In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Dr. Aqil Ibn Salim al-Shammari abridged it.
Surah al-Baqarah
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain commands, and he fulfilled them.
“And (remember) when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. (Abraham) said: And of my offspring (will there be leaders)? He said: My covenant includeth not wrong-doers.” (2:124)
He said, "And from among my descendants."
He said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
And remember when Allah tested Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
His testing was through the obligatory duties that Allah imposed upon him.
And he commanded that which he was commanded to do.
Then Abraham fulfilled the words.
By standing before Allah to fulfill what He has made obligatory upon him therein.
Then Allah said
O Ibrahim
I am making you a leader for the people, to be followed and taken as an example.
Ibrahim said
O my Lord, and from among my descendants.
So make them leaders who are followed.
Allah says
My covenant shall not reach those who are enemies to Me and disobey Me.
It is a proclamation from Allah, Exalted is His remembrance, to Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
That among his descendants are those who associate partners with Allah, wronging both their own souls and His servants.
“And when We made the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying): Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And We imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying): Purify My house for those who go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate themselves (in worship).” (2:125)
And take from the Station of Ibrahim a place of prayer.
And We enjoined Ibrahim and Isma'il, saying: "Purify My House."
Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf, those who seclude themselves for worship, and those who bow and prostrate.
And remember when We made the House a place of return for the people.
They would come to him every year and return to him.
And Mu'adh, may Allah be pleased with him, was safe.
And take, O people, the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.
You pray there as an act of worship to Allah, and as an honor from me to Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
And We commanded Ibrahim and Isma'il to purify My House from idols and the worship of false deities.
For those who circle [the Ka'bah], those who perform tawaf.
And those residing in the House without performing circumambulation or prayer.
And the people who bow and prostrate within it.
“And when Abraham prayed: My Lord! Make this a region of security and bestow upon its people fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day, He answered: As for him who disbelieveth, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the doom of Fire - a hapless journey's end!” (2:126)
“And when Abraham prayed: My Lord! Make this a region of security and bestow upon its people fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day, He answered: As for him who disbelieveth, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the doom of Fire - a hapless journey's end!” (2:126)
“And when Abraham prayed: My Lord! Make this a region of security and bestow upon its people fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day, He answered: As for him who disbelieveth, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the doom of Fire - a hapless journey's end!” (2:126)
And what an evil destination.
And remember when Abraham said
O Lord, make this land a secure land, protected from the tyrants who would seek to impose their dominion over it.
And we have been granted security from the punishment of Allah, lest it should befall him.
And provide the believers among the people of Makkah with fruits, to the exclusion of those among them who disbelieve.
Allah said to him
I have answered your supplication.
And I shall provide for the disbelievers among them alongside the believers of this land.
Then I shall grant him a brief enjoyment of the fruits of My provision in this world, until his appointed time arrives.
Then I shall cast him into the torment of the Fire.
And I shall drag him toward it, pulling him along upon his face.
How wretched is the destination to which the disbeliever shall return, amidst the torment of the Fire.
And remember when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House.
They both say:
Our Lord, accept from us our deeds, our obedience, and our worship of You.
As we conclude our work on Your House, which You commanded us to build.
You are indeed the All-Hearing, who listens to our supplication and our request.
He is the All-Knowing of what lies within the depths of our souls regarding our submission to You in obedience.
And whatever we manifest or conceal of our deeds.
Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation to You.
O our Lord, make us both submissive to You, and show us our rites of worship, and accept our repentance.
“Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and relent toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful.” (2:128)
And make us submissive to Your command and humble in our obedience to You.
We associate no one with You in our obedience, nor do we worship anyone but You.
And in worship, there is none other than You.
And from our descendants, make a nation submissive to You.
And He made it manifest to our eyes so that we might behold it.
And indeed, the two of them are specific to some of the progeny.
For Allah had already informed Ibrahim—peace be upon him.
That among his descendants are those who shall not attain his covenant due to their wrongdoing and wickedness.
And He made manifest to our eyes the rites of Hajj and its landmarks.
And the places where one draws near to You through the righteous deeds that please You.
Whether through the offering of a sacrificial animal, or through prayer, or by performing tawaf or sa'i.
And turn to us in repentance by pardoning and overlooking our sins, and by Your grace and generosity toward us.
You are indeed the One who bestows favor upon Your servants.
And He is the One who bestows upon them His pardon and forgiveness.
The Most Merciful to them, the One who rescues whomever You will among them by Your mercy.
And he recites Your verses to them and teaches them.
“Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, Wise.” (2:129)
Indeed, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Our Lord, and raise up among them a messenger from themselves.
It is the supplication of Ibrahim and Isma'il specifically for our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He recites to them Your Book, which You reveal to him.
And He teaches them Your Book, which You reveal unto them.
And the details of Your judgments and Your rulings.
And He purifies them from associating partners with Allah and the worship of idols.
He causes them to grow and increases them through obedience to Allah.
Indeed, You are the Almighty, the All-Powerful.
He whom nothing He wills can ever frustrate.
So do for us and for our descendants what we have asked and sought of You.
He is the All-Wise, whose governance is free from any flaw or error.
So grant us that which benefits us and benefits our descendants.
It does not diminish you, nor does it diminish Your treasuries.
“And who forsaketh the religion of Abraham save him who befooleth himself? Verily We chose him in the world, and lo! in the Hereafter he is among the righteous.” (2:130)
“And who forsaketh the religion of Abraham save him who befooleth himself? Verily We chose him in the world, and lo! in the Hereafter he is among the righteous.” (2:130)
And indeed, in the Hereafter, he shall be among the righteous.
And who would turn away from the upright, monotheistic creed of Ibrahim, the Muslim?
And he abandons it, preferring something else over it.
Except for a foolish person who is ignorant of where his own true interest lies regarding what will benefit or harm him in his afterlife.
And We chose Ibrahim and selected him for intimate friendship.
And He makes him a leader in this world for those who come after him.
And indeed, Ibrahim, in the Hereafter, is among the righteous who fulfilled the rights of Allah and among the close allies of Allah.
“When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! he said: I have surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.” (2:131)
When his Lord said to him, "Dedicate your worship solely to Me and submit to Me in obedience."
Ibrahim said, in response to his Lord:
I have submitted in obedience and devoted my worship exclusively to the Master of all creation.
And He is the One who directs its affairs, to the exclusion of all others.
“The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)
“The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) enjoined this word upon his children.
I have submitted myself to the Lord of the worlds.
And Ya'qub (Jacob), peace be upon him, likewise enjoined his sons.
Then, after they had introduced them to him, they both spoke to them.
Allah has chosen for you this religion, concerning which He has made a covenant with you.
So fear Allah, and do not let death overtake you unless you are upon it.
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
Were you, O company of the Jews and the Christians, present when death came to Ya'qub and he bore witness to his children?
So learn what he said to his son, and what his son said to him.
Do not invoke curses upon the prophets and messengers of falsehoods.
And you attribute Judaism and Christianity to them.
When Ya'qub (Jacob) said to his sons at the time of his death:
What will you worship after I have passed away?
His sons said to him
We worship the One whom you worship.
And the God of your forefathers, Ibrahim, Isma'il, and Ishaq.
One single God.
We must therefore dedicate our worship exclusively to Him and affirm His oneness in lordship.
“Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).” (3:64)
And we are submissive to Him through servitude and obedience.
Muslims dedicated to His worship.
That is a nation that has passed away.
For it is what it has earned, but as for what you have earned...
And you will not be asked about what they used to do.
O assembly of the Jews and the Christians
Leave aside the mention of Ibrahim, Isma'il, Ishaq, and Ya'qub.
And the Muslims among their children.
Do not attribute to them the disbelief of Judaism and Christianity.
And you should attribute them to them.
For they are a generation that has already passed on to its final destination.
She shall have the reward for whatever good she has done.
And for you, O assembly of Jews and Christians, is the recompense for what you have done.
And you shall not be held accountable for what they used to do.
“Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)
“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.” (2:135)
“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.” (2:135)
The Jews said to Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his Companions
Be guided, and you shall attain the path of truth.
And the Christians said to them
Be like the Christians, and you will attain the path of truth.
Say, O Muhammad
Rather, let us follow the upright religion of Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
He was not among those who practiced the worship of idols and statues.
Nor was he among the Jews, nor was he among the Christians.
Rather, he was a man of pure monotheism, a Muslim.
“Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:136)
“Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:136)
“Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:136)
We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we are Muslims.
Say, O believers, to these Jews and Christians:
We have believed in Allah.
And we have believed in the Book that was revealed to Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
We also believe in what was revealed to Ibrahim, Isma'il, Ishaq, and Ya'qub.
And the prophets were from the descendants of Ya'qub.
We also believe in the Torah that Allah gave to Moses, peace be upon him.
And with the Gospel that Allah gave to ‘Isa, peace be upon him.
And the scriptures which He gave to all the prophets.
We do not believe in some of the prophets while disbelieving in others.
Rather, we bear witness for all of them that they were the messengers and prophets of Allah.
They were sent with the truth and the guidance.
And we are submissive to Him through our obedience.
Submitting to Him in servitude.
“And if they believe in the like of that which ye believe, then are they rightly guided. But if they turn away, then are they in schism, and Allah will suffice thee (for defence) against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower.” (2:137)
“And if they believe in the like of that which ye believe, then are they rightly guided. But if they turn away, then are they in schism, and Allah will suffice thee (for defence) against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower.” (2:137)
Allah will suffice you against them, for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
For if the Jews and the Christians were to be truthful and acknowledge that.
Just as you, O believers, have affirmed and acknowledged.
Thus, they have attained success and guidance.
They adhered to the path of truth and were guided.
And if they turn away and refuse to believe as you have believed.
So they realized that they were in a state of disobedience and division.
And it is a war against Allah, His Messenger, and against you.
Allah will suffice you against them, O Muhammad, regarding these people from among the Jews and the Christians.
For Allah is indeed All-Hearing of what they say to you with their tongues.
From ignorance and calling others toward disbelief.
He is All-Knowing of the envy and hatred that they conceal from you and your Companions.
Say to them, O Muhammad,
Rather, follow the religion of Allah, which is Islam.
And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah?
And we are submissive to Allah in our adherence to the creed of Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
And our accountability to Him for that.
They are not too proud to follow His command.
And the affirmation of the messengership of His messengers.
“Say (unto the People of the Scripture): Dispute ye with us concerning Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? Ours are our works and yours your works. We look to Him alone.” (2:139)
“Say (unto the People of the Scripture): Dispute ye with us concerning Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? Ours are our works and yours your works. We look to Him alone.” (2:139)
Say, O Muhammad, to the communities of the Jews and the Christians:
Do you dispute and argue with us regarding the religion of Allah, which He has commanded us to follow?
He is our Lord and your Lord; in His hand lies all goodness, and to Him belongs both reward and retribution.
And for every group among us, there is what they have done and earned of both righteous and evil deeds.
We dedicate our worship and obedience sincerely to Allah alone, associating nothing with Him and worshipping no one but Him.
“Or say ye that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth a testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do.” (2:140)
Say, "Are you more knowing, or is Allah?"
“Or say ye that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth a testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do.” (2:140)
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
“Or say ye that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth a testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do.” (2:140)
This makes it permissible for people to slander and lie about you.
because Judaism and Christianity emerged after these prophets whom Allah named.
Say to them, O Muhammad: Are you more knowledgeable about them and their past religions, or is Allah?
And that the most unjust among them would pass by, having concealed a testimony with them from Allah.
that these individuals whom Allah has named were Muslims
And Allah is not unaware of what you do in your concealment of the truth.
And He is not heedless of your punishment for your actions.
Rather, it is a safeguard for you, until it recompenses you in this world and the Hereafter.
That is a community that has passed on; for them is what they earned, and for you is what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.
“Or say ye that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth a testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do.” (2:140)
A community that has passed on to its destiny, returning to its Lord, and is now left with its deeds and its hopes.
She will have whatever good she earned from Allah during her life, and she will bear whatever evil she earned.
And you will not be asked about what they used to do, because every soul will present itself before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
For you are only asked about what you have earned and what you have sent forth, not about what others have sent forth.
The summary from the Tafsir of Al-Tabari.