Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

The Muslim believes in all that Allah `revealed and all the Prophets

Allah says;

قُولُواْ امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالاسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

Say (O Muslims):"We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat (the offspring of the twelve sons of Yaqub), and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and `Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)."

Allah directed His believing servants to believe in what He sent down to them through His Messenger Muhammad and in what was revealed to the previous Prophets in general.

Some Prophets Allah mentioned by name, while He did not mention the names of many others.

Allah directed the believers to refrain from differentiating between the Prophets and to believe in them all.

They should avoid imitating whomever Allah described as,

وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيقُولُونَ نُوْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلً

أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ حَقّاً

And wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to adopt a way in between.

They are in truth disbelievers. (4:150-151)

Al-Bukhari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said,

"The People of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and translate it into Arabic for the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said,

لَاا تُصَدِّقُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ وَلَاا تُكَذِّبُوهُمْ وقُولُوا امَنَّا بِاللهِ وَمَا أُنْزل إِلَيْنَا

Do not believe the People of the Book, nor reject what they say. Rather, say, `We believe in Allah and in what was sent down to us."

Also, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"Mostly, the Messenger of Allah used to recite,

امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا

(We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us) (2:136), and,

امَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

(We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah) (3:52) during the two (voluntary) Rak`ah before Fajr."

Abu Al-Aliyah, Ar-Rabi and Qatadah said,

"Al-Asbat are the twelve sons of Jacob, and each one of them had an Ummah of people from his descendants. This is why they were called Al-Asbat."

Al-Khalil bin Ahmad and others said,

"Al-Asbat among the Children of Israel are just like the tribes among the Children of Ismail."

This means that the Asbat are the various tribes of the Children of Israel, among whom Allah sent several Prophets. Moses said to the Children of Israel,

اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَأءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُّلُوكاً

Remember the favor of Allah to you:when He made Prophets among you, made you kings. (5:20)

Also, Allah said,

وَقَطَّعْنَـهُمُ اثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا

And We divided them into twelve tribes. (7:160)

Al-Qurtubi said,

"Sibt is the group of people or a tribe all belonging to the same ancestors."

Qatadah said,

"Allah commanded the believers to believe in Him and in all His Books and Messengers."

Also, Sulayman bin Habib said,

"We were commanded to believe in the (original) Torah and Injil, but not to implement them.