"So if they argue with you, say, 'I have submitted'"—meaning: I have devoted "My face"—meaning: my religion—"to Allah, and those who follow me"—that is, and those who follow me have also submitted their faces to Allah. "And say to those who were given the Scripture and the unlearned"—meaning: the polytheists of the Arabs; for this nation was unlearned, having no scripture, until the Quran was revealed. "Have you submitted?"—meaning: have you devoted yourselves? "If they submit"—devote themselves—"then they are guided; but if they turn away, then upon you is only the notification; and Allah is All-Seeing of the servants"—that is, of the deeds of the servants.
﴿فَإِن حاجوك فَقل أسلمت﴾ أَي: أخلصت ﴿وَجْهي﴾ أَي: ديني ﴿لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ﴾ أَي: وَأسلم من اتبعني وَجهه لله. ﴿وَقُلْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ والأميين﴾ يَعْنِي: مُشْركي الْعَرَب؛ وَكَانَت هَذِه الْأمة أُميَّة لَا كتاب لَهَا؛ حَتَّى نزل الْقُرْآن. ﴿أأسلمتم﴾ أَي: أخلصتم ﴿فَإِن أَسْلمُوا﴾ أَخْلصُوا ﴿فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوْا وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلاغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بالعباد﴾ أَي: بأعمال الْعباد
