Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 138

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(We dye ourselves with) the colouring of Allah! For who is better in colouring than Allah? We are to worship none but Him.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

This is the ˹natural˺ Way of Allah. And who is better than Allah in ordaining a way? And we worship ˹none but˺ Him.

Ruwwad Translation Center

This is the natural religion of Allah. Who is better than Allah in [enjoining a] religion? And it is He Whom we worship.

A. J. Arberry

the baptism of God; and who is there that baptizes fairer than God? Him we are serving.

Abdul Haleem

‘[Our life] takes its colour from God, and who gives a better colour than God? It is Him we worship.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Ours is the dye of Allah! and who is better at dyeing than Allah! And we are His worshippers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(Our religion is) the Baptism of Allah; And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship.

Abul Ala Maududi

Say, "Take Allah's colour, and who can give a better colour than Allah? Therefore, we worship and submit to Him alone. "

Ahmed Ali

"We have taken the colouring of God; and whose shade is better than God's? Him alone we worship."

Ahmed Raza Khan

“We have taken the colour (religion) of Allah; and whose colour (religion) is better than that of Allah? And only Him do we worship.”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘The baptism of Allah, and who baptizes better than Allah? And Him do we worship.’

Ali Ünal

(O Muslims, say: "We take) the "color" of God (the "color" that He has put on the whole universe, not the color some party put upon themselves through some rites in the name of religion )." Who is better than God in coloring, (and whose color is better than God’s)? And We are those who worship Him (as He is to be worshipped,) exclusively."

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Assume) the attributes of Allâh! and who is fairer than Allâh in attributes? We are His worshippers ever.

English Literal

God`s faith/immersion , and who (is) better than God`s faith/immersion , and we are to Him worshipping.

Faridul Haque

"We have taken the colour (religion) of Allah; and whose colour (religion) is better than that of Allah? And only Him do we worship."

Hamid S. Aziz

(We take our) dye of Allah (Our Religion is the Baptism of Allah)! And who is better than Allah at dyeing? And we are worshippers of Him.

Hilali & Khan

[Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah (Religion) of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allah's? And we are His worshippers. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir.]

Maulana Mohammad Ali

(We take) Allah´s colour, and who is better than Allah at colouring, and we are His worshippers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

(Receive) the baptism of Allah, and who is better than Allah in baptising? and Him do we serve.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(We take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah at colouring. We are His worshippers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Say, "Belief in God and following the guidance of Islam are God's means of purification for us. Islam is the baptism of God. No one is a better baptizer than He and we Muslims worship Him."

Qaribullah & Darwish

The (indelible) marking of Allah. And who marks better than Allah! And for Him we are worshipers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

[Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah can be better than Allah's And we are His worshippers.

Wahiduddin Khan

We take on God's own dye. Who has a better dye than God's? We worship Him alone.

Talal Itani

God’s coloring. And who gives better coloring than God? “And we are devoted to Him.”

Tafsir jalalayn

The mark of God (sibghata'Llhi; a verbal noun reaffirming the earlier mann, and it is in the accusative, because of the verbal construction implied, that is to say, sabaghan'Llhu, `God has marked us'); this denotes His religion, the one towards which He made human beings naturally inclined, as it leaves its mark on a person, in the same way that a dye leaves its mark on a garment; and who has, that is, none [has], a better mark (sibghatan, `marking', is for specification) than God? And Him we worship; the Jews said to the Muslims, `We are the people of the first Book and our direction of prayer (qibla) is more ancient, and prophets were never sent from among the Arabs; if Muhammad were a prophet, he would have been one of us'. Thus, the following was revealed;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Our Sibghah (religion) is) the Sibghah of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah can be better than Allah's. And we are His worshippers.


Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas commented on Allah's statement,
صِبْغَةَ اللّهِ
(The Sibghah of Allah),

"The religion of Allah."

This Tafsir was also reported of Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ikrimah, Ibrahim, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Abdullah bin Kathir, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, As-Suddi and other scholars.

The Ayah,
فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ
(Allah's Fitrah (i.e. Allah's Islamic Monotheism), (30;30) directs Muslims to, "Hold to it.