سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 125
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَٱتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۗ وَٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ خَلِيلًا ﴿125﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allâh (i.e. follows Allâh’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism); and he is a Muhsin (a good-doer - See V.2:112). And follows the religion of Ibrâhîm(Abraham) Hanîfa (Islâmic Monotheism - to worship none but Allâh Alone). And Allâh did take Ibrâhîm (Abraham) as a Khalîl (an intimate friend)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَنْ
waman
And who
أَحْسَنُ
aḥsanu
(is) better
دِينًۭا
dīnan
(in) religion
مِّمَّنْ
mimman
than (one) who
أَسْلَمَ
aslama
submits
وَجْهَهُۥ
wajhahu
his face
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and he
مُحْسِنٌۭ
muḥ'sinun
(is) a good-doer
وَٱتَّبَعَ
wa-ittabaʿa
and follows
مِلَّةَ
millata
(the) religion
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
ib'rāhīma
(of) Ibrahim
حَنِيفًۭا ۗ
ḥanīfan
(the) upright
وَٱتَّخَذَ
wa-ittakhadha
And was taken
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
خَلِيلًۭا
khalīlan
(as) a friend
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.
125. And whose religion is better than one who submits himself to Allah, is a doer of good, and follows the way of Abraham, the upright? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend [164].
[164]
The Characteristics of the Religion of Ibrahim:
There are two notable characteristics of the religion of Sayyiduna Ibrahim. The first is that, for the sake of Allah, he confronted all tyrannical powers. He rejected the blind following of forefathers, opposed idol worship and star worship, and denied the divinity of Nimrod. Since he confronted all the tyrannical powers of his time and, in facing them, sought refuge only with Allah, he was called "Hanif," and this is the very meaning of Hanif. The second characteristic was that he willingly and gladly submitted his head before all the commands of Allah Almighty. He did not accept only what was easy or pleasing to the self and leave what was difficult or disliked, nor did he interpret the disliked commands according to his own preference and act accordingly. It was these two characteristics due to which Allah Almighty, after putting Sayyiduna Ibrahim through various trials and tests, made him His friend. Now, whoever claims to follow the religion of Ibrahim should measure himself against these two characteristics to see how truthful he is in his claim; it does not matter whether he is a Jew, a Christian, a Muslim, or anyone else. The religion of Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ is the very religion that Allah Almighty has declared superior to all other religions, and this religion is called Islam, which has been the way of all the Prophets. And the important components of this religion are two:
(1) Submitting one's head before the commands of Allah.
(2) Performing good deeds.
And the meaning of these two components is so broad that the entire Shari'ah is encompassed within them.
[164]
The Characteristics of the Religion of Ibrahim:
There are two notable characteristics of the religion of Sayyiduna Ibrahim. The first is that, for the sake of Allah, he confronted all tyrannical powers. He rejected the blind following of forefathers, opposed idol worship and star worship, and denied the divinity of Nimrod. Since he confronted all the tyrannical powers of his time and, in facing them, sought refuge only with Allah, he was called "Hanif," and this is the very meaning of Hanif. The second characteristic was that he willingly and gladly submitted his head before all the commands of Allah Almighty. He did not accept only what was easy or pleasing to the self and leave what was difficult or disliked, nor did he interpret the disliked commands according to his own preference and act accordingly. It was these two characteristics due to which Allah Almighty, after putting Sayyiduna Ibrahim through various trials and tests, made him His friend. Now, whoever claims to follow the religion of Ibrahim should measure himself against these two characteristics to see how truthful he is in his claim; it does not matter whether he is a Jew, a Christian, a Muslim, or anyone else. The religion of Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ is the very religion that Allah Almighty has declared superior to all other religions, and this religion is called Islam, which has been the way of all the Prophets. And the important components of this religion are two:
(1) Submitting one's head before the commands of Allah.
(2) Performing good deeds.
And the meaning of these two components is so broad that the entire Shari'ah is encompassed within them.
