يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ 65
Translations
O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?
Transliteration
Ya ahlal-kitabi lima tuhaajjuna fi ibrahima wa ma unzilat at-tawratu wa-l-injilu illa min ba'dihi afalaa ta'qilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), questioning why they dispute concerning Ibrahim's religious identity when the Torah and Injil were both revealed centuries after Ibrahim's time. The ayah employs logical reasoning to demonstrate that neither Jews nor Christians can exclusively claim Ibrahim as their own based on scriptures that postdate him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this is a rational argument (hujjah 'aqliyyah) against baseless claims, inviting reflection on the absurdity of attributing doctrines to Ibrahim that were formalized long after his era.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a Medinan passage addressing theological disputes with Jews and Christians in Madinah. The context follows verses discussing Ibrahim's faith and monotheism, and precedes verses clarifying that Ibrahim was neither Jewish nor Christian, but rather a Muslim (hanif) who submitted to Allah. The revelation addresses actual religious polemics the Muslim community encountered with People of the Book in Madinah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said regarding Ibrahim: 'Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a Muslim (hanif) who submitted to Allah' - referenced in Sahih Bukhari (2.3.48). Additionally, the Prophet stated that those closest to Ibrahim on the Day of Judgment would be those who followed him and the Prophet Muhammad - Sahih Bukhari (4.55.589).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that blind adherence to inherited religious claims without rational examination is spiritually and intellectually deficient. Believers should use their intellect ('aql) to distinguish between authentic divine guidance and human innovations, and recognize that true faith transcends sectarian boundaries.
Related Ayahs
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allāh. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
[Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.
لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Certainly did Allāh confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.
قُلْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Say, "We have believed in Allāh and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants [al-Asbāṭ], and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him."