There are 92 instances of دينَ (deen) in the noun form in the Quran, which has been translated to judgment, religion, recompense, law, worship etc. based on contexts. However, careful review indicates that out of 92 instances, 17 instances having the preposition “bi” prefixed to it and the word “yawma” before “deen” referring to the Judgment, found in 17 verses across 13 surahs while its 75 instances found in 65 verses across 27 surahs referring to the religion. Thus, there are two distinct sets of deen: one set consisting of intances of deen meaning judgment and the other set consisting of 75 instances of deen meaning religion.
Details of instances of deen referring to religion
75 instances of deen meaning religion found in 65 verses across 27 surahs are detailed below to reflect appropriate meaning in the context:
[2:132] And Abraham enjoined his sons and Jacob: “O my sons, God has chosen the religion (al-deen) for you, so do not die without being submitters.”
[2:193] And you shall fight them until there would be no oppression and would be the religion (al-deen) for God. But if they cease, then there is no hostility except against the oppressors.
[2:217] They ask you about the sacred month whether there is fighting in it. Say: “Fighting is sacrilege in it, but repelling from the path of God and disbelieving in Him and the Sacred Masjid, and driving out its people is a greater sin with God while oppression is worse than killing.” And they will fight with you until they turn you away from your religion (`an deenikum) if they are able. And whoever among you turns away from his religion (`an deenihi), then he dies while a disbeliever, then these has nullified their works in the worldly life and the Hereafter, and these are the people of the Fire, they will abide in it forever.
[2:256] There is no compulsion in the religion (fee al-deen), while the right (path) has become distinct from the wrong. Then whoever disbelieves in the false deities and believes in God, then surely, he has grasped with the strong bond, there is no break of it. And God is Hearer, Knower.
[3:19] Indeed, the religion (al-deen) with God is submission, and has not differed those who have been given the scripture except after what has come to them the knowledge out of jealousy between them. And whoever disbelieves in God’s revelations, then indeed, God is swift in the reckoning.
[3:24] That is because they said, “The Fire will never touch us, except for a number of days.” And they deceived them in their religion (fee deenihim) by what they had invented.
[3:73] “And you do not believe except for whoever has followed your religion (deenakum).” Say, “The guidance is God’s guidance that is given to one like of what has been given to you or they may argue with you about your Lord.” Say, “Indeed, the bounty is in God’s hand; He gives it to whomever He wills, and God is Bounteous, Knower.”
[3:83] So do they seek other than God’s religion (deenillahi) while whatever in the heavens and the earth have submitted to him in willingness and unwillingness? And to Him they will be returned.
[3:85] And whoever seeks other than submission as a religion (deenan), will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be with the losers.
[4:46] Of the Jews there are those who take the words out of context, and they say: “We have heard and we have disobeyed, and hear, not to be heard, and ‘look after us’,” twisting with their tongues and mocking in the religion (fee al-deen). And if they had said: “We have heard and we have obeyed, and hear, and ‘watch over us’,” it would have been much better and more appropriate for them; but God has cursed them for their disbelief, so they do not believe except a few.
[4:125] And who has a better religion (ahsanu deenan) than one who has submitted himself to God, and he is a righteous and has followed a religion (millata) of Abraham – monotheism? And God has accepted Abraham as a (devoted) friend.
[4:146] Except those who repent, and amend, and hold fast to God, and are sincere to their religion (deenahum) for God, then these will be with the believers. And God will grant the believers a great reward.
[4:171] O people of the scripture, do not exceed the limits in your religion (fee deenikum), and do not say about God except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of God, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So, you shall believe in God and His messengers. You shall not say, “Trinity.” You shall refrain, which is better for you. God is only one god. Glory be to Him that He should have a son for Him! To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And God is the best Disposer of affairs.
[5:3] It has been forbidden upon you the dead animal, and the blood, and the meat of pig, and what has been sacrificed with it to other than God; and that which has been strangled, and that which has been beaten to death, and that which has fallen from a height, and that which has been gored, and that which the wild animals have attacked except what has been slaughtered (before it dies), and what has been slaughtered on the alters, and that you divide by the arrows of chance – that all is abominable. Today, those who disbelieved have given up of your religion (min deenikum), so you do not fear them, but you shall fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion (deenakum) for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and have mandated Islam (al-is’lama) as a religion (deenan) for you. So, whoever has been forced by hunger not willing for sin, then indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[5:54] O you who have believed, whoever among you turns away from his religion (`an deenihi), then God will bring a people whom He loves and they love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of God and do not fear to be blamed by the critic. That is God’s blessing, He bestows it upon whomever He wills, and God is Bounteous, Omniscient.
[5:57] O you who have believed, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion (deenakum) as mock and fun from those who have been given the scripture before you and the disbelievers. And you shall fear God if you are believers.
[5:77] Say, “O people of the scripture, do not exceed in your religion (fee deenikum) beyond the truth, and do not follow the opinions of people who have gone astray, and have misled many; they have strayed from the right path.”
[6:70] And you (prophet) shall disregard those who have taken their religion (deenahum) as a play and an amusement, and has deceived them the life of the world. You shall remind with it (Quran) lest a soul is suffered for what it has earned; there has been for it no protector other than God nor has there been any intercessor. And if it offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who have been punished for what they had earned. For them there is a drink of boiling water and a painful punishment for what they have done to disbelieve.
[6:137] And like that has made fair seeming to many of the idolaters of their partners in killing their children that they may ruin them and that they may make confused their religion (deenahum) for them. And if God had willed, they would not have done it. So you shall leave them and what they invent.
[6:159] Indeed, those who have divided their religion (deenahum) and have become sects do not belong with you in any way. Their matter will be with God, then He will inform them of what they had done.
[6:161] Say, “My Lord has guided me to a straight path, an established religion (qiyaman deenan) – a religion of Abraham (millata ib’raaheema), monotheism, and he has not been an idol worshiper.”
[7:29] Say: “My Lord encourages justice. And you shall stand yourselves at every place of worship and call upon Him being sincere, devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen) as He initiated you, so you will return.”
[7:51] Those who took their religion (deenahum) as an amusement and play, and has deceived the life of the world. Today we forget them as they forgot their meeting of this day, and they used to reject what was in our revelations.
[8:39] And you shall fight them until there is no oppression, and the religion (al-deen) is established all of it for God. But if they cease, then God is Seer of what they do.
[8:49] When the hypocrites and those who have a disease in their hearts said, “These people have been deceived by their religion (deenuhum).” But whoever puts his trust in God, then God is Almighty, Most Wise.
[8:72] Surely, those who believed and emigrated and strived with their wealth and lives in the cause of God, and those who gave shelter and supported; these are the allies of one another. And those who believed but did not emigrate, you do not owe them any protection until they emigrate. But if they seek your help in the religion (fee al-deen), then you must support them, except if it is against a people there is a treaty between you and them. And God is Seer of what you do.
[9:11] But if they repent and establish the salat prayer and give the zakat, then they are your brethren in the religion (fee al-deen). And we explain the revelations for a people who have knowledge.
[9:12] And if they break their oaths after their treaty and they denounce your religion (fee deenikum); then you shall fight the leaders of disbelief, indeed, they are not to oaths of them, so that they may cease.
[9:29] You shall fight those who do not believe in God or the last day, nor forbid what God and His messenger have made unlawful, nor admit the religion of truth (deena al-haq) of those who have been given the scripture; until they pay the fine willingly even being despondent.
[9:33] He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth (deena al-haq), to prevail it over the religion of any of it (al-deeni kullihi), even if the idol worshipers dislike (it).
[9:36] The count of the months with God is twelve months in ordinance of God from the day He created the heavens and the earth; four of them are sacred. That is the right religion (al-deen al-qayimu), so do not wrong yourselves therein. And fight the idol worshipers all together as they fight you all together, and know that God is with the righteous.
[9:122] And it has not been for the believers that they should go forth all together; so why not has gone a party from every group among them that they may obtain understanding in the religion (fee al-deen), and that they may warn their people when they have returned to them, so that they may be aware.
[10:22] He is the One who carries you in the land, and on the sea, until when you are on the ships and we drive them with a good wind and they rejoice with it; a strong gust comes to it and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are surrounded by them. They call upon God being sincere, devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen): “If You save us from this, we will surely, be of the thankful.”
[10:104] Say, “O people, if you have any doubt of my religion (min deeni-i), then (know that) I do not worship those you worship besides God but I worship God, the One who causes you to die, and I have been commanded that I would be among the believers.”
[10:105] And that you shall establish yourself for the religion of monotheism (lil’deeni haneefan), and do not be with the idol worshipers.
[12:40] “You do not worship besides Him but names that have been given them by you and your parents. God has not sent down any authority for them. The command is not but with God. He has commanded that you shall not worship except Him alone. That is the established religion (al-qayimu al-deen) but most people do not know.”
[12:76] Then he began with their bags before his brother’s bag. Then he brought it out of his brother’s bag. Thus, we planned for Joseph. He could not take his brother under the law (fee deen) of the king, except that God willed. We raise in degrees whomever we will, and over every possessor of knowledge is the Omniscient.
[16:52] And to Him is what is in the heavens and in the earth, and to Him is the steadfast worship (al-deenu waasiban). Will you then fear other than God?
[22:78] And you shall strive in God of His true striving. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in the religion (fee al-deen) – a religion (millata) of your father Abraham. He (God) has named you submitters from before and in this that the messenger would be a witness over you, and you would be witnesses over the people. So, you shall establish the salat prayer and give the zakat, and shall hold fast to God; He is your Protector, so has been the excellent Protector and the excellent Supporter.
[24:2]The adulteress and the adulterer, you shall lash each of them one hundred lashes, and do not let any pity take you in the religion of God (fee deen allahi) if you believe in God and the last day. And let a group of the believers witness their punishment.
[24:25] That day, God will pay them in full their due recompense (deenahum al-haq), and they will know that God is the Manifest Truth.
[24:55] God has promised those who among you believed and has done the righteous deeds; surely, He will make them successors in the earth, as He made successors those of their before, and surely, He will establish for them their religion (deenuhum) which He has chosen for them, and surely, He will substitute security for them of after their fear, they worship Me, they do not associate anything with Me. And whoever disbelieved after that, then those, they are the defiant.
[29:65] So, when they have embarked in the ship, they call upon God being sincere to Him in the religion (lahu al-deen). Then when He has delivered them to the shore, when they associate partners.
[30:30] So, you shall establish yourself for the religion of monotheism (lil’deeni haneefan), an instinct of God which on it He has created mankind. There is no change for God’s creation. That is the established religion (al-deenu al-qayimu), but most of the people do not know.
[30:32] Of those who divide their religion (deenahum) and have made sects; each party in what having their rejoicing.
[30:43] So, you shall stand yourself for the established religion (lil’deeni al-qayimi), before a day comes from God that cannot be averted. On that day they will be divided.
[31:32] And when a wave covered them like canopies, they called upon God being sincere, devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen). But when He delivered them to the shore, then some of them became what they were. None deny our signs except a betrayer, unappreciative.
[33:5] Call them by their fathers. That is more just with God. But if you do not know their fathers, then, (they are) your brothers in the religion (fee al-deen) and your friends. And there is no sin upon you in what you made a mistake in it; but what your hearts intend. And God is Forgiver, Merciful.
[39:2] We sent down to you this scripture with truth; you shall worship God being sincere devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen).
[39:3] Absolutely, to God is the perfect religion (al-deenu al-khaalisu). And those who take protectors other than Him (say): “We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to God.” God will judge between them in what they dispute. Indeed, God does not guide him who is a liar and a disbeliever.
[39:11] Say, “I have been commanded to worship God being sincere devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen).”
[39:14] Say, “I worship God being sincere devoted my religion to Him (lahu deeni-i).”
[40:14] So, call upon God being sincere, devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen), even though the disbelievers dislike (it).
[40:26] And Pharaoh said: “Leave me to kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord. Indeed, I fear that he will change your religion (deenakum), or that he will spread the corruption in the land.”
[40:65] He is the Living; there is no god except He. So, you shall worship Him being sincere, devoted the religion to Him (lahu al-deen). Praise be to God, Lord of the universe.
[42:13] He has decreed for you the religion (al-deen) what He decreed for Noah, and what we inspired to you (Muhammad), and what we decreed for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: “You shall uphold the religion, and do not divide it.” Hard for the idolaters is that to which you call them. God chooses to Himself whomever He wills and He guides to Himself whoever turns.
[42:21] Or do they have partners who have decreed for them of a religion (min al-deen) which has not been authorized by God? And if it were not for the predetermined decision (a judgment day), they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the transgressors will have a painful retribution.
[48:28] He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth (wa-deeni al-haq) to make it prevail over the religion of any of it (alaa al-deeni kullihi). And has sufficed with God as a witness.
[49:16] Say, “Do you teach God of your religion (bi-deenikum) while God knows what in the heavens and what in the earth? And God is Knower of everything.”
[60:8] God does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of the religion (fee al-deen) nor do they drive you out of your homes that you may deal with them kindly and justly. God, indeed loves those who act justly.
[60:9] God only forbids you from those who fight you because of the religion (fee al-deen), and drive you out of your homes, and support in driving you out if you make them allies. And those who make them allies, then they are the transgressors.
[61:9] He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth (wa-deeni al-haq), to make it prevail over the religion of any of it (`alaa al-deeni kullihi), even though the disbelievers dislike.
[98:5] And they have not been commanded except that they would worship God being sincere to Him in the religion as monotheists (al-deena hunafaa-a), and would establish the salat prayer (al-salata) and would give the zakat (al-zakata). And that is the established religion (deenu al-qayimat).
[109:6] “To you is your religion (lakum deenukum), and to me is my religion (wa-liya deeni).”
[110:2] And you have seen the people entering to a religion of God (fee deen allahi) in throngs.
Summary
What God has taught us about His given religion in the above verses can be summarized as follows:
- God has chosen religion for the people and has warned them not to die without being submitters (muslimeen in Arabic).
- He has commanded us to worship Him being sincere, devoted the religion to Him.
- He wants that we update our knowledge about His religion going through His guidance.
- He has decreed fighting in the religion to eliminate aggression and oppression as well as to establish the religion for Him to worship Him freely.
- He has established religion for people to make them successors in the earth, making the right path distinct from the wrong one.
- He has stated His religion as submission to Him, in short, just submission (Islam in Arabic, is not a name but a meaning of verbal noun), which has been completed through the revelation of the final message to humanity, and if anyone accepts other than this, will not be accepted from Him.
- He has forbidden us from making friends with those who mock and have fun with His religion.
- He has given us religion to not exceed the limits as detailed in His guidance (scripture).
- He has made what is lawful and what is unlawful for us to eat and drink in His religion, and has been made clear 4 items: dead animal, blood, meat of pigs and what has been sacrificed other than God to be unlawful for us unless we are in a life threatening situation.
- He has commanded us to disregard those who have taken religion just to have an amusement and play.
- He has given us religion to uphold it but not to divide it, and those who have divided His religion into sects do not belong to those who are the true followers of His religion.
- He has given us religion with a provision of repent and reform when we make mistakes. Those who repent and follow His religion are brothers in the religion.
- He has commanded us to stand at every place of worship and call upon Him being sincere, devoted the religion to Him.
- He has sent down the scripture with the guidance and the religion of the truth to prevail it over any other religion.
- When they are in danger they call upon God being sincere, devoted the religion to Him but when they are saved, they revert and become unappreciative.
- He has commanded us to strive in the cause of Him while He has placed no hardship on us to practice His religion.
Conclusion
This review may be an opportunity for those who can open their eyes to visualize the corruptions made to the perfect and complete religion given by God. Now, if they can reflect to those corruptions and can practice His religion avoiding all corruptions may save them on a Day of the Judgment considering something special that God has coded both the Judgment and the religion in the same Arabic word, “deen” confirming its practices through Abraham that it would not be difficult for the people.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (7/21/2017).