And the Christians said: Be Christians, and you will be guided. He, the Exalted, said: Say, O Muhammad, 'Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham,' meaning: rather, we are upon the religion of Abraham, 'inclining toward truth' (Hanifa). Al-Hasan said: The Hanif is the sincere one.
Muhammad said: The meaning of 'Hanaf' in the language is inclination. It is said: A man is 'Hanif' [and a man is Hanif], and a man is 'Ahnaf,' which is one whose feet incline, each one of them toward its counterpart with its toes. So the meaning is: Indeed, Abraham 'Hanafa' (inclined) toward the religion of Allah. [Verses 136-138]
وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى: كُونُوا نَصَارَى تَهْتَدُوا؛ قَالَ ﷿: قل يَا مُحَمَّد ﴿بل مِلَّة إِبْرَاهِيم﴾ أَي: بل نَكُون على مِلَّة إِبْرَاهِيم ﴿حَنِيفا﴾ قَالَ الحَسَن: الحنيف. المخلص.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: وَمعنى الحنف فِي اللُّغَة: الْميل؛ يُقَال: رجل حَنِفٌ [وَرجل حنيف]؛ وَرجل أحنف، وَهُوَ الَّذِي تميل قدماه كُل وَاحِدَة مِنْهُمَا إِلَى أُخْتهَا بأصابعها، فَالْمَعْنى: إِن إِبْرَاهِيم (حَنَفَ) إِلَى دين اللَّه. [آيَة ١٣٦ - ١٣٨]
