إِنّا أَنزَلنا إِلَيكَ الكِتابَ بِالحَقِّ فَاعبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخلِصًا لَهُ الدّينَ
Indeed We have sent down the book to you with the truth; so worship Allah, making religion pure for Him.
EXEGESIS
One of the main and recurring themes in this chapter is ikhlāṣ, which means to make something sheer, pure, and unmixed. Therefore, the second verse instructs the Prophet – and through him everyone – to make his religion pure for God.
The root meaning in dīn is to pay or fulfil some duty, plan, or programme. In the Quran it refers to a set of beliefs and actions that are due to God (or false gods), and therefore it is translated as religion. It specifically involves the elements of faith and worship, which exclusively belong to God: making religion pure for Him.
EXPOSITION
God is the truth (22:6, 22:62, 24:25, 31:30) and the truth is from Him (2:147, 3:60), and that is why the book of God is accompanied or covered by the truth. It has come with the true news about God’s creation, His legislation, and the hereafter. Thus, these two verses can be summarised as: Indeed it is an august book: falsehood cannot approach it, from before it nor from behind it, a [gradually] sent down [revelation] from One all-wise, all-laudable (41:41-42). This verse clearly shows that God’s creation and legislation are aimed at the same goal: I did not create the jinn and the humans except that they may worship Me (51:56), and Indeed We have sent down the book to you with the truth; so worship Allah. Therefore, with the truth concerns the content of the Quran. Another possibility is that it concerns the descent of the Quran, which was truly and undoubtedly by God: With the truth did We send it down, and with the truth did it descend (17:105).
The conclusion that the verse makes is: so worship Allah, making religion pure for Him. In other words, make every aspect of your religion pure and sincere for God. This verse sets the ground for what follows in the next verse concerning those who worship others beside God. Being sincerely dedicated to God is one of the main themes of this surah, and is seen time and again throughout the entire chapter.
[1] Raghib; Tahqiq, under kh-l-ṣ.
[2] Raghib; Tahqiq, under d-y-n.
[3] Maybudi, 8/420.
[4] Qaraati, 8/140.
[5] Qaraati, 8/175.