Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Al-Baqarah 2:208

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:208

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ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ

O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.

Entering Islam in its Entirety is obligated Allah says;

يا أيها الذين آمنوا ادخلوا في السلم كافة

O you who believe! Enter Silm perfectly, Allah commands His servants who believe in Him and have faith in His Messenger to implement all of Islam's legislation and law, to adhere to all of its commandments, as much as they can, and to refrain from all of its prohibitions. Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said, and also Mujahid, Tawus, Ad-Dahhak, Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that Allah's statement:

ادخلوا في السلم

(Enter Silm), means Islam. Allah's statement:

كافة

(...perfectly) means, in its entirety. This is the Tafsir of Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ikrimah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak. Mujahid said that the Ayah means, `Perform all the good works and the various pious deeds, this is especially addressed to those from among the People of the Scripture who embraced the faith.' Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn Abbas said that:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا ادخلوا في السلم كافة

(O you who believe! Enter Silm perfectly), refers to the believers among the People of the Scripture. This is because they believed in Allah; some of them still followed some parts of the Tawrah and the previous revelations. So Allah said:

ادخلوا في السلم كافة

(Enter Islam perfectly). Allah thus commanded them to embrace the legislation of the religion of Muhammad in its entirety and to avoid abandoning any part of it. They should no longer adhere to the Tawrah. Allah then said:

وﻻ تتبعوا خطوات الشيطان

...and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan, meaning, perform the acts of worship and avoid what Satan commands you to do. This is because:

إنما يٲمركم بالسوء والفحشاء وأن تقولوا على الله ما ﻻ تعلمون

He (Shaytan) commands you only what is evil and Fahishah (sinful), and that you should say about Allah what you know not. (2:169) and:

إنما يدعو حزبه ليكونوا من أصحب السعير

He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire. (35:6) Hence, Allah said:

إنه لكم عدو مبين

Verily, he is to you an open enemy. Allah said:

Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:208

Tafsir Ibn Kathir