Is there Baptism
in Islaam?
Glorious Qur’aan 2:138: صِبْغَةَ
اللَّهِ
الحمدلله
رب العالمين
والصلوة
والسلام على اشرف
الانبياء
وسيدالمرسلين
نبينا محمد صل
ا لله عليه
وعلى آله
واصحابه
وازواجه
اجمعين -
امابعد
All the praises and thanks be
to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the
most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of
Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.
We read in the Glorious Qur’aan Ayaat 2:137-138,
فَإِنْ
آمَنُواْ
بِمِثْلِ مَا
آمَنتُم بِهِ
فَقَدِ
اهْتَدَواْ
وَّإِن
تَوَلَّوْاْ
فَإِنَّمَا
هُمْ فِي
شِقَاقٍ
فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ
اللّهُ
وَهُوَ
السَّمِيعُ
الْعَلِيمُ
صِبْغَةَ
اللّهِ
وَمَنْ
أَحْسَنُ مِنَ
اللّهِ
صِبْغَةً
وَنَحْنُ
لَهُ عَابِدونَ
So if they believe in the like of that, which you
believe, then they are rightly guided, but if they
turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against
them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. (Our Sibghah (religion) is) the Sibghah
(Religion) of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah
(religion) can be better than Allah’s? And we are His worshippers. (Tafsir Ibn Katheer.)
From the beginning of the Surah al-Baqarah different Ayaat have explained the nature
of Imaan. Ayaah 2:137 define the Imaan
in a simple and shot phrase, which is at the same time so comprehensive that
all possible details and explanations are inherent in it.
The Ayaah 2:138 delineate Islaam as
the “coloring of Allaah”, and explain this coloring as the unalloyed worship of
Allaah and total submission to Him. Earlier Ayaah
2:135 have identified Islam with “the religion of Ibraheem.”
Thus, if we put Ayaat 2:135 and 2:138 together, it
becomes clear that essentially Islaam is the religion
of Allaah. And that the association of a religion with the name of a Prophet
is merely a symbol.
The Ayaat 2:138 presents religion as “coloring” Sibghah صِبْغِ the expression
carries within itself several levels of meaning. But the immediate allusion is
to a certain Christian ceremony i.e. the Baptism. Let us examine
the Ayaah 2:138,
Surah Al-Baqarah 138
صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ
(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)
The words used in Ayaat
23:20 and 2:138 have been derived from the root (radical) letters cited below.
Sabaghaص ب غ
صِبْغ
:
ما يُؤتَدَمُ
به .
صِبْغِ
:
تَنْبُتُ
بِالدُّهْنِ
وَصِبْغٍ
لِلْآكِلِينَ.
23:20 seasoning (noun)
صِبْغَةً
:
صِبْغَةَ
اللَّهِ
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ
مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً.
2:138
صِبْغَةَ
الله
:
شريعته .
صِبْغَةَ
اللَّهِ
:
صِبْغَةَ
اللَّهِ
وَمَنْ
أَحْسَنُ
مِنَ اللَّهِ
صِبْغَةً. 2:138
The
word “Sibghatun” means dye, color, hue (n).
Thus, the words derived from the root letters means: to dye, color, baptize, dipp, immerse, hue, assume the attribute, mode, mature,
code of law, religion.
In the Ayaah 138 of Surah Al-Baqaraah of Glorious Qur’aan the
attributes of Allaah and His Code of Law is called Allaah’s
Sibghah. The word صِبْغَةَ has been adopted in this Ayaah (verse)
as a hint to Christians that the “baptism” of water does not effect any change
in person. It is Tahkalluq bi Akhlaq Allaah that is the adoption of Allaah’s (God’s) attributes and broad principles of faith
bring out the real change in the mind and character. It is through this “baptism” that the new birth takes place. According to the Arabic usage
sometimes when it is intended strongly to induce a person to do a certain thing
the verb is omitted, as in Glorious Qur’aan 2:138,
and only the object is mentioned. Therefore, in the translation of that Ayaah (verse) one must add such verb as Khudhu
i.e. assume, or adapt.
In conclusion, if the Christians
really want the salvation
and want to be baptized, than they must accept Islaam
with their heart and souls.
Friday,
April 08, 2005