Inna anzalna ilayka alkitaba bilhaqqi faAAbudi Allaha mukhlisan lahu addeen (surah Zumar: 2)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(39:2) (O Prophet), it is We Who have revealed this Book to you with Truth. *2 So serve only Allah, consecrating your devotion to Him. *3

Innaaa anzalnaaa ilaikal Kitaaba bilhaqqi fa`budil laaha mukhlisal lahud deen

*2) That is, it contains nothing but the truth, and there is no element of falsehood in it.
*3) This is a very important verse, which stasis the real objective of the message of Islam. Therefore, one should not pass over it superficially, but should try to understand its meaning and intention well. It has two basic points without grasping which one cannot understand the verse: (1) That the demand is to worship Allah; and (2) that the demand is of such worship as may be performed by making religion exclusively Allah's. Ibadat is derived from 'abd, and this word is used as an antonym of freeman" for the "slave" and `bondsman" in Arabic. Accordingly, 'ibadat contains two meanings: (I) Worship and devotion; and (2) humble and willing obedience, as is borne out by the well-known and authoritative Arabic Lexicon. Lisan al-'Arab. Thus, according to the authentic lexical explanation, the demand is not only of Allah's worship but also of willing and sincere obedience to His Commands and His Law. The Arabic word din contains several meanings: (1) Domination and sovereignty, rulership and political power and authority to enforce one's decisions on others. (2) Obedience, compliance with commands and servitude. (3) The practice and the way that a man follows. In view of these three meanings, din in this verse means: "The way of life and attitude which a man adopts after acknowledging the supremacy and accepting the obedience of another; " and `to worship Allah making one's religion exclusively His" means that one should refrain from combining another's worship with the worship of Allah, but should worship Allah alone, should follow His Guidance alone, and should comply with His Commands and injunctions only.