Have you ever been in a room completely covered in red light? Everything in the room looks red, even if the natural colour isn’t red.
But that colour is only on the surface and immediately vanshes as soon as you leave the room.
Now imagine that that colour didn’t just reflect on your skin but it actually penetrates deep into you, changing the very colour of the fabric that makes up your entire self. That’s what Allah described in al-Baqarah, 138.
The colour of Allah, and whose colour is better than Allah’s. And we are His slaves.
Al-Baqarah, 138
P.S: This translation doesn’t fully convey the meaning, as the verse is very difficult to translate.
The word used in the verse above is “sibghah,” which directly translates to mean dye or colour or tint. According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, it is referring to the religion or way of life that Allah has ordained.
The metaphoric use of ‘dye’ here is interesting. When you dye a peice of cloth, you’re not just changing its surface colour. You’re completely changing the colour of the very material that the cloth is made of. It is a type of change that is irreversible and the change stays permanently.
By using “sibghah” (dye) in this verse, Allah is telling us that the Qur’an and the religion of Islam is not just something we carry on once in a while. It’s something that shoud penetrate deep into my being, permanently change the way I see the world and behave, and reflect completely in my external life.
Allah is telling us to totally soak ourselves in the dye of Islam.
O you who have believed, enter into Islām completely.
Al-Baqarah, 208
But what does it mean to dye myself into the colour of Allah?
It means that everything I do should reflect what Allah wants.
It means that I prioritize the things that He prioritizes; that I make unimportant the things that He makes unimportant; that I love the things that He loves; that I follow the things He asks me to follow; that I stay away from the things that He asks me to stay away from.
Having the “sibghah” of Allah means that when someone looks at my lifestyle, they can immediately know where I belong and whose Deen I’m following.
Having the “sibghah” of Allah means that when people look at the Qur’an and look at my life, they shouldn’t be opposing each other.
Of course, I won’t be dyed into the colour of Allah overnight.
But with every ayah that I study and implement in my life, my tint moves closer and closer to what Allah wants. That’s the goal.
Updates: Help us drive the Qur’an into the hearts of people at TQC 2.0
The Qur’an Crescendo 2.0 (conference and Qur’an competition) is a week-long event created to nurture true love and connection with the Qur’an in the hearts of Muslims.
You can support our mission by sponsoring or donating to this Cause. Your donations will serve as sadaqah jariyah for every heart that’s inspired to redefine their relationship with the Qur’an.
P.S: Tickets are going out very soon. Stay tuned!
Insight for the week
Take a look at your life. What areas do you think are showing the colour of Allah and what areas are not?
Take note, make a plan, and change your tint.
Interesting perspective and use of words.
Every piece you publish just hits differently. I especially love this one because of the way you've unwrapped and translated this verse, never really thought of it in this light!
JazakumuLlah Khayran..The insight for the week is definitely one to take home and work on.
I'm on the lookout for the ticket sales! Allahuma Barik to your team! 🤭