Tafseer of The Groups · Az-Zumar · 39:2
Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muhammad], in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.
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.
And His statement: ( Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with the truth ) — He, exalted is His mention, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: Indeed, We have sent down to you, O Muḥammad, the Book — by "the Book" He means: the Qurʾān — ( with the truth ), that is to say: with justice. He says: We have sent down to you this Qurʾān, which commands the truth and justice; and among that truth and justice is that you worship Allah and keep the religion (dīn) sincerely for Him, for religion belongs to Him, and not to the idols which can bring neither harm nor benefit. And similar to what we have said concerning the meaning of His statement ( the Book ), the people of interpretation have said.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda ( Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with the truth ). He means: the Qurʾān.
And His statement: ( So worship Allah, keeping the religion sincerely for Him ) — He, exalted is His mention, says: So be humble before Allah, O Muḥammad, through obedience, and keep the godhood sincerely for Him, and devote worship to Him alone, and do not associate any partner with Him in your worship of Him, as the worshippers of the idols did.
And similar to what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation have said.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaʿqūb related to us, on the authority of Ḥafṣ, on the authority of Shamir, who said: "On the Day of Resurrection the man is brought forth for the reckoning, and in his scroll are good deeds like mountains. Then the Lord of majesty, mighty and exalted is He, says: 'You prayed on such-and-such a day, so that it would be said: so-and-so has prayed! I am Allah, there is no god but Me; to Me belongs the sincere religion. You fasted on such-and-such a day, so that it would be said: so-and-so has fasted! I am Allah, there is no god but Me; to Me belongs the sincere religion. You gave charity on such-and-such a day, so that it would be said: so-and-so has given charity! I am Allah, there is no god but Me; to Me belongs the sincere religion.' And He continues to erase one matter after another, until his scroll remains with nothing in it, whereupon his two angels say: 'O so-and-so, did you act for other than Allah?'"
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: as for His statement: ( keeping the religion sincerely for Him ), that is oneness (al-tawḥīd); and "the religion" (al-dīn) is in the accusative because "keeping sincerely" (mukhliṣan) governs it.
