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Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 256: meaning and tafsir
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٥٦
There is no compulsion in religion[151]; the truth has been made distinct from falsehood. Whoever rejects Tāghoot [152][i.e., false gods] and believes in Allah, has indeed grasped the strong handhold that never breaks[153]. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Translation of the meanings: Rowwad Translation Center — version 1.0.19 · QuranEnc.com
[151] This is a great Islamic principle whereby no one is to be coerced to believe, but it is the duty of the believers to make sure that people know what is right and what is wrong.
[152] False objects of worship, such as devils, idols, stones, sun, stars, angels, saints, graves, rulers, etc.
[153] This verse immediately follows Āyat al-Kursī for good reason, as the previous verse contains clear proofs of the Oneness and Greatness of Allah, which purges Godliness from all that are worshiped besides Allah (Tāghoot).
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Al-Mukhtasar: Abridged Explanation of the Quran
Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies · QuranEnc.com
256. No one is forced to enter the religion of Islam, as it is clearly the true religion and there is no need to force anyone to believe in it. Truth stands clear from falsehood. Whoever rejects all those things that are worshipped besides Allah and frees himself from them, and has faith in Allah alone, has held on to the strongest rope for salvation on the Day of Resurrection and which will never break. Allah hears the statements of His servants, knows their actions and will reward them accordingly.
Quran text: Tanzil Project (Tanzil Quran Text, Uthmani v1.1, CC BY 3.0). The translation and tafsir are quoted word for word, unchanged, from the Noble Quran Encyclopedia, QuranEnc.com, each credited to its source. Details on our sources page. These texts are quoted exactly as published; no answer is written by AI. Quran Chat does not issue fatwas.