سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 256
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿256﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَآ
lā
(There is) no
إِكْرَاهَ
ik'rāha
compulsion
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدِّينِ ۖ
l-dīni
the religion
قَد
qad
Surely
تَّبَيَّنَ
tabayyana
has become distinct
ٱلرُّشْدُ
l-rush'du
the right (path)
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ
l-ghayi
the wrong
فَمَن
faman
Then whoever
يَكْفُرْ
yakfur
disbelieves
بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ
bil-ṭāghūti
in false deities
وَيُؤْمِنۢ
wayu'min
and believes
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
فَقَدِ
faqadi
then surely
ٱسْتَمْسَكَ
is'tamsaka
he grasped
بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ
bil-ʿur'wati
the handhold
ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ
l-wuth'qā
[the] firm
لَا
lā
(which) not
ٱنفِصَامَ
infiṣāma
(will) break
لَهَا ۗ
lahā
[for it]
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
سَمِيعٌ
samīʿun
(is) All-Hearing
عَلِيمٌ
ʿalīmun
All-Knowing
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 256) (1) {لَاۤ اِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّيْنِ :} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “(In the time of ignorance) if a woman’s children would not survive, she would vow that if a child survived, she would make him a Jew. Then, when Banu Nadir were exiled, among them were several boys of the Ansar. The Ansar said: ‘We will not leave them,’ so this verse was revealed.” [أبوداوٗد، الجہاد، باب فی الأسیر یکرہ علی الإسلام : ۲۶۸۲، وصححہ الألبانی ]
That is, it is not permissible to force anyone to become Muslim; whoever wishes to become Muslim should do so thoughtfully. If it is done by force, faith will not enter the heart—what benefit is there in that? However, Islam commands Muslims, instead of being subjugated by disbelief, to make all disbelievers subjugated to Islam through jihad, in which disbelievers are not forced to become Muslim; they can live in peace and safety, but as a sign of the dominance of Islam, a small amount is taken from them as jizyah. If it were permissible to force people to become Muslim, then today there would not be a trace of non-Muslims in India, just as in Andalusia the Christians, by force, erased every trace of Muslims.
➋ {بِالطَّاغُوْتِ:} This is a verbal noun for emphasis from { ”طَغٰي يَطْغٰي طُغْيَانًا“ } on the pattern of { ”فَعَلُوْتٌ“ }, like “jabarut” and “malakut.” On the pattern of { ”فَعَلُوْتٌ“ } it was { ”طَغَيُوْتٌ“ }, then for ease it was altered, the ya was brought first and the ghayn after, so it became {’’طَيَغُوْتٌ“ }, then because the moving ya was preceded by a fathah, the ya was changed to an alif, so it became {”طَاغُوْتٌ“}, whose pattern is { ”فَلُعُوْتٌ“ }. The verbal noun here has the meaning of an active participle, meaning something that exceeds its limits. In “taghut,” the “waw” and “ta” are for emphasis, meaning one who greatly exceeds the limits. All false deities are taghut, because they have been elevated beyond their limits to the level of Allah Almighty. Satan is also called taghut for this reason. Whoever makes people serve and obey him in opposition to Allah Almighty is also taghut.
That is, it is not permissible to force anyone to become Muslim; whoever wishes to become Muslim should do so thoughtfully. If it is done by force, faith will not enter the heart—what benefit is there in that? However, Islam commands Muslims, instead of being subjugated by disbelief, to make all disbelievers subjugated to Islam through jihad, in which disbelievers are not forced to become Muslim; they can live in peace and safety, but as a sign of the dominance of Islam, a small amount is taken from them as jizyah. If it were permissible to force people to become Muslim, then today there would not be a trace of non-Muslims in India, just as in Andalusia the Christians, by force, erased every trace of Muslims.
➋ {بِالطَّاغُوْتِ:} This is a verbal noun for emphasis from { ”طَغٰي يَطْغٰي طُغْيَانًا“ } on the pattern of { ”فَعَلُوْتٌ“ }, like “jabarut” and “malakut.” On the pattern of { ”فَعَلُوْتٌ“ } it was { ”طَغَيُوْتٌ“ }, then for ease it was altered, the ya was brought first and the ghayn after, so it became {’’طَيَغُوْتٌ“ }, then because the moving ya was preceded by a fathah, the ya was changed to an alif, so it became {”طَاغُوْتٌ“}, whose pattern is { ”فَلُعُوْتٌ“ }. The verbal noun here has the meaning of an active participle, meaning something that exceeds its limits. In “taghut,” the “waw” and “ta” are for emphasis, meaning one who greatly exceeds the limits. All false deities are taghut, because they have been elevated beyond their limits to the level of Allah Almighty. Satan is also called taghut for this reason. Whoever makes people serve and obey him in opposition to Allah Almighty is also taghut.
