Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:138

"The dye of Allah, and who is better than Allah in dyeing? And we are worshippers of Him."

"The dye of Allah" This is an emphatic verbal noun (maṣdar) in the accusative case, acting as a confirmation of the preceding statement: "We believe in Allah." It is similar to the accusative in the phrase: "The promise of Allah" (waʿda Allāh).

It is a form (fiʿlah) derived from ṣabagha (to dye), like jilsah (a way of sitting) from jalasa (to sit). It refers to the state in which the dyeing occurs. The meaning is: "The purification of Allah," for faith purifies the souls.

The origin of this is that the Christians used to immerse their children in a yellow water they called "baptism," claiming it purified them. When one of them did this to his child, they would say, "Now he has truly become a Christian." Therefore, the Muslims were commanded to say to them:

"Say: We believe in Allah." And Allah has dyed us with faith—a dyeing unlike our dyeing—and has purified us with it—a purification unlike our purification.

Alternatively, the Muslims are to say: "Allah has dyed us with His dye, and we do not dye with your dye."

The term "dye" (ṣibghah) is used here by way of mushākalah (stylistic correspondence), just as you might say to someone planting trees, "Plant as so-and-so plants," intending a man who cultivates nobility.

"And who is better than Allah in dyeing?" Meaning: He dyes His servants with faith and purifies them through it from the filth of disbelief; thus, there is no dye better than His dye.

"And we are worshippers of Him" This is a conjunction linked to "We believe in Allah."

This conjunction refutes those who claim that "The dye of Allah" is a substitute (badal) for "the religion of Abraham," or that it is in the accusative as an incitement (ighrāʾ)—meaning "Adhere to the dye of Allah"—because such interpretations break the structure and disrupt the coherence and consistency of the speech. Its status as an emphatic verbal noun is what Sibawayh mentioned, and "the final word is what Hudham says."

"Say: Do you argue with us about Allah, while He is our Lord and your Lord? For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. And we are sincere to Him. Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants were Jews or Christians? Say: Are you more knowing, or is Allah? And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from Allah? And Allah is not unaware of what you do. That is a nation which has passed on. It will have what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do." [139-141]