Surah Baqarah Ayat 135 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 135
They say, “Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided.” Say, “Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists.”
“They say: “Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (To salvation).” Say thou: “Nay! (I would rather) the Religion of Abraham the True, and he joined not gods with Allah.”
The Jews say, “Become Jews and you will be rightly guided”; the Christians say, “Become Christians and you will have the true guidance.” Say to them, “Nay, we turn away from every other way and accept the way of Abraham, and Abraham did not associate other gods with Allah.”
And they say, “Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided.” Say (to them, O Muhammad Peace be upon him), “Nay, (We follow) only the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham), Hanifa [Islamic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allah (Alone)], and he was not of Al-Mushrikun (those who worshipped others along with Allah – see V. 2:105).”
And they say: Be Jews or Christians, then ye will be rightly guided. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Nay, but (we follow) the religion of Abraham, the upright, and he was not of the idolaters.
And they have said, “Be Judaic or Nasara, (Christian) (then) you shall be guided.” Say, “No, indeed, (but) it is the creed of Ibrahîm, (Abraham) the unswervingly (upright, ) (i.e. veering away from idolatry) and in no way was he one of the associators. (i.e. those who associate others with’ Allah).
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.’
یہ کہتے ہیں کہ یہود و نصاریٰ بن جاؤ تو ہدایت پاؤ گے۔ تم کہو بلکہ صحیح راه پر ملت ابراہیمی والے ہیں، اور ابراہیم خالص اللہ کے پرستار تھے اور مشرک نہ تھے
Quran 2 Verse 135 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Baqarah ayat 135, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(2:135) They say: “Be Jews,” or “Be Christians.” “Then you will be rightly guided.” Say to them: “No, follow exclusively the way of Abraham who was not one of those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity.”[135]
135. In order to grasp the subtlety, of this remark two things should be borne in mind. First, that in comparison to Islam, the primordial religion, both Judaism and Christianity are later products. The name Judaism, as well as the characteristic features and elaborate body of laws and regulations associated with it. emerged during the third or fourth century, B.C. As for Christianity. in the sense of the body of dogmas and theological doctrines which characterize it, it came into existence long after Jesus (peace be on him). The question that naturally arises is that, if man’s guidance depends on following Judaism or Christianity, how can Abraham and other Prophets and righteous people who are accepted as having been rightly-guided even by the Jews and Christians be considered so when they were born several centuries before the birth of Judaism and Christianity? If they were rightly-guided from whom did they receive their guidance? Obviously their source of guidance and inspiration was neither Judaism nor Christianity since, in their times, these did not exist. So man’s rectitude does not depend on those characteristics which led to the rise of Jewish and Christian particularisms; it rather depends on adopting that universal way to Truth which has guided and inspired men throughout the ages.
Second. the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians attest that Abraham believed that worship, adoration, service and obedience were due to God alone, and that it was his mission to have none associated with God in His attributes and rights. Since polytheistic elements had made inroads into Judaism and Christianity it was obvious that both had strayed from the way of Abraham.
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 134 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 133 which provides the complete commentary from verse 133 through 134.
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