Correspondence with Maulana Abul Lais Islahi Nadwi

DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE their original statements. Instead, its source is something else: omitting parts of their text and thus presenting a distorted version of the commentators’ statement. The two commentators in question are ‘Allamah alSawi and Shaykh Sulayman, both of whom wrote commentaries on Jalalayn. In Jalalayn, the explanation of an aqeem-ud-deen wa la tatafarraqoo feehi is given in the following words: Hadha huwa al-mashroo‘ al-musa bihi wa almuha ilayhi ila Muhammad œ wa huwa attawhid. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, p. 640) Both commentators agreed with this interpretation and clarified that, in this specific command “aqeem-uddeen,” the intended meaning is sincere adherence to monotheism (tawhid) and living by it alone. However, the phrase “alladhi awhayna ilayka” (that which We have revealed to you), which appears earlier, has a broader meaning and includes the entire body of revelation given to Muhammad. The relevant passages from both are as follows: Shaykh Sulayman explains that the prescribed matter shared by these eminent Messengers, as stated: ‘That you establish the religion and do not be divided therein,’ refers to affirming the oneness of God, believing in Him, His