The Sibgha of Allah in the Mirror of History

Since the time of the revelation of the holy Quran, the interpretation of its verses has been discussed as well. It is natural that throughout history, interpretation of the verses has undergone changes and transformations. One of these verses is verse 138 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which is known as “the Sibgha of Allah” (“the Dye of Allah"). In this noble verse, reference is made to divine dye and color. The question is how the dye and color of Allah truly is. What is its meaning and concept? And how have interpreters from different eras interpreted it based on their inclinations and orientations? In this study, the method of content analysis was used to analyze interpretive comments, and the results of examining the historical evolution of comments show that initially, in the earliest interpretations, by mentioning the baptismal rite of Christians, the dye was interpreted as “Islam.” Then, in the narrated interpretations of Sunni scholars, it was translated and interpreted as “Islam,” “nature,” “traditions including circumcision,” and “divine piety.” Moreover, in the narrated interpretations of Shi'a scholars, it was translated and interpreted as "Islam" and "adorning the believers with the guardianship of the Imam in the world of covenant." Then, in the interpretations of the fifth and sixth centuries, with the help of reasoning and intellectual and literary analysis, and by referring to various statements, the dye was understood as “nature” or “purification” through faith in Islam. Later on, in the medieval period, mystical interpreters like Ibn Arabi considered the dye as the inner and true essence of religion. In contemporary times, along with quotations from the past, jurisprudential or intellectual analyses with a modern approach have been considered, and the messages of the verse, such as rejecting racial and tribal differences as well as calling for justice and brotherhood are emphasized. It is worth mentioning that each of the mentioned meanings can be correct, but it seems that the “colorless color of Allah,” which is the “religion of Islam” and, consequently, the “guardianship of the Imam” as a complete example, can be chosen as the best and most comprehensive interpretation of “the dye of Allah.”