21:92 إن هذه أمتكم

"Indeed, this is your nation..." This is an address to all of mankind. The reference is to the creed of monotheism and Islam. This is by way of the expression: "This is a separation between me and you," and "This is your brother." The object being pointed to is conceived in the mind and is then indicated. In this lies the fact that it is distinguished with the utmost distinction, and for this reason, it was not clarified by a description.

"Ummah" (nation), according to the author of al-Matla', originally refers to a people who gather upon a single religion. It then expanded in usage until it was applied to the religion itself. It is more well-known that it refers to people gathered upon a matter or in a specific time, and its application to the religion itself is metaphorical—though it is apparent from the words of al-Raghib that it is also literal, and that is what is intended here. The nominal sentence is intended as a command to preserve that creed and to observe its rights. The meaning is: The creed of Islam is your creed, which you must preserve the boundaries of and observe the rights of, so do that.

His saying, "one nation," is in the accusative case as a state (hal) from "nation" (ummah), and the agent acting upon it is the demonstrative pronoun. It is permissible for the agent of the state to be different from the agent of the possessor of the state, even though the majority—as in Abu Hayyan's Sharh al-Tashil—maintain that they must be identical. It is also said that it is a substitute (badal) for "this." The meaning of its unity is the agreement of the Prophets—peace be upon them—upon it; meaning, this creed of yours is a nation that is not divided among the Prophets, but rather they all agreed upon it, so it did not change in any era the way the secondary laws (furu') changed. It is also said that the meaning of its unity is that nothing else—namely polytheism—shares it in acceptance or the validity of adherence.

It is also deemed possible that the reference is to the path of the mentioned Prophets—peace be upon them—and that what is intended by it is also monotheism. It is said that it is a reference to the path of Abraham—peace be upon him—and the speech is connected to his story, but this is very far-fetched. Even further removed are the claims that it is a reference to the creed of Jesus—peace be upon him—with the speech connected to what is mentioned regarding him, as if it were said: "We have made him and his mother a sign for the worlds," saying to them: "Indeed, this—the creed with which Jesus was sent—is your nation," etc. This should not be paid any heed at all.

It is said that "this" is a reference to the group of Prophets mentioned—peace be upon them—with ummah meaning "group." That is: These are your group, whom it is incumbent upon you to emulate, as they are united upon the truth and are not divided. There is an aspect of elegance in this, as is not hidden, though the first is better and is that of the majority of exegetes; it is what is reported from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and Qatadah.

Some have deemed it possible that the address is to all believers. al-Tayyibi assigned it specifically to the obstinate ones, saying regarding the sequence of the noble arrangement: "This Surah was revealed to clarify prophethood and what pertains to it, and those addressed are the obstinate ones among the nation of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When He finished explaining prophethood and repeating it for confirmation, and mentioning the Prophets—peace be upon them—as a consolation, He returned to addressing them with His saying: 'Indeed, this is your nation,' etc. Meaning: This creed which I have repeated to you is one nation, which He chose for you so that you might hold fast to it and to the worship of Allah, and to the profession of monotheism. It is the one I call you to so that you might bite down upon it with your molars, because all other books were revealed regarding it, and all Prophets were sent to call to it, and they agree upon it. Then, when He knew of their persistence, it was said: 'But they broke their affair,' etc." The summary of the meaning is: The creed is one, the Lord is one, and the Prophets—peace be upon them—are in agreement upon it, yet these distant ones made the affair of the one religion into segments among themselves, just as a group distributes a single thing.

The most apparent interpretation is the general one, and the logic of the arrangement regarding it is taken from the words of al-Tayyibi with the slightest consideration. al-Hasan read ummatukum in the accusative as a substitute for "this" or an explanatory noun ('atf bayan) for it, and ummatun wahidah in the nominative as the predicate of inna. He also, along with Ibn Ishaq, al-Ashhab al-'Uqayli, Abu Haywah, Ibn Abi 'Ablah, al-Ju'fi, and Harun from Ibn 'Amr and al-Za'farani, read both in the nominative as the predicate of inna. It is also said: The first is the predicate, and the second is a substitute for it (an indefinite substituting a definite), or it is the predicate of an implicit subject, meaning: "It is one nation."

"And I am your Lord," meaning: I am your God, one God. "So worship Me."

[There is] specification, and the interpretation of al-Rabb (Lord) as al-Ilah (God) is because the command to worship is predicated upon it. The indication of unity is from the unity of the creed, and the term al-Rabb contains an intimation of this, in that although one might imagine the possibility of a Lord being multiple in itself, it is impossible for every created being to have more than one Lord, for He is the bestower of existence and its perfections simultaneously. In shifting to the term al-Rabb, there is a prioritizing of the aspect of mercy, and that He, the Exalted, calls them to His worship with the tongue of encouragement and expansion, as stated in al-Kashf.