Surah Nahl Ayat 123 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 123
Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], to follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of those who associate with Allah.
So We have taught thee the inspired (Message), “Follow the ways of Abraham the True in Faith, and he joined not gods with Allah.”
Then We revealed to you: “Follow the way of Abraham with exclusive devotion to Allah. He was not one of those who associated others with Allah in His Divinity.”
Then, We have inspired you (O Muhammad SAW saying): “Follow the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism – to worship none but Allah) and he was not of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers, etc.).
And afterward We inspired thee (Muhammad, saying): Follow the religion of Abraham, as one by nature upright. He was not of the idolaters.
Thereafter We revealed to you, (saying): “Closely follow the creed of Ibrahîm, (Abraham) unswervingly upright, and in no way was he one of the associators.” (Those who associate others with Allah) 136
Then We revealed to you [Muhammad], ‘Follow the creed of Abraham, a man of pure faith who was not an idolater.’
پھر ہم نے آپ کی جانب وحی بھیجی کہ آپ ملت ابراہیم حنیف کی پیروی کریں، جو مشرکوں میں سے نہ تھے
Quran 16 Verse 123 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Nahl ayat 123, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(16:123) Then We revealed to you: “Follow the way of Abraham with exclusive devotion to Allah. He was not one of those who associated others[120] with Allah in His Divinity.”
120. This is the complete answer to the first objection (Surah An-Nahl, ayat 118) note 117 raised by the disbelievers. This has two parts.
(1) There is no contradiction in the divine law as you seem to presume on the apparent variance in the Jewish and the Islamic Law. As a matter of fact a few things had been made unlawful especially for the Jews as punishment to them because of their disobedience; therefore, there was no reason why others should be deprived of those good things.
(2) Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was commanded to follow the way of Abraham and not the way of the Jews, and they themselves knew that these things were not unlawful in the law of Abraham. For instance, the Jews did not eat the flesh of camel but this was lawful according to Abraham. Likewise, ostrich, hare, duck, etc. were unlawful in the Jewish law, but they were lawful according to Abraham. Incidentally the disbelievers of Makkah have been warned that neither they nor the Jews had any relationship with Prophet Abraham for he was not a mushrik while both of them were practicing shirk. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his followers were the only true followers of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) for there was no tinge of shirk in their creed or in their practice.
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah An-Nahl verse 123 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nahl ayat 120 which provides the complete commentary from verse 120 through 123.
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