotheistic faiths. Sayyid Qutb highlights this as an invitation to return to the common origin, emphasizing that Ibrahim was not a *mushrik* (one who associates partners with Allah). By doing so, Allah establishes the Muslim identity as the true inheritors and upholders of Ibrahim's unadulterated message, presenting it as the universal and timeless path to guidance.
Sources: Ma'arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi), al-Baghawi (Maalim al-Tanzil), Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran), al-Tabari (Jami al-Bayan), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Kathir
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:135 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Baqarah 2:135 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.