سورة البَقَرَة

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:135

The Cow · Verse 135 of 286

وَقَالُوا كُونُوا هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

And they (the Jews and the Christians respectively) said, `Be Jews or be Christians, then you shall be on the right course.´ Say, `Nay, but (ours is) the faith of Abraham, the upright, and he was not of the polytheist.´

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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."

Ali Unal

And they (the Jews) say, "Be Jews" or (the Christians say,) "Be Christians (hudan aw nasara), that you may be rightly guided." Say (to them, O Messenger): "Rather, the Way of Abraham of pure faith (is what we choose, the Way free from unbelief, associating partners with God and hypocrisy, that we may be rightly guided.)" Abraham was never of those who associate partners with God.

11 more translations

Daryabadi

And they say: become Jews or Nazarenes, and ye shall be guided. Say thou: Aye! we follow the faith of Ibrahim, the upright,and he was not of the associators.

Faridul Haque

And the People given the Book(s) said, "Become Jews or Christians - you will attain the right path"; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), "No - rather we take the religion of Ibrahim, who was far removed from all falsehood; and was not of the polytheists."

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say: Nay, (we follow) the religion of Abraham, the upright one, and he was not one of the polytheists.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And they say, `Be ye Jews or Christians, then you will be rightly guided,' Say `Nay, but follow ye the religion of Abraham who was ever inclined to ALLAH; he was not of those who associated gods with ALLAH.'

Muhammad Asad

AND THEY say, "Be Jews" - or, "Christians" - "and you shall be on the right path." Say: "Nay, but [ours is] the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God."

Muhammad Musin Khan

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)."

Muhammad Pickthall

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.

Muhammad Sarwar

The Jews and the Christians have asked the Muslims to accept their faith to have the right guidance. (Muhammad) tell them, "We would rather follow the upright religion of Abraham who was not a pagan".

Muhammed ali Shakir

And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say: Nay! (we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanif, and he was not one of the polytheists.

Rashad Khalifa

They said, "You have to be Jewish or Christian, to be guided." Say, "We follow the religion of Abraham - monotheism - he never was an idol worshiper."

Shabbir Ahmed

They say, “Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided.” Say, “Nay! Ours is the Creed of Abraham the upright. He turned away from all that is false, and he was not an idolater in any sense.”

Commentary 2:135 Hanîf حَنِيفً is derived from hanafa حَنفَ, which means to lean, incline, turn away from error to guidance, incline to the right religion, stand firmly…

2:135 Hanîf حَنِيفً is derived from hanafa حَنفَ, which means to lean, incline, turn away from error to guidance, incline to the right religion, stand firmly on one side, leave a false religion or turn to what is right. In pre-Islamic times, this term had a clearly monotheistic connotation and was used to describe a person who turned away from sin, worldliness and dubious beliefs, especially idol worship. Before the advent of Islam, there was a school of thought known as hanîf who openly avowed Unitarianism as their faith, which they professed the religion taught by Abraham. These few earnest people were averse to idolatry and were believers in One God. They did not find solace and satisfaction in Christianity or Judaism. At the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), they included Zaid Ibn Amr bin Nufail, ‘Umar’s uncle, a renowned poet and the chief of Taif. Many instances of the use of this term can be found in the works of pre-Islamic poets such as Umayyah ibn Abî Salt and Jarîr al-Aud. The word hanîf is of Arabic origin, and is not derived from the Canaanite or Aramaic word hanpa or hanfa whose literary meaning is “one who turns away” (Lane; Tâj; Râghib; Zamakhsharî).