Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ALI 'IMRAN [83]

83. Do they seek other than the religion of Allah, while to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him shall they all be returned. 84. Say: ”We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim, Isma`il, Ishaq, Ya`qub and Al-Asbat, and what was given to Musa, `Isa and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted.'' 85. And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. Allah rebukes those who prefer a religion other than the religion that He sent His Books and Messengers with, which is the worship of Allah Alone without partners, to Whom,

(submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth,) Willingly, or not. Allah said in other Ayat,

(And unto Allah (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly.) ï´¿13:15ï´¾, and,

(Have they not observed things that Allah has created: (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly And to Allah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving creatures and the angels, and they are not proud. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded) ï´¿16: 48-50ï´¾. Therefore, the faithful believer submits to Allah in heart and body, while the disbeliever unwillingly submits to Him in body only, since he is under Allah's power, irresistible control and mighty kingship that cannot be repelled or resisted. Waki` reported that Mujahid said that the Ayah,

(While to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly), is similar to the Ayah,

(And verily, if you ask them: ”Who created the heavens and the earth'' Surely, they will say: ”Allah'') ﴿39:38﴾. He also reported that Ibn `Abbas said about,

(while to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly.) ”When He took the covenant from them.''

(And to Him shall they all be returned) on the Day of Return, when He will reward or punish each person according to his or her deeds. Allah then said,

(Say: ”We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us) the Qur'an,

(and what was sent down to Ibrahim, Ismai`0l, Ishaq, Ya`qub) the scriptures and revelation,

(and the Asbat,) the Asbat are the twelve tribes who originated from the twelve children of Israel (Ya`qub).

(and what was given to Musa, `Isa) the Tawrah and the Injil,

(and the Prophets from their Lord.) and this encompasses all of Allah's Prophets.

(We make no distinction between one another among them) we believe in all of them,

(And to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam)) Therefore, faithful Muslims believe in every Prophet whom Allah has sent and in every Book He revealed, and never disbelieve in any of them. Rather, they believe in what was revealed by Allah, and in every Prophet sent by Allah. Allah said next,

(And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him,) whoever seeks other than what Allah has legislated, it will not be accepted from him,

(and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.) As the Prophet said in an authentic Hadith,

(Whoever commits an action that does not conform to our matter (religion) then it is rejected).