Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 62 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:62

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] - those [among them] who believed in Allāh and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve[29].”

Saheeh International

Essence

Right after a people's failures, the door opens: no name saves or damns, only faith in Allah and the Last Day, and good deeds.

A reflection

Does every religion lead to salvation?

A young woman's grandmother was a devout Christian and the kindest person she ever knew. Reading this ayah after her funeral, she asks two questions at once. Does the Quran say all religions are equally true? And if not, is Nana lost?

Both questions deserve honesty, so start with what the sources actually say. They differ, and the differences matter.

The most widespread reading is set out in several commentaries. Those who followed their own prophet faithfully, before the final Prophet came, have their reward. Jews who kept Mūsā's law in their time, and Christians who followed ʿĪsā in theirs, were on guidance. After Muhammad ﷺ was sent to all people, following him became part of what belief in Allah means. A classical theologian adds that belief in Allah includes belief in what He commands, including His messengers.

A second view is reported from an early Companion. He said this ayah was later followed by 3:85: 'Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him'. A major commentary answers that there is no contradiction. 2:62 speaks of those before the final message, 3:85 of those after it. A third reading, from another early commentary, keeps the promise general. It applies to anyone of these groups who truly comes to believe in Allah and the Last Day.

The Prophet ﷺ himself spoke of anyone in his community, Jew or Christian, who 'hears of me'. Whoever hears of him and dies without believing in his message, he said, will be among the people of the Fire (Sahih Muslim). The condition he named is hearing.

What remains open is the judgement of particular people. The Quran says of all these communities: 'Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection' (22:17). No one may announce the fate of a named person; that belongs to Allah alone, the Just and the Merciful. What the ayah does not say is that names are irrelevant. Nor does it say that truth is whatever each person chooses.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.