Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:131

(When his Lord said to him, "Submit," he said, "I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.")

This is a temporal adverbial clause for "We chose him." The conjunctive clause is not extraneous, as it presupposes a connected subject; its significance lies in its emphasis, for his selection in this world is solely for the sake of the message and that which pertains to the welfare of the Hereafter. Thus, there is no need to categorize it as an interjection, a future-oriented state (as has been suggested), a cause, or as being governed by an implied "Remember" (as if to say, "Remember that time, so that you may recognize he is the chosen righteous one and that he did not attain what he attained except through initiative and submission to what he was commanded, and through the sincerity of his innermost being when his Lord called him").

It is also permissible to consider it an adverb for "said," though the command and its response are not to be taken in their literal sense. Rather, it is a figurative representation (tamthil). The meaning is: He brought to mind the evidences that affirm knowledge, drew inferences from them, and yielded to their implications. Yet, the Glorified and Exalted One expressed this via the two utterances to illustrate the swiftness of transition through the swiftness of the response. It is a reference to his—peace be upon him—inference using the star, the sun, and the moon, and his realization of the signs of contingency, as hinted at by the words of al-Hasan and Ibn Abbas regarding this occurring before prophethood and before reaching maturity.

Those who maintain that it occurred after prophethood say: The intent is the command to obedience, the yielding to the particulars of the laws, and steadfastness and constancy in monotheism, similar to the verse, "So know that there is no god but Allah."

It is not possible to interpret it literally—that is, the initiation of Islam and faith—because prophets are infallible regarding disbelief both before and after prophethood, and because revelation and the appointment to prophethood are inconceivable before Islam. Yes, if "Islam" is interpreted as action through the limbs, not as the meaning of faith, then a literal interpretation is possible, as has been suggested.

In the shift [of address] while mentioning the title of Lordship and attributing it to him, peace be upon him, there is a manifestation of extreme kindness toward him and concern for his upbringing. The attribution of "Lord" in the response to "the worlds" serves to signal the complete strength of his Islam, as he perfected, at the moment of contemplation, the realization of the comprehensiveness of His Lordship over all the worlds—not merely for himself alone—as he was ostensibly commanded.