سورة البَقَرَة
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:138
The Cow · Verse 138 of 286
صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
(Assume) the attributes of Allâh! and who is fairer than Allâh in attributes? We are His worshippers ever.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
(Our religion is) the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship.
Ali Unal
(O Muslims, say: "We take) the "color" of God (the "color" that He has put on the whole universe, not the color some party put upon themselves through some rites in the name of religion )." Who is better than God in coloring, (and whose color is better than God’s)? And We are those who worship Him (as He is to be worshipped,) exclusively."
11 more translations
Daryabadi
Ours is the dye of Allah! and who is better at dyeing than Allah! And we are His worshippers.
Faridul Haque
"We have taken the colour (religion) of Allah; and whose colour (religion) is better than that of Allah? And only Him do we worship."
Maulana Muhammad Ali
(We take) Allah's colour, and who is better than Allah at colouring, and we are His worshippers.
Maulvi Sher Ali
Say, `We have adopted the religion of ALLAH; and who is better than ALLAH in teaching religion, and him alone do we worship.'
Muhammad Asad
[Say: "Our life takes its] hue from God! And who could give a better hue [to life] than God, if we but truly worship Him?"
Muhammad Musin Khan
[Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah (Religion) of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allah's? And we are His worshippers.
Muhammad Pickthall
(We take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah at colouring. We are His worshippers.
Muhammad Sarwar
Say, "Belief in God and following the guidance of Islam are God's means of purification for us. Islam is the baptism of God. No one is a better baptizer than He and we Muslims worship Him."
Muhammed ali Shakir
(Receive) the baptism of Allah, and who is better than Allah in baptising? and Him do we serve.
Rashad Khalifa
Such is GOD's system, and whose system is better than GOD's? "Him alone we worship."
Shabbir Ahmed
Hue of God! And who can give a better hue (to life) than God? And it is He alone Whom we serve.
Commentary 2:138 Sibghat صِبْغَةَ is derived from Sabaghaä and means to dye, colour, baptize, dip, immerse, and assume the attribute, hue, mode, nature, code of law or…
صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ
2:138 Sibghat صِبْغَةَ is derived from Sabaghaä and means to dye, colour, baptize, dip, immerse, and assume the attribute, hue, mode, nature, code of law or religion. In the Holy Qur’ân the Attributes of Allâh and His code of law is called Sibghah Allâh صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ (2:138). This word has been used here as a hint to Christians that the baptism with water does not change a person. It is Takhalluq-bi-Akhlâq تخلٌق بلاخلاق - the adoption of God’s Attributes and the broad principle of faith that brings about real change in the mind and character. It is through this Islamic “baptism” that a new birth takes place. According to Arabic usage, on occasions when it is intended strongly to induce a person to do a certain thing, the verb is omitted, as in 2:138 and only the object is mentioned. Therefore in the translation of that verse, one must add a verb such as khudhû خذوا meaning to assume or adopt. (Lisân; Tâj; Râghib; Zamakhsharî).