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Sūrah al-Baqarah, verse 207
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ رَؤُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
Wa mina an-nāsi man yashrī nafsahu ibtighā’a marḍāti Allāh, wa-Allāhu ra’ūfun bi-l-ʿibād.
Among the people is he who sells his soul seeking Allah’s pleasure, and Allah is most kind to (His) servants.
Context and significance
This verse stands out for its striking portrayal of self-sacrifice. Positioned immediately after a verse condemning the hypocrite who barters away faith for worldly gain (2:206), it presents the opposite archetype: the believer who offers up his very self in pursuit of divine pleasure. This sharp contrast between hypocrisy and sincerity makes the verse a timeless testimony to the Qur’an’s moral vision of devotion.
The verse raises several crucial questions that shape its study. Who is the historical referent of this verse? Does the verse single out one act of sacrifice, or is it a universal principle applied to all martyrs and truth-speakers who surrender themselves to God?
Equally significant is the theological question: what does it mean to “sell oneself” to Allah? Is this merely metaphor, or does it describe a real transaction in which fleeting life is exchanged for eternal nearness and reward? And how does this imagery illuminate the Qur’an’s broader discourse on obedience, devotion, and the divine “transaction” mentioned elsewhere (9:111)?
Placed within the narrative arc of Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 2:207 marks a transition from warnings about hypocrisy to affirmations of faith’s highest form: self-offering for the sake of God. Its study is thus not only about reconstructing a historical moment but about grasping the Qur’an’s profound theology of sacrifice, devotion, and divine kindness.
What the exegetes say
At a glance
Ibn KathīrHolds the verse was revealed about Ṣuhayb giving up his wealth to migrate, and extends it to every mujāhid who sacrifices life and wealth, unlike the hypocrite.
Al-QurṭubīCites Ṣuhayb first and ʿAlī's night in the Prophet's bed among the reports, but stresses a general meaning, noting yashrī can mean both selling and buying.
ʿAllāmah ṬabāṭabāʾīGives a general meaning but holds the primary referent is ʿAlī sleeping in the Prophet's bed, since selling the self fits risking one's life better than surrendering property.
Al-ṬabarsīReads selling oneself as a metaphor for sacrificing life to obey God; gives ʿAlī's night of the hijrah as the first report, then Ṣuhayb, then wider applications.
Fakhr al-Dīn al-RāzīLists many occasions of revelation, including Ṣuhayb, ʿAmmār and ʿAlī, but stresses a general principle of faith as a transaction: selling oneself and buying Paradise.
How each exegete answers the question, in one line. Click a name to read his reading in full.
Ibn Kathīr
Ibn Kathīr situates the verse as a direct counterpoint to the descriptions of hypocrisy that precede it. Earlier in the sūrah, Allah exposes the qualities of the hypocrites who speak of faith with their tongues but harbor doubt and corruption in their hearts, seeking worldly gain and personal safety above truth. In sharp contrast, this verse praises the opposite type of individual: one who is utterly sincere, prepared to sacrifice even his life and possessions purely for the pleasure of Allah.
Ibn Kathīr relates that the verse was revealed about the Companion Suhayb ibn Sinān al-Rūmī. After embracing Islam in Makkah, Suhayb was determined to migrate to Madinah to join the Prophet (s.a.w.) and the believers. The Quraysh, however, prevented him, insisting that he could not depart with his wealth. They offered him a choice: if he forfeited his property, he would be allowed to leave. Suhayb willingly abandoned his possessions, choosing migration and Allah’s pleasure over material wealth.
Ibn Kathīr explains that while the verse was revealed concerning Suhayb, its meaning extends more broadly to anyone who sacrifices in Allah’s path. Every mujāhid who offers his life and wealth for the cause of Allah is included in the verse’s praise. He links this to another powerful Qur’anic passage, 9:111: “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for Paradise. They fight in Allah’s cause, so they kill and are killed. It is a true promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Injil, and the Qur’an…” This framing casts the believer’s sacrifice as a kind of divine contract or trade, where Paradise is the guaranteed outcome.
He adds further examples, such as Hishām ibn ʿAmr, who courageously broke through enemy lines during battle. Though some criticized his action, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and Abū Hurayrah defended him by reciting this verse, underscoring that true courage and selflessness in Allah’s cause epitomize the spirit of “selling oneself” for divine pleasure.
The tafsīr, therefore, highlights a stark contrast. On the one hand are the hypocrites described earlier, who feign belief but are inwardly consumed by self-interest, clinging to the world and undermining the community of believers. On the other hand is the model of the true believer: one who gives up wealth, comfort, and even life itself for Allah’s sake. The former embody deception and worldly attachment; the latter embody sincerity, sacrifice, and unwavering faith.
Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged). Translated by Ṣafī al-Raḥmān. Vol. 1 (Chapter 2, Verse 207) Riyadh: Maktaba Dār-us-Salām, 2003.
Al-Qurṭubī
Al-Qurṭubī explains that this verse is a powerful depiction of self-sacrifice in the path of Allah, and many reports have been transmitted about whom it was revealed regarding. One of the most prominent narrations is that it was revealed about Ṣuhayb al-Rūmī (r.a.). When he left Mecca as a migrant to join the Prophet (ṣ.a.w.) in Medina, a group of Quraysh pursued him. They demanded that he abandon his wealth and possessions if he wished to proceed. Ṣuhayb agreed, surrendering everything in exchange for safe passage, and then continued his journey until he reached the Prophet. When he recounted the matter, the Prophet (ṣ.a.w.) said to him: “Your transaction has profited, O Abū Yaḥyā!” confirming that Allah had revealed this verse in his regard. Thus, Ṣuhayb became the archetype of one who literally sold his worldly self and possessions for the sake of faith.
Other traditions also connect the verse to the sacrifice of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a.s.), when he slept in the Prophet’s bed the night the Quraysh plotted to assassinate the Prophet during the Hijrah. By placing himself in mortal danger, he offered his life in protection of the Messenger of Allah. This too embodies the meaning of “selling oneself seeking the pleasure of Allah.” Reports also mention the verse applying to other companions and martyrs who willingly put themselves at risk for the sake of Islam.
Al-Qurṭubī, however, emphasizes that while these occasions of revelation highlight individual cases, the meaning of the verse is general and continuous. It applies to every believer who strives sincerely in Allah’s path—whether by fighting in jihad, enduring hardship, speaking the truth against oppressors, or sacrificing wealth and comfort for righteousness. Every such person is one who has “sold” his soul to Allah in exchange for divine pleasure.
Linguistically, al-Qurṭubī notes that the verb yashrī carries the dual sense of both “selling” and “purchasing.” Just as Allah says: Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth in exchange for Paradise (9:111), here too the believer gives himself over as a transaction, bartering his fleeting life for eternal reward. Arabic usage allows both meanings—thus one can say “so-and-so bought” when in fact he sold. The Qur’anic phrasing conveys this depth: the believer sells himself to Allah, while simultaneously buying Paradise with his sacrifice.
He expands further that the verse may also include those who die commanding good and forbidding evil, since they too sell themselves for truth. This broad application elevates the verse beyond isolated historical incidents to a timeless principle: every believer who dedicates his life, his wealth, or even faces death for the sake of Allah, is embraced by this verse.
Source: Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān (Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī), Vol. 2, under Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 207, Pub. by Al-Risalah Foundation, Beirut.
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī explains that this verse stands in sharp contrast to the preceding verses, which depict the hypocrite who boasts of his words, hides corruption under a mask of charm, and leaves behind nothing but ruin and destruction. Against such a figure, the Qur’an sets forth the image of one who “sells his soul to God,” a person whose only will is God’s will, who seeks nothing for himself and finds his strength and honour only in God. Such an individual’s presence revives truth, restores balance to religion and society, and becomes a source of mercy for humanity. Through him, the benefits of Islam spread, while the damage wrought by hypocrites and self-serving men is repaired.
The end of the verse—“and Allah is Affectionate to the servants”—is closely tied to this image. The existence of such men is itself a divine mercy, for without them the edifice of religion would collapse under the weight of corruption. God, in His affectionate care, counters evil by raising such chosen servants, fulfilling the principle expressed elsewhere in the Qur’an such as: “And were it not for Allah’s repelling some men with others, the earth would indeed be in a state of disorder” (2:251). Thus, God’s affectionate management of creation entails that the decadence of those who seek only their own pleasure is opposed by the sacrifice of those who seek nothing but His.
The Qur’an praises this “transaction” in other places, most explicitly like in verse 9:111. The metaphor of selling one’s soul captures the total devotion of a believer whose life is given wholly to God.
Traditions support this reading. Numerous reports from both Shīʿī and Sunnī sources state that the verse was revealed about Imam ʿAlī (a.s.) when he slept in the Prophet’s bed on the night of the hijrah, offering his life to protect the Messenger. ʿAllāmah notes that there are “innumerable traditions” on this point, with al-Thaʿlabī and others preserving multiple chains. Another report preserved by Ibn Marduwayh narrates the story of Ṣuhayb, who surrendered his wealth to the Quraysh in order to emigrate freely. When he reached Medina, the Prophet (s.a.w.) declared: “Ṣuhayb has profited twice,” and some traditions add that this verse was then revealed. Other reports connect the verse to Abū Dharr and others who gave away their properties. Yet, ʿAllāmah observes, the verse speaks of “selling the self,” not “purchasing oneself,” and this distinction suggests that these cases are applications of its general meaning rather than its direct context.
There is also a report from Imam ʿAlī himself that the verse refers to any man who is killed for enjoining good and forbidding evil. Ṭabāṭabāʾī comments that this is another example within the broad and general meaning of the verse: though revealed in a particular context, its principle encompasses all who sacrifice their lives sincerely for God’s pleasure.
Since the verse was sent down on a particular occasion for a particular person, the report that it was revealed about Imam ʿAlī (a.s.) on the night of the hijrah makes more sense than the other opinions. This is because the wording of the verse—“he who sells his self”—fits most literally and completely with his action of risking his very life by sleeping in the Prophet’s bed, offering himself to death purely for God’s pleasure. By contrast, reports about figures such as Ṣuhayb or Abū Dharr, who gave away their wealth, do not match the verse’s expression with the same precision, since these cases concern property rather than the self.
Therefore, while the verse has a general meaning that applies to anyone who sacrifices his life for God, the primary historical referent indicated by both the textual wording and the transmitted reports is Imam ʿAlī’s sacrifice.
Source: Al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qur'ān, Eng. Vol. 3 under Chapter 2, Verse 207 (WOFIS, Iran).
Read ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s full commentary in Tafsir al-Mizan: 2:204–207 on almizan.org ↗
Al-Ṭabarsī
Al-Ṭabarsī presents both historical reports and general interpretations that shed light on the richness of the meaning of verse 2:207.
He begins by explaining that the expression “sells himself” is a metaphor for one who willingly sacrifices his life in obedience to Allah. This is not a literal act of trade but rather a profound surrender of the soul for divine approval. The believer gives up his safety, wealth, and comfort in order to act in accordance with God’s command, and in return gains Allah’s nearness and reward.
Al-Ṭabarsī then turns to the reports of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl). According to a narration from Ibn ʿAbbās, the verse was revealed about ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) on the night of the Prophet’s migration (hijra) from Mecca to Medina. When the Prophet (s.a.w.) left secretly, ʿAlī slept in his bed as a decoy to protect him. The narration describes a heavenly scene: Gabriel stood at ʿAlī’s head, Michael at his feet, and Gabriel called out: “Who is like you, O son of Abī Ṭālib? Allah takes pride in you before His angels.” This account presents ʿAlī’s self-sacrifice as the embodiment of the verse.
Other traditions extend the verse’s application. ʿIkrima reports that it referred to Suhayb ibn Sinān, who was prevented by the Quraysh from migrating until he gave up all his wealth. He handed over everything he had to them, declaring: “Take it! By Allah, I will never abandon my religion.” Freed of their obstruction, he emigrated, and his act of giving up worldly possessions for faith was understood as selling himself for Allah’s pleasure.
Further interpretations expand the verse to all emigrants and helpers who left their homes and wealth for the sake of Islam. Ibn ʿAbbās is reported to have explained it more generally as applying to every believer who sacrifices himself to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. Qatāda limited it to the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār, while al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī emphasized that it is universal for all those who strive and struggle in the path of Allah.
In conclusion, Al-Ṭabarsī highlights that the verse captures the spirit of true devotion: the believer relinquishes his very soul for the sake of God, and in return Allah’s encompassing mercy embraces him. The verse thus holds both specific historical applications—such as the selfless acts of ʿAlī (a.s.) and Suhayb—and a timeless general meaning, celebrating all those who give themselves fully to Allah’s cause.
Source: Majmaʿ al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān, vol. 1 (Qom: Dār al-ʿIlm), commentary on Q. 2:207.
Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī
Regarding the verse 2:207, al-Rāzī contrasts two types of people: those who debase their religion for worldly gain, and those who sacrifice their very lives and wealth for the sake of faith. Having just described in the previous verse the condition of one who barters away his religion for this world, the Qur’an now describes the nobler condition of the one who gives up this world—and his very self—for the sake of his religion.
Al-Rāzī reports multiple narrations concerning the verse’s occasion of revelation. Ibn ʿAbbās related that it was revealed about Ṣuhayb ibn Sinān, who had come to Mecca poor but later accumulated wealth. When he resolved to migrate, the Quraysh demanded that he leave his wealth behind if he wished to depart. Ṣuhayb agreed, surrendering his fortune in exchange for his freedom to follow the Prophet. When the Prophet (s.a.w.) heard of this, he declared: “Ṣuhayb has profited, Ṣuhayb has profited.” Some traditions state that the verse was revealed about ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir and his parents, who were tortured for their faith, with his parents killed under persecution. Others ascribe it to Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt or Abū Dharr, who endured suffering for Islam. A further narration connects it to those who, in the cause of enjoining good and forbidding evil, were killed by tyrants. Another well-known report links the verse to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, who lay on the Prophet’s bed on the night of his migration to protect him, while Gabriel and Michael stood in reverence, and the verse was revealed concerning him.
Beyond these specific incidents, al-Rāzī explains that the verse sets forth a general principle: whoever devotes his life entirely to Allah, enduring the hardships of struggle, worship, and obedience, is one who has “sold himself” for Allah’s pleasure. This “transaction” includes the warrior who strives in battle, the patient one who endures torture for his faith, the scholar who declares the truth despite persecution by tyrants, and anyone who expends himself in upholding God’s religion. In this sense, the verse embraces every form of devotion where the servant sacrifices himself for faith.
Al-Rāzī then reflects on the metaphor of trade that the verse employs. Just as the believer “sells” his life and wealth to Allah, he also “purchases” by that act the reward of Paradise. Thus, in one respect the believer is a seller, and in another he is a buyer. The Qur’an itself confirms this dual imagery in another verse: “Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and wealth in exchange for Paradise” (9:111). The image conveys that faith is not a passive possession but a costly transaction, in which the believer relinquishes all that he has for the sake of God’s eternal reward.
In sum, al-Rāzī interprets this verse as both a record of noble examples from the earliest Muslims—such as Ṣuhayb, ʿAmmār, and ʿAlī—and as a general declaration of the principle that true faith is a transaction. The believer “sells” himself for Allah’s sake, and by that sale he “buys” eternal life. The verse affirms that such sacrifice, when made with sincerity, is met by Allah’s immense kindness, mercy, and everlasting reward.
Source: al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr aw Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, vol. 3 (Cairo: Dār al-Ḥadīth), commentary on Q. 2:207.
Our reflection
This is our own reflection on the readings above. It is one way of reading the comparison, offered to encourage further thought rather than as the final word.
Verse 2:207, with its striking imagery of a believer who “sells his soul for God’s pleasure,” has been read by exegetes through the lenses of history, language, philosophy, and theology. While all agree it celebrates sincerity and sacrifice, they diverge on its historical referent and interpretive scope.
Ibn Kathīr anchors his tafsīr in asbāb al-nuzūl, identifying the verse primarily with Suhayb al-Rūmī, who surrendered his wealth to migrate safely to Medina. For him, this was a “successful trade” in line with the verse. Yet this reading stretches the text: the Qur’an speaks of selling the self (nafs), while Suhayb’s act was the sacrifice of property. Though Ibn Kathīr widens the verse to include martyrs, his reliance on transmitted reports outweighs a close engagement with the verse’s precise diction, leaving his interpretation vivid but textually imprecise.
Al-Qurṭubī likewise preserves both Suhayb’s and ʿAlī’s stories but reads the verse more as a juristic and linguistic principle. He highlights the dual meaning of yashrī—to sell and to purchase—casting the verse as a metaphorical transaction: the believer trades his life for Paradise. His preference is inclusivity, applying the verse broadly to all who give their lives in obedience. Yet by refusing to prioritize among narrations, he avoids the sharper question of who most literally fulfilled the verse’s expression, softening historical specificity in favor of universal applicability.
Al-Rāzī moves even further in this direction, setting aside the reports to present a philosophical reading. He sees the verse as contrasting two archetypes: the hypocrite who barters faith for the world, and the believer who sells himself for God. He emphasizes the beauty of this divine “transaction,” where a fleeting life buys eternal bliss. His tafsīr universalizes the verse, ensuring its timeless moral relevance. Yet this abstraction dilutes the historical grounding of the text, turning a verse tied to concrete sacrifice into a purely ethical maxim.
Al-Ṭabarsī, by contrast, leans on Shīʿī reports that directly tie the verse to ʿAlī’s act of sleeping in the Prophet’s bed on the night of the hijrah. He presents this as the fullest embodiment of “selling the self,” reinforced by narrations of Gabriel and Michael watching over ʿAlī. Yet he also notes Suhayb’s sacrifice and applies the verse more broadly to others who risk or give their lives in devotion. His tafsīr thus balances sectarian specificity with recognition of universality, though it clearly privileges ʿAlī as the verse’s central referent.
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī takes this further by tightly correlating language, history, and theology. He critiques the Suhayb report as insufficient, since the verse explicitly names the self rather than wealth. Likewise, stories of other Companions under persecution describe suffering but not an active “sale of the self.” By contrast, ʿAlī’s act of risking his life in the Prophet’s bed matches the verse’s diction exactly, and reports from both Sunni and Shīʿī sources converge on this event. For Ṭabāṭabāʾī, the verse primarily honors ʿAlī’s sacrifice but secondarily applies to all who surrender themselves in God’s cause. His method exemplifies a commitment to philological precision, historical coherence, and theological clarity, yielding the most integrated and persuasive reading.
Taken together, these tafāsīr reveal a spectrum of approaches. Ibn Kathīr and al-Qurṭubī highlight narrative breadth but sacrifice textual sharpness; al-Rāzī elevates moral principle but neglects concrete referent; al-Ṭabarsī secures the Shīʿī view while still acknowledging wider application; and Ṭabāṭabāʾī synthesizes generality with precision, grounding universality in a concrete act that most fully realizes the verse’s imagery. The comparison shows how methodology—report-centered, juristic, philosophical, or theological—shapes not only what the verse is said to mean, but how its moral and historical significance is preserved or diluted.
What is your reflection?
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