Detailed Exegesis

Muslims unto You (muslimīn laka): The root salima and salāma mean to be free from external defects, as in: “A heifer without blemish”(31), and internal defects, as in: “With a sound heart”(32).(33) Islam means submissive obedience to the commands of God Almighty and acknowledgment of all divine rulings.(34) The Islam and submissive obedience of every Muslim indicates the soundness of their soul from internal defects, such as refusal and reluctance to accept the truth.

It has been said: The application of the name “Peace” (Salām) to God Almighty: “He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the Holy, the Peace”(35) is because His Holy Essence is free from any defect, imperfection, or annihilation(36), and all peace comes from Him. Just as light is apparent and makes things apparent, God being Peace lies in the soundness of His Essence and His making others sound.

Nation (Umma): Umm is said of anything that is the origin for existence, nurturing, correction, or something else. According to al-Khalīl: Umm is that to which appendages and attachments are joined.(37) The root of this word is from amma yaʾummu, meaning to intend.(38) For this reason, a group that is united by a single purpose or goal is called an umma.(39) Umma means a community that is brought together by a specific matter, such as religion, time, or place, whether their unifying factor is compulsory or voluntary. A compulsory unifying factor is like the nature of each type of animal that God Almighty has created them upon: “There is not an animal that crawls on the earth… but they are communities like you”(40). A voluntary unifying factor is like a group of people who have chosen sound knowledge and righteous deeds and have become role models for others: “Let there be among you a community calling to goodness”(41).

The term umma is sometimes applied to an individual who performs the work of a group, as in: “Indeed, Abraham was a community obedient to God”(42). It is also sometimes used for a relatively long period of time, as in: “And he remembered after a time”(43), meaning after years. It is also sometimes applied to religion, as in: “Indeed, we found our forefathers following a religion”(44).

Some believe that since the word umma is in the form of fuʿla (with a ḍamma on the first letter), and this form, like luqṭa, ḍuḥka, and qudwa, indicates a passive aspect, umma means “that which is led” (maʾmūm).(45)

Our rites (manāsikunā): The word nusuk is used both for worship and for sacrifice, as the sacrificial animal is called nasīka(46), as in: “Then a ransom of fasting or charity or sacrifice”(47). Manāsik is also the plural of mansak, meaning acts of worship: “For every community We have appointed a rite”(48). Mansak is also used to mean the place where nasīka and sacrifice are slaughtered (49). Some have considered mansak to mean the method of asceticism and the way of worship. (50)

Turn to us (tub ʿalaynā): Tawba means return and coming back. When attributed to humans, it means their return from sin and repentance from disobedience: “But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms” (51). When attributed to God Almighty, since it is always used with the preposition ʿalā, which indicates superiority: “Then God will turn to him in forgiveness”(52), it means return in a manner of superiority and dominance, and this meaning is associated with the inclination of God’s mercy and forgiveness towards the person.(53)