Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 62

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, those who believed in Allah, and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabians, -whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day, and does good deeds - all such people will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no reason for them to fear, nor shall they grieve.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, the believers, Jews, Christians, and Sabians[[ The Sabians are an indigenous group that believes in a supreme being and lives mostly in Iraq. ]]—whoever ˹truly˺ believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good will have their reward with their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.[[ This verse should be understood in light of {3:19} and {3:85}. For more details, see the Introduction. ]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

The believers and those who were Jews, Christians, and the Sabians [before Muhammad] – whoever believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteous deed, they will have their reward with their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

A. J. Arberry

Surely they that believe, and those of Jewry, and the Christians, and those Sabaeans, whoso believes in God and the Last Day, and works righteousness -- their wage awaits them with their Lord, and no fear shall be on them; neither shall they sorrow.

Abdul Haleem

The [Muslim] believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians- all those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good- will have their rewards with their Lord. No fear for them, nor will they grieve.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily those who believe, and those who are Judaised, and the Nazarenes, and the Sabians, - whosoever, believeth in Allah and the Last Day and worketh righteously, these! unto them shall be their hire with their Lord, no feal shall come on them nor shall they grieve.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Abul Ala Maududi

Rest assured that whosoever from among the Muslims or the Jews or the Christians or the Sabaeans believes in Allah and the Last Day, and performs good deeds, he will have his reward with his Lord and he will have no cause for fear and grief.

Ahmed Ali

Surely the believers and the Jews, Nazareans and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and whosoever does right, shall have his reward with his Lord and will neither have fear nor regret.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Indeed the believers (the Muslims) and those among the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabeans who sincerely accept faith in Allah and the Last Day* and do good deeds – their reward is with their Lord; and there shall be no fear upon them nor shall they grieve. (* i.e. convert to Islam)

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed the faithful, the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans—those of them who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act righteously—they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

Ali Ünal

(The truth is not as they – the Jews – claim, but this:) Those who believe (i.e. professing to be Muslims), or those who declare Judaism, or the Christians or the Sabaeans (or those of some other faith) – whoever truly believes in God and the Last Day and does good, righteous deeds, surely their reward is with their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, those who (profess to) believe (in Islam), and those who follow the Jewish faith, the Christians and the Sabians, whosoever (of these truly) believes in Allâh and the Last Day and acts righteously shall have their reward with their Lord, and shall have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve.

English Literal

That those who believed and those who repented/guided/Jews , and the Christians and the Sabians/converts , who believed with God and the Day the Last/Resurrection Day, and made/did correct/righteous deeds, so for them their reward (is) at their lord, and no fear/fright on them, and nor they be sad/grieving.

Faridul Haque

Indeed the believers (the Muslims) and those among the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabeans who sincerely accept faith in Allah and the Last Day * and do good deeds - their reward is with their Lord; and there shall be no fear upon them nor shall they grieve. (* i.e. convert to Islam)

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, whether it be of those who believe, or those who are Jews or Christians or Sabaeans, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and acts aright, they have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Hilali & Khan

Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.

Muhammad Sarwar

However, those who have become believers (the Muslims), and the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans who believe in God and the Day of Judgment and strive righteously will receive their reward from the Lord and will have nothing to fear nor will they be grieved.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Those who believe, Jews, Nazarenes and Sabaeans whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds shall be rewarded by their Lord; they have nothing to fear nor are they saddened.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians (Sabi'in), whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Wahiduddin Khan

The believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabaeans, all those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good deeds, will be rewarded by their Lord; they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Talal Itani

Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabeans—any who believe in God and the Last Day, and act righteously—will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

Tafsir jalalayn

Surely those who believe, [who believed] before, in the prophets, and those of Jewry, the Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans, a Christian or Jewish sect, whoever, from among them, believes in God and the Last Day, in the time of our Prophet, and performs righteous deeds, according to the Law given to him -- their wage, that is, the reward for their deeds, is with their Lord, and no fear shall befall them, neither shall they grieve (the [singular] person of the verbs mana, `believes', and `amila, `performs', takes account of the [singular] form of man, `whoever', but in what comes afterwards [of the plural pronouns] its [plural] meaning [is taken into account]).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Faith and doing Righteous Deeds equals Salvation in all Times

Allah says;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِيِينَ مَنْ امَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians (Sabi'in), whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

After Allah described the condition - and punishment - of those who defy His commands, fall into His prohibitions and transgress set limits by committing prohibited acts, He stated that the earlier nations who were righteous and obedient received the rewards for their good deeds. This shall be the case, until the Day of Judgment. Therefore, whoever follows the unlettered Messenger and Prophet shall acquire eternal happiness and shall neither fear from what will happen in the future nor become sad for what has been lost in the past.

Similarly, Allah said,

أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَأءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

No doubt! Verily, the Awliya of Allah, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. (10;62)

The angels will proclaim to the dying believers, as mentioned,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَـمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـيِكَةُ أَلاَّ تَخَافُواْ وَلَا تَحْزَنُواْ وَأَبْشِرُواْ بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

Verily, those who say;"Our Lord is Allah (alone)," and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying);"Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!" (41;30)
The Meaning of Mu'min, or Believer

Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn Abbas, about,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِيِينَ مَنْ امَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاخِرِ
(Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day) that Allah revealed the following Ayah afterwards,

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الاِسْلَـمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ

And whoever seeks religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (3;85).

This statement by Ibn Abbas indicates that Allah does not accept any deed or work from anyone, unless it conforms to the Law of Muhammad that is, after Allah sent Muhammad. Before that, every person who followed the guidance of his own Prophet was on the correct path, following the correct guidance and was saved.
Why the Jews were called `Yahud

The Jews are the followers of Prophet Musa, who used to refer to the Tawrah for judgment. Yahud is a word that means,

`repenting', just as Musa said,
إِنَّا هُدْنَـا إِلَيْكَ
(We have Hudna (we repent, go back and return) unto You), (7;156).
Why the Christians were called Nasara

Allah said;

مَنْ أَنصَارِى إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ

"Who will be my helpers in Allah's cause" Al-Hawariyyun said;"We are the helpers of Allah." (61;14)

It was said that;

they were called `Nasara', because they inhabited a land called An-Nasirah (Nazareth), as Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Abbas were reported to have said, Allah knows best.
Nasara is certainly plural for Nasran.

When Allah sent Muhammad as the Last and Final Prophet and Messenger to all of the Children of Adam, mankind was required to believe in him, obey him and refrain from what he prohibited them; those who do this are true believers. The Ummah of Muhammad was called `Mu'minin' (believers), because of the depth of their faith and certainty, and because they believe in all of the previous Prophets and matters of the Unseen.
The Sabi'un or Sabians

There is a difference of opinion over the identity of the Sabians.

Sufyan Ath-Thawri said that Layth bin Abu Sulaym said that Mujahid said that,

"The Sabians are between the Majus, the Jews and the Christians. They do not have a specific religion."

Similar is reported from Ibn Abi Najih.

Similar statements were attributed to Ata and Sa`id bin Jubayr.

They (others) say that;

the Sabians are a sect among the People of the Book who used to read the Zabur (Psalms), others say that they are a people who worshipped the angels or the stars.

It appears that the closest opinion to the truth, and Allah knows best, is Mujahid's statement and those who agree with him like Wahb bin Munabbih, that;

the Sabians are neither Jews nor Christians nor Majus nor polytheists. Rather, they did not have a specific religion that they followed and enforced, because they remained living according to their Fitrah (instinctual nature). This is why the idolators used to call whoever embraced Islam a `Sabi', meaning, that he abandoned all religions that existed on the earth.

Some scholars stated that;

the Sabians are those who never received a message by any Prophet.

And Allah knows best