Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: “A hanif is one who performs the pilgrimage and is circumcised.”

Al-Dahhak said: When the term hanif occurs alongside Muslim, it means one who performs the pilgrimage; when it does not occur alongside Muslim, it means a Muslim. Qatada said: The hanif way consists of circumcision, the prohibition of marrying mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal aunts, and maternal aunts, and the establishment of the pilgrimage rites.

“And he was not one of the polytheists.” Then He taught the believers the way of faith, saying—exalted is His mention:

“Say, ‘We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us’”—that is, the Quran—“and in what was sent down to Abraham”—ten scrolls—“and Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes,” meaning the children of Jacob. They were twelve tribes, each one called a sibt. They were so named because each of them had a group of descendants; a man’s sibt is his grandson. Thus al-Hasan and al-Husayn—may Allah be pleased with them—were called the two grandsons of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The tribes among the Children of Israel are like the tribes among the Arabs descended from Ishmael, and like the peoples among the non-Arabs. There were prophets among the tribes, which is why He said, “and what was sent down to them.” It is also said that they were Jacob’s sons from his own loins, all of whom became prophets.

“And what was given to Moses,” meaning the Torah, “and Jesus,” meaning the Gospel, “and what was given”—that is, granted—“to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them”: that is, we believe in all of them, making no distinction between any of them by believing in some and disbelieving in others, as the Jews and Christians did. “And to Him we submit.”

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Nu'aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma'il informed us; Muhammad ibn Bashshar informed us; Uthman ibn Umar informed us; Ali ibn al-Mubarak informed us, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Salama, from Abu Hurayra, who said: The People of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “Do not believe the People of the Book, nor disbelieve them; rather, say: ‘We believe in Allah’—the verse.” (1)

“So if they believe in the same as that in which you believe, then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, they are only in opposition. Allah will suffice you against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (137)

Regarding His words, “So if they believe in the same as that in which you believe,” that is, in what you believe. Ibn Abbas recited it in this manner as well. The word “same” is supplementary, as in His words, “There is nothing like His likeness,” meaning, there is nothing like Him. It is also said that its meaning is: If they believe in all that you believe in—that is, if they bring faith like your faith and an affirmation of Allah’s oneness like your affirmation. It is also said that its meaning is: If they believe the same as that in which you have believed, with the preposition being supplementary, as in His words, “Shake toward yourself the trunk of the palm tree.” (25—Mary)

Abu Mu'adh the grammarian said: Its meaning is: If they believe in your Book just as you have believed in their Book. “Then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, they are only in opposition”—that is, in disagreement and dispute. This was stated by Ibn Abbas.