الْفَصْلُTheالْأَوَّلُfirst
The first chapter
فِيInعِلْمِthe science ofالْجَدَلِdebate
In the science of debate
لَقَدْIndeedوَقَعَoccurredالْجَدَلُthe debateفِيinالْقُرْآنِthe QuranالْكَرِيمِNoble
Debate occurred in the Noble Quran
مَعَwithالْفِرَقِthe sectsالْأَرْبَعَةِthe fourالْبَاطِلَةِfalse
with the four false sects
الْمُشْرِكِينَthe polytheistsوَالْيَهُودِand the Jewsوَالنَّصَارَىand the Christiansوَالْمُنَافِقِينَand the hypocrites
the polytheists, the Jews, the Christians, and the hypocrites.
طَرِيقَانِTwo waysلِلْجَدَلِfor debateفِيinالْقُرْآنِthe QuranالْكَرِيمِNoble
Two ways for debate in the Noble Quran:
وَكَانَAnd wasهَذَاthisالْجَدَلُdebateوَالِاحْتِجَاجُand argumentationعَلَىuponطَرِيقَيْنِtwo ways
And this debate and argumentation were upon two ways:
The first is that you mention the false belief
and its enormity, corruption, and denunciation are explicitly stated, only.
The second is that you determine the doubts into which these sects fell,
then you present its solutions and answers with demonstrative or rhetorical proofs.
مَفْهُومُThe concept ofالْحَنِيفِthe Hanif
The concept of the Hanif:
وَقَدْAnd indeedكَانَwereالْمُشْرِكُونَthe polytheistsيُسَمُّونَnamingأَنْفُسَهُمْthemselvesحُنَفَاءَHanif
And the polytheists used to call themselves "Hanif"
وَيَدَّعُونَand claimingالتَّدَيُّنَpracticing the religionبِمِلَّةِof the creed ofسَيِّدِنَاour masterإِبْرَاهِيمَAbrahamعَلَيْهِupon himالسَّلَامُpeace
and claiming to practice the religion of the creed of our master Abraham - peace be upon him -.
وَالْحَنِيفُAnd the HanifهُوَisمَنْwhoيَنْتَمِيbelongsإِلَىtoإِبْرَاهِيمَAbrahamعَلَيْهِupon himالسَّلَامُpeace
And the Hanif is the one who belongs to Abraham - peace be upon him -
وَيَتَدَيَّنُand practices the religionبِمِلَّتِهِof his creedوَيَلْتَزِمُand adheres toشَعَائِرَهُhis rituals
and practices his creed, and adheres to his rituals.