سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 138
صِبْغَةَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ ﴿138﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
[Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah (Religion) of Allâh (Islâm) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allâh’s? And we are His worshippers. [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr]
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
صِبْغَةَ
ṣib'ghata
(The) color (religion)
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَمَنْ
waman
And who
أَحْسَنُ
aḥsanu
(is) better
مِنَ
mina
than
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
صِبْغَةًۭ ۖ
ṣib'ghatan
at coloring
وَنَحْنُ
wanaḥnu
And we
لَهُۥ
lahu
to Him
عَـٰبِدُونَ
ʿābidūna
(are) worshippers
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
138. (Also say to them:) We have taken on the color of Allah, and who is better in coloring than Allah [170]? And we are His worshippers.
[170]
Baptism and the Color of Allah:
When a person entered the Jewish religion, they would bathe him and say that all his previous sins had been washed away, and the Christians would also mix yellow color in the water of this bath. And this bath was not only given to those newly entering the religion, but also to newborn children, and they called this ritual "Istibagh" or baptism. Allah the Exalted said: What is there in these formal colors? The only true color is Allah's, which comes from His worship, and to say to the People of the Book that we worship Him and adopt only His color.
[170]
Baptism and the Color of Allah:
When a person entered the Jewish religion, they would bathe him and say that all his previous sins had been washed away, and the Christians would also mix yellow color in the water of this bath. And this bath was not only given to those newly entering the religion, but also to newborn children, and they called this ritual "Istibagh" or baptism. Allah the Exalted said: What is there in these formal colors? The only true color is Allah's, which comes from His worship, and to say to the People of the Book that we worship Him and adopt only His color.
