Allah commands His Prophet , the chief of the Messengers, to convey the news of
being guided to Allah's straight path. This path is neither wicked, nor deviant,
﴿دِينًا قِيَمًا﴾
(a right religion...) that is, established on firm grounds,
﴿مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا
كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾
(The religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan and he was not of the Mushrikin.) Allah said in
similar Ayat,
﴿وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَهِيمَ
إِلاَّ مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ﴾
(And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except him who deludes himself)
﴿2:130﴾, and,
﴿وَجَـهِدُوا فِى اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَـدِهِ
هُوَ اجْتَبَـكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكمْ فِى الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ
إِبْرَهِيمَ﴾
(And strive hard in Allah's cause as you ought to strive. He has chosen you, and
has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your father
Ibrahim.) ﴿22:78﴾, and,
﴿إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً
قَـنِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ - شَاكِراً لانْعُمِهِ
اجْتَبَـهُ وَهَدَاهُ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ - وَءاتَيْنَـهُ فِى الْدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً
وَإِنَّهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ - ثُمَّ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ أَنِ
اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴾
(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah (or a nation), obedient to Allah, a Hanif, and he
was not one of the Mushrikin. (He was) thankful for His (Allah's) favors. He (Allah)
chose him (as an intimate friend) and guided him to a straight path. And We gave
him good in this world, and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous. Then,
We have sent the revelation to you (saying): "Follow the religion of Ibrahim, (he
was a) Hanif, and he was not of the Mushrikin'') ﴿16:120-123﴾. Ordering the Prophet
to follow the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanifiyyah, does not mean that Prophet Ibrahim
reached more perfection in it than our Prophet . Rather, our Prophet perfectly established
the religion and it was completed for him; and none before him reached this level
of perfection. This is why he is the Final Prophet, the chief of all the Children
of Adam who holds the station of praise and glory, the honor of intercession on
the Day of Resurrection. All creation (on that Day) will seek him, even Ibrahim
the friend of Allah, peace be upon him ﴿to request the beginning of Judgement﴾.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked, `Which
religion is the best with Allah, the Exalted' He said,
«الْحَنِيفِيَّةُ السَّمْحَة»
(Al-Hanifiyyah As-Samhah (the easy monotheism))''