Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer
Tafseer of Al-Baqarah : 140
Saheeh International
Or do you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants were Jews or Christians? Say, "Are you more knowing or is Allah ?" And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from Allah ? And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
Ibn Kathir
Tafseer 'Ibn Kathir' (EN)
Allah said,
أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالاسْبَاطَ كَانُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى
Or say you that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and Al-Asbat, were Jews or Christians!
Allah criticized them in the claim that Ibrahim, the Prophets who came after him and the Asbat were following their religion, whether Judaism or Christianity.
Allah said,
...
قُلْ أَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ اللّهُ
Say, "Do you know better or does Allah!"
meaning, Allah has the best knowledge and He stated that they were neither Jews, nor Christians.
Similarly, Allah said in the Ayah,
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa (to worship none but Allah alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin. (3:67) and the following Ayat.
Allah also said,
...
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللّهِ
And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony he has from Allah,
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,
They used to recite the Book of Allah He sent to them that stated that the true religion is Islam and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Their Book also stated that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and the tribes were neither Jews, nor Christians. They testified to these facts, yet hid them from the people.
Allah's statement,
...
وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
is a threat and a warning that His knowledge encompasses every one's deeds, and He shall award each accordingly.
Allah then said,
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