Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 138

The Cow · 2:138 · 138/286

صِبْغَةَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ

Sibghata Allahi waman ahsanumina Allahi sibghatan wanahnu lahu AAabidoon

Verse recitation

Translations of this verse 11

Saheeh International

[And say, "Ours is] the religion of Allāh. And who is better than Allāh in [ordaining] religion? And we are worshippers of Him."

M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

‘[Our life] takes its colour from God, and who gives a better colour than God? It is Him we worship.’

Marmaduke Pickthall

(We take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah at colouring. We are His worshippers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(Our religion is) the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship.

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(We dye ourselves with) the colouring of Allah! For who is better in colouring than Allah? We are to worship none but Him.

Al-Hilali & Khan

[Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah (Religion) of Allâh (Islâm) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allâh’s? And we are His worshippers. [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr]

Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)

Say: “Take on Allah’s colour.” And whose colour is better than Allah’s? It is Him that we serve.

Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an

[Say: "Our life takes its] hue from God! And who could give a better hue [to life] than God, if we but truly worship Him?"

Rowwad · source edition

This is the natural religion[60] of Allah. Who is better than Allah in [enjoining a] religion? And it is He Whom we worship.

Notes

[60] “Sibghah” linguistically means ‘color’. It is so called because religious devoutness shows on the person as much as a dye of cloth shows on it.

Hilali and Khan · source edition

138. [Our Sibghah (religion) is] the Sibghah (Religion) of Allâh (Islâm) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allâh’s? And we are His worshippers. [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr]