Back to full surahوَقَالُوا كُونُوا هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ١٣٥
Waqaloo koonoo hoodan aw nasara tahtadoo qul bal millata ibraheema haneefan wama kana mina almushrikeena
And (the People of the Book) say: ‘Become Jews or Christians, then you will be guided aright.’ Say: ‘(Nay,) the truth is that we have embraced the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) who, far from every falsehood, turned absolutely to Allah alone. And he was not of the polytheists.’ (2:135)
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said that `Abdullah bin Suriya Al-A`war said to the Messenger of Allah, "The guidance is only what we (Jews) follow. Therefore, follow us, O Muhammad, and you will be rightly guided." Also, the Christians said similarly, so Allah revealed,
وَقَالُواْ كُونُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـرَى تَهْتَدُواْ
(And they say, "Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided.") Allah's statement,
قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفًا
(Say (to them O Muhammad ), "Nay, (we follow) only the religion of Ibrahim, Hanif) means, "We do not need the Judaism or Christianity that you call us to, rather,
مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفاً
((we follow) only the religion of Ibrahim, Hanif) meaning, on the straight path, as Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and `Isa bin Jariyah stated. Also, Abu Qilabah said, "The Hanif is what the Messengers, from beginning to end, believed in.")
