Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 120 (16:120)

ٱلنَّحْل

إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Quran 16:120 is ayah 120 of Surah An-Nahl (“The Bee”), a Meccan surah of 128 ayahs. It is in Juz 14, on page 281 of the Madani Mushaf.

16:120
إِنَّإِبْرَٰهِيمَكَانَأُمَّةًقَانِتًالِّلَّهِحَنِيفًاوَلَمْيَكُمِنَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ١٢٠
inna ib'rāhīma kāna ummatan qānitan lillahi ḥanīfan walam yaku mina l-mush'rikīna

Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allāh, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allāh.(120)

Word by word

  1. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  2. إِبْرَٰهِيمَib'rāhīmaIbrahim
  3. كَانَkānawas
  4. أُمَّةًummatana nation
  5. قَانِتًاqānitanobedient
  6. لِّلَّهِlillahito Allah
  7. حَنِيفًاḥanīfanupright
  8. وَلَمْwalamand not
  9. يَكُyakuhe was
  10. مِنَminaof
  11. ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَl-mush'rikīnathe polytheists

Tafsir (commentary) of 16:120

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 16:120–123 together.

He selected him, as Allah says :

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ

(And before, We indeed gave Ibrahim his integrity, and We were indeed most knowledgeable about him)(21:51). Then Allah says:

وَهَدَاهُ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

(and guided him to a straight path.) which means to worship Allah alone, without partners or associate, in the manner that He prescribed and which pleases Him.

وَءاتَيْنَـهُ فِى الْدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً

(And We gave him good in this world,) meaning, `We granted him all that a believer may require for a good and complete life in this world.'

وَإِنَّهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous.) Concerning the Ayah:

وَءاتَيْنَـهُ فِى الْدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً

(And We gave him good in this world,) Mujahid said: "This means a truthful tongue."

ثُمَّ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ أَنِ اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفًا

(Then, We have sent the revelation to you: "Follow the religion of Ibrahim (he was a) Hanif. ..) meaning, `because of his perfection, greatness, and the soundness of his Tawhid and his way, We revealed to you, O Seal of the Messengers and Leader of the Prophets ,'

أَنِ اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

(Follow the religion of Ibrahim (he was a) Hanif and he was not of the idolators.) This is like the Ayah in Surat Al-An`am:

قُلْ إِنَّنِى هَدَانِى رَبِّى إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

(Say: "Truly, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrahim, (he was a) Hanif and he was not of the idolators.") (6:161). Then Allah rebukes the Jews,

Read the full Surah An-Nahl