Tafseer of The Cow · Al-Baqara · 2:62
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا
(Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews…)
Abū Jaʿfar said: As for "those who believe" (al-ladhīna āmanū), they are those who hold the Messenger of Allah to be truthful in what he brought them of truth from Allah. Their faith (īmān) in it is their affirmation of it — as we have already set forth in what preceded of this book of ours.
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As for "those who hādū," they are the Jews. The meaning of "hādū" is: they repented (tābū). One says of this: "hāda al-qawmu yahūdūna hawdan wa-hādatan." It is said: the Jews were called only "yahūd" because of their saying: إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ (Indeed, we have turned to You) [Surah Al-Aʿrāf: 156].
1094 — Al-Qāsim related to me, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, who said: The Jews were called so only because of the fact that they said: إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ (Indeed, we have turned to You).
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The explanation of the saying of the Almighty: وَالنَّصَارَى
(and the Christians)
Abū Jaʿfar said: "al-Naṣārā" is a plural, whose singular is "naṣrān," just as the singular of "al-sukārā" (the drunken) is "sakrān," and the singular of "al-nashāwā" (the intoxicated) is "nashwān." Thus every descriptive term whose singular is of the pattern "faʿlān" forms its plural on "faʿālā." However, what is commonly current in the language of the Arabs for the singular of "al-Naṣārā" is "naṣrānī." But there has also been heard from them by transmission "naṣrān," with the omission of the yāʾ. To this belongs the saying of the poet:
You see him, when evening visits, bowed like a ḥanīf, and he appears in the morning before him, while he is a Christian, turned toward the sun.
And there has been heard from them for the feminine: "naṣrāna." The poet said:
Both of them knelt down, and their head bowed as a Christian woman (naṣrāna) bows who has not turned to the ḥanīf religion.
One says "asjada" when something inclines. And in their plural there has been heard "anṣār" with the meaning of al-Naṣārā. The poet said:
When I saw the Nabataeans as helpers (anṣāran), I hitched up my loincloth above my knees, and I was for them a protected client among the Christians (al-Naṣārā).
These verses which I have mentioned indicate that they were called "Naṣārā" because of the fact that they helped one another (nuṣrah) and rendered one another mutual support. It has also been said that they were called "Naṣārā" because they alighted in a land called "Nāṣira."
1095 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj: "al-Naṣārā" were called Naṣārā only because they alighted in a land called "Nāṣira."
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And others say: because of His saying: مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ (Who are my helpers on the way to Allah?) [Surah al-Ṣaff: 14].
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And it has been transmitted from Ibn ʿAbbās by an unaccepted route that he used to say: The Naṣārā were called Naṣārā only because the village of ʿĪsā the son of Maryam was called "Nāṣira," and his companions were called "al-Nāṣiriyyūn," and of ʿĪsā it was said: "the Nāṣirī" (the Nazarene).
1096 — That was related to me on the authority of Hishām ibn Muḥammad, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās.
1096 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, who said: They were called Naṣārā only because they were in a village called Nāṣira, where ʿĪsā the son of Maryam stayed. It is therefore a name which they adopted for themselves, and which was not commanded to them.
1098 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying: الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى (those who said: indeed, we are Christians) [al-Māʾida: 14], who said: They named themselves after a village called "Nāṣira," where ʿĪsā the son of Maryam used to stay.
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The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: وَالصَّابِئِينَ
(and the Ṣābiʾūns)
Abū Jaʿfar said: "al-Ṣābiʾūn" is the plural of "ṣābiʾ," and that is one who adopts alongside his religion a new religion, like the apostate (murtadd) among the people of Islam who abandons his religion. Everyone who passes from a religion he was on to another, the Arabs call "ṣābiʾ." One says of this: "ṣabaʾa fulānun yaṣbaʾu ṣabʾan." And one says: "ṣabaʾat al-nujūm" when they rise. And "ṣabaʾa ʿalaynā fulānun mawḍiʿa kadhā wa-kadhā," by which is meant: he appeared.
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The scholars of exegesis differed concerning to whom among the adherents of the religions this name applies. Some of them said: it applies to everyone who passes from a religion to a non-religion. And they said: those whom Allah intended by this name are a people who have no religion.
* Mention of who said that:
1099 — Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī related to us.
1100 — And al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us — both of them — on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Layth, on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: The Ṣābiʾūns are neither Jews nor Christians, and they have no religion.
1101 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥajjāj ibn Arṭāh, on the authority of al-Qāsim ibn Abī Bazza, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
1102 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of al-Ḥajjāj, on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: The Ṣābiʾūns are between the Magians (al-Majūs) and the Jews; their slaughtered animals are not eaten, and their women are not married.
1103 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of Ḥajjāj, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, the like of it.
1104 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ: "al-Ṣābiʾīn" are between the Jews and the Magians; they have no religion.
1105 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
1106 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: Ibn Jurayj said: Mujāhid said: "al-Ṣābiʾīn" are between the Magians and the Jews; they have no religion. Ibn Jurayj said: I said to ʿAṭāʾ: "al-Ṣābiʾīn" — it is claimed that they are a tribe coming from the region of al-Sawād, who are neither Magians, nor Jews, nor Christians. He said: That we have heard, and the polytheists (al-mushrikīn) said to the Prophet: "He has become a ṣābiʾ (apostate)."
1107 — And Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying: "wa-l-Ṣābiʾīn," he said: The Ṣābiʾūns are [adherents of] a religion among the religions that were on the island of al-Mawṣil. They say: "There is no god but Allah," but they have no works, no scripture, and no prophet, except the saying "There is no god but Allah." He said: And they did not believe in the Messenger of Allah, and therefore the polytheists said to the Prophet ﷺ and his companions: "These are the Ṣābiʾūns," likening them to them.
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And others said: They are a people who worship the angels and face the qibla in prayer.
* Mention of who said that:
1108 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Al-Muʿtamir ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, who said: Ziyād related to me that the Ṣābiʾūns face the qibla in prayer and perform the five prayers. He said: For this reason he wished to remit the jizyah from them. He said: But afterward he was informed that they worship the angels.
1109 — And Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying: (wa-l-Ṣābiʾīn), he said: The Ṣābiʾūns are a people who worship the angels; they face the qibla in prayer and they recite the Zabūr (the Book of Psalms).
1110 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Ādam related to us, Abū Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, on the authority of Abī l-ʿĀliya, who said: The Ṣābiʾūns are a group of the People of the Book who recite the Zabūr. Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī said: And it has also reached me that the Ṣābiʾūns are a people who worship the angels, recite the Zabūr, and face the qibla in prayer.
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And others said: No, they are a faction of the People of the Book.
* Mention of who said that:
1111 — Sufyān ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: My father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, who said: Al-Suddī was asked about the Ṣābiʾūns, and he said: They are a faction of the People of the Book.
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The explanation of the saying of the Exalted, whose mention is sublime: مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ
(whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds, for them is their reward with their Lord)
Abū Jaʿfar said: By His saying "whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day" He means: whoever holds the resurrection after death on the Day of Resurrection to be true and acknowledges it, and does righteous deeds and thereby obeys Allah — for them is their reward with their Lord. By His saying "for them is their reward with their Lord" He means: for them is the reward of their righteous deed with their Lord.
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If a speaker were to say to us: Where then is the completion of His saying: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ (Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Christians and the Ṣābiʾūns)?
Then it is answered: Its completion is the whole of His saying: "whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day." For its meaning is: whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day. The mention of "of them" was omitted because the text indicates it, since what is mentioned suffices over what is not mentioned.
If he says: And what is the meaning of this saying?
Then it is answered: Its meaning is: Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Christians and the Ṣābiʾūns — whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day, for them is their reward with their Lord.
If he says: And how does the believer believe?
Then it is answered: The meaning of "the believer" is not the meaning you supposed, namely a passing from one religion to another, like the passing of the Jew and the Christian to faith — even though it has been said that by these were meant those who belonged to the People of the Book and who remained upon their faith in ʿĪsā and in what he brought until they met Muḥammad ﷺ and believed in him and held him to be truthful, so that to those who believed in ʿĪsā and what he brought it was said, when they met Muḥammad ﷺ: "Believe in Muḥammad and in what he brought." However, the meaning of the faith of the believer in this place is his steadfastness in his faith and his refraining from exchanging it. As for the faith of the Jews, the Christians, and the Ṣābiʾūns: that is the holding of Muḥammad ﷺ and of what he brought to be true. So whoever of them believes in Muḥammad, and in what he brought, and in the Last Day, and does righteous deeds, and does not exchange it or alter it until he dies upon it — for him is the reward of his deed and his recompense with his Lord, as He, whose praise is sublime, has described.
If a speaker says: And how did He say "for them is their reward with their Lord," while the wording "man" (whoever) is a singular form, and the verb with it is in the singular?
Then it is answered: "Man" — even though the verb that follows it is in the singular — has the meaning of the singular, the dual, and the plural, and of the masculine and the feminine, for it is in all these states in one shape and one form that does not change. The Arabs therefore put the verb with it in the singular — even though it has the meaning of a plural — because of its wording, and in another place they put the verb with it in the plural because of its meaning, as He, whose praise is sublime, said: وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ وَلَوْ كَانُوا لا يَعْقِلُونَ * وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْكَ أَفَأَنْتَ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا لا يُبْصِرُونَ (And among them are those who listen to you — can you then make the deaf hear, even though they do not understand? And among them are those who look at you — can you then guide the blind, even though they do not see?) [Yūnus: 42-43]. Once He thus put the verb with "man" in the plural because of its meaning, and another time He put the verb with it in the singular because it is in the wording of the singular, as the poet said:
Convey, both of you, my greetings to Salmā, if you pass by Mecca and Medina, and say to her: turn to those who have remained behind.
He said "takhallafū" (have remained behind, plural), and he placed "man" in the position of "alladhīna" (those who). And al-Farazdaq said:
Come, for if you promise me not to betray me, we shall be like two who accompany one another, O wolf.
He put "yaṣṭaḥibān" (accompany one another, in the dual) because of the meaning of "man." So it is also with His saying: "whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds, for them is their reward with their Lord." He put "āmana wa-ʿamila ṣāliḥan" (believes and does righteous deeds) in the singular because of the wording of "man," and He gathered the mention of them in His saying "for them is their reward" (fa-lahum ajruhum) in the plural, because of its meaning, for it has the meaning of a plural.
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As for His saying: وَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve) (62)
He, whose mention is sublime, means by it: and no fear shall come upon them concerning that which they will face of the terrors of the Resurrection, and they shall not grieve over what they have left behind of the worldly life and its enjoyment, when they behold with their own eyes what Allah has prepared for them of reward and everlasting bliss with Him.
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* Mention of who said that by His saying مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ (whoever believes in Allah) were meant the believers among the People of the Book who met the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
1112 — Mūsā ibn Hārūn related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ ibn Naṣr related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا — the verse — he said: This verse was revealed concerning the companions of Salmān al-Fārisī. Salmān was from Jundaysābūr, and he was among their nobles, and the son of the king was his bosom friend and brother; neither of them decided a matter apart from his companion, and they used to ride out together to hunt. While they were once hunting, there appeared before them a tent of woolen cloak-stuff. They went toward it, and behold, in it was a man with a scripture before him in which he was reading while he wept. They asked him: What is this? He said: He who wishes to learn this does not stand at a station like yours; but if you wish to know what is in this, dismount, and I will teach it to you. They dismounted to him, and he said to them: This is a scripture that has come from Allah, in which He commanded obedience to Him and forbade disobedience to Him. In it is: that you commit no fornication (zinā), do not steal, and do not take the property of people unlawfully. He told them what was in it — and it was the Injīl which Allah sent down to ʿĪsā. It made an impression on their hearts, and they followed him and became Muslims. And he said to them: Indeed, the slaughtered animal of your people is forbidden to you.
They thus remained with him and learned from him, until a feast of the king arrived. He prepared a meal, then gathered the people and the nobles, and sent to the son of the king and invited him to his meal so that he might eat with the people. But the young man refused and said: I am occupied with other matters, so eat you with your companions. When the king sent him many messengers, he informed them that he would not eat of their food. Then the king sent to his son and called him and said: What is this matter of yours? He said: Indeed, we do not eat of your slaughtered animals; you are unbelievers (kuffār), your slaughtered animals are not permissible. The king said to him: Who commanded you this? He informed him that the monk had commanded him that. He had the monk summoned and said: What is this that my son says? He said: Your son has spoken the truth. He said to him: Were it not that the shedding of blood among us is a grave matter, I would have killed you; but leave our land. And he set him a term. Salmān said: We stood weeping over him, and he said to the two of us: If you are sincere, then I am to be found in a church at al-Mawṣil with sixty men where we worship Allah; come then to us there.
The monk departed, and Salmān and the son of the king remained behind. Salmān kept saying to the son of the king: Let us depart! And the son of the king said: Yes. And the son of the king began to sell his possessions, since he wished to equip himself. When it took too long for Salmān, Salmān departed until he reached them, and he stayed with his companion, who was the master of the church. The people of that church were among the most excellent of monks. Salmān exerted himself among them in worship and wore himself out, and the old man said to him: Indeed, you are a young lad who imposes upon himself in worship more than he can bear, and I fear that you will weaken and no longer be able to bear it; so be gentler with yourself and lighten it for yourself. Salmān said to him: Do you see that what you command me — is that more excellent, or what I do? He said: No, what you do. He said: Then leave me be.
Then the master of the church called him and said: Do you know that this church is mine, and that I have more right to it than anyone? If I wished to remove these people from it, I would do so! But I am a man too weak for the worship of these people, and I wish to move from this church to another church whose dwellers are lighter in worship than these. If you wish to remain here, remain, and if you wish to come with me, come. Salmān said to him: Which of the two churches has the more excellent dwellers? He said: This one. Salmān said: Then I will remain in this one. And Salmān remained there, and the master of the church charged the scholar of the church to take care of Salmān, and Salmān performed worship with them.
Then the learned old man wished to go to Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis), and he said to Salmān: If you wish to come with me, come, and if you wish to remain, remain. Salmān said to him: Which of the two is more excellent — do I come with you or do I remain? He said: No, you come with me. And he went with him. They passed by a paralyzed man cast down at the edge of the road. When he saw them, he called out: O master of the monks, have mercy on me, may Allah have mercy on you! But he did not speak to him and did not look at him. And they went on until they reached Jerusalem, and the old man said to Salmān: Go out and seek knowledge, for in this mosque the scholars of the earth gather. Salmān went out and listened to them, and he returned one day sorrowful. The old man said to him: What is the matter with you, O Salmān? He said: I see that all good has been carried off by the prophets and their followers who were before us! The old man said to him: O Salmān, do not grieve, for there yet remains a prophet who has no followers more excellent than him, and this is the time in which he appears, but I do not think I will meet him; you, however, are a young man who may perhaps meet him. He appears in the land of the Arabs; so if you meet him, believe in him and follow him. Salmān said to him: Inform me then of something of his sign. He said: Yes, he is sealed on his back with the seal of prophethood (khātim al-nubuwwa), and he eats of the gift but does not eat of the alms (ṣadaqa). Then they returned until they reached the place of the paralyzed man, and he called out to them and said: O master of the monks, have mercy on me, may Allah have mercy on you! He sent his donkey to him, took him by the hand and raised him up, struck him against the ground, prayed over him, and said: Stand up, by the permission of Allah! And he stood up healthy and hastened away. Salmān marveled while watching him at how he hastened away. And the monk continued on his way and vanished from Salmān's sight, without Salmān realizing it.
Then Salmān was seized with panic and sought the monk. He met two men of the Arabs of [the tribe of] Kalb, and he asked them: Have you seen the monk? One of them made his mount kneel down and said: Yes, this herder of the flock! He took him and brought him to Medina (al-Madīna).
Salmān said: A grief overcame me such as nothing similar had ever overcome me before. A woman of [the tribe of] Juhayna bought him, and he and a servant boy of hers used to herd the small livestock for her, each in turn — one a day and the other a day. Salmān gathered the dirhams in anticipation of the appearance of Muḥammad ﷺ. While he was herding one day, his companion who relieved him came to him and said: Have you noticed that today a man has arrived at Medina who claims that he is a prophet? Salmān said to him: Stay with the small livestock until I return to you.
Salmān went down to Medina, looked at the Prophet ﷺ, and walked around him. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he recognized what he wanted, and he let his garment drop until his seal became visible. When he saw it, he came to him and spoke with him. Then he went away and bought for a dīnār — for part of it a sheep and for part of it bread — and brought it to him. He said: What is this? Salmān said: This is alms (ṣadaqa). He said: I have no need of that; bring it out, that the Muslims may eat it. Then he went away and bought for another dīnār bread and meat, and he brought it to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: What is this? He said: This is a gift (hadiyya). He said: Sit and eat. He sat, and they both ate of it together. While he was speaking with him, he mentioned his companions and informed him of their account and said: They used to fast and pray and believe in you, and they bore witness that you would be sent as a prophet. When Salmān had completed his praise of them, the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said to him: O Salmān, they are among the people of the Fire. That weighed heavily upon Salmān, for he had said to him: Had they met you, they would have held you to be truthful and followed you. Then Allah sent down this verse: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ (Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Christians and the Ṣābiʾūns — whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day…).
The faith of the Jews was thus: that whoever held fast to the Tawrāt and the sunna of Mūsā, until ʿĪsā came — when ʿĪsā came, he who held fast to the Tawrāt and followed the sunna of Mūsā, did not release it and did not follow ʿĪsā, was doomed to destruction. And the faith of the Christians was: that whoever of them held fast to the Injīl and the legal ordinances of ʿĪsā was a believer who was accepted, until Muḥammad ﷺ came; so whoever of them did not follow Muḥammad ﷺ and did not release what he was upon of the sunna of ʿĪsā and the Injīl — was doomed to destruction.
* * *
1113 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His saying: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا — the verse — he said: Salmān al-Fārisī asked the Prophet ﷺ about those Christians and what he had seen of their works. He said: They did not die upon Islam. Salmān said: The earth was darkened for me, and I thought of their devotion, and then this verse was sent down: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا (Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews…). Then he called Salmān and said: "This verse has been revealed concerning your companions." Then the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever died upon the religion of ʿĪsā and died upon Islam before he had heard of me, he is in good; and whoever has heard of me today and does not believe in me, he has surely perished."
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And Ibn ʿAbbās said by that which —:
1114 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me, on the authority of Ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ (Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Christians and the Ṣābiʾūns) up to His saying: (nor shall they grieve). Then Allah the Exalted sent down after this: وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ (And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers) [Āl ʿImrān: 85].
This report indicates that Ibn ʿAbbās held the view that Allah, whose praise is sublime, had promised Paradise in the Hereafter for his deed to whoever did righteous deeds — among the Jews, the Christians, and the Ṣābiʾūns — and that He then abrogated (nasakha) that with His saying: وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ (And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him).
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The explanation of the verse is therefore, according to what we have transmitted from Mujāhid and al-Suddī: Indeed, those who believe of this community (umma), and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Ṣābiʾūns — whoever of the Jews, the Christians, and the Ṣābiʾūns believes in Allah and the Last Day — for them is their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, and they shall not grieve.
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And what we have said of the first explanation most resembles the outward meaning of the revelation, for Allah, whose praise is sublime, did not restrict the reward for the righteous deed together with faith to some of His creatures to the exclusion of others among them, and the statement in His saying: مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ (whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day) concerns all those mentioned at the beginning of the verse.
