The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 76
CH. 3 ĀL-E-‘IMRĀN PT. 3 مَا كَانَ إِبْرَ هِيمُ يَهُودِيَّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا Abraham was neither a Jew. 68 إِبْرَهِيمُ وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ God and الْمُشْرِكِينَ اِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِابْرُ هِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ "nor a Christian, but he was to ever inclined obedient to Him, and he was not of those who associate gods with God. 356 69. Surely, the nearest of men to Abraham are those who وَهُذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاللهُ وَلِيُّ followed him, and this Prophet الْمُؤْمِنِينَ and those who believe; and Allah is the friend of believers. 357 a2:141. 3:96; 4:126; 6:162; 16:121, 124. º16:124. the Jews with whom disputation about religious questions had become a habit and a pastime. The rebuke purports to say: Is not your appetite for bickering and quarrelling about Biblical principles and tenets, with which you are at least conversant to some extent, satisfied that you have begun to meddle with matters about which you know nothing? The reference is either to the Quranic teaching or to their claim about Abraham referred to in the preceding verse. 356. Important Words: 2:136. used the word for himself and also for his son Ishmael, from whom the Holy Prophet of Islam is descended (2:129); and (3) he prayed that from among his progeny a almo (Muslim) people may come forth (2:129). But he was obviously not a Muslim in the sense that he followed in detail the religion brought by the Holy Prophet. The clause, he was not of those who associate gods with God is a sort of rebuke to Jews and Christians who, in spite of calling themselves monotheists, virtually practised (ever inclined to God). See polytheism and still did not hesitate to Commentary: claim Abraham as one of themselves. 357. Important Words: ✓ (nearest). See 4:136. Commentary: sense If Abraham can be said to belong to any of the present faiths, it is Islam; for, (1) Islam is a name with a meaning bearing on the inner spirit of the faith-submission or obedience to the will of God; (2) Abraham himself | lived long before these faiths came 516 Though in a technical Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian nor yet a Muslim for he