What is the difference between the Arabic terms "deen" and "millah"?

The Difference Between Millah and Deen

The meaning of the term millah has been explained here and the term deen here.

• The term deen (دين) encompasses several meanings, generally used to refer to full ownership, subjugation, obedience and submission to something or someone. The Qur'an used this term to refer to some of these individual or collective meanings. When referring to Islam it refers to full submission, subjugation and servitude to Allah alone, individually and collectively.
• The term millah (ملة) is driven from the root malla (ملّ) which according to the famous classical Arabic dictionary Lisan al-Arab means "to dictate" giving the meaning of a given instruction. The dictionary al-Mu'jam al-Wasitt says it is also used to refer to principles of certain religions such as Judaism, Christianity and even polytheism. In the Qur'an and shari'ah millah is used to refer either to a revealed shari'ah (or its principles) of Allah or corrupted or fabricated religions.

Whilst millah is used to refer to certain religions or entities, the term deen is a more general and wider. Millah refers more specifically to shari'ah sent by God to guide the people and the principles (usul) of a religion. (Tafsir al-Biqa'i, Vol. 4, p. 322, ibn al-Athir, an-Nihayah, Vol. 4, p. 360)

Asfahani (d. 502 A.H.) said:

المِلَّة كَالدِينِ، وهُوَ اسْمٌ لِمَا شَرَعَ اللّهُ تَعَالَى لِعِبَادِهِ عَلَى لِسَانِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ لِيَتَوَصَّلُوا بِهِ إلِى جِوَارِ اللّهِ، والفَرْقُ بَيْنَهًا وبَيْنَ الدِّينِ أنَّ المِلَّةَ لا تُضَافُ إَلَّا إِلَى النَّبِيّ عَليه الصلاة والسلام الذِي تُسْنَدٌ إِلَيْهِ ... ولا تَكَادُ تُوَّجَدُ مُضَافَةً إلَى اللّهِ، ولَا إِلَى آَحَادِ أُمَّةِ النَّبِيّ صلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَمَ، وَلَا تًسْتَعْمَل إلَّا فِي جُمْلَةَ الشَّرَائِعِ دُونَ آَحَادِهَا.

"The term millah is similar to the word deen, referring to what Allah has legislated to His servants via the Prophets (saw) to reach paradise. The difference between the two terms is the latter is only attributed to the Prophet (saw) … and it can't be attributed to Allah nor to follower of the Prophet (saw). It is only used to refer to collective shari'ahs, not individual ones." (al-Mufradat fi Ghara'ib al-Qur'an, Vol. 1, p. 471)

The Shafi'i scholar Ghazali however argued millah refers to the foundational principles of revelation, common to all shariahs, saying:

ِوالمِلَةُ عِبَارَةٌ عَنْ أَصْلِ الدِينِ والتَوْحِيدِ والتَقْدِيسِ الّذَيِ تَتَفِقُ فِيهِ جَمِيعَ الشَرَائِع

"Millah is the principles ('usul) of deen, monotheism (tawhid) and canonization that all the other shari'ahs agreed on." (al-Mustasfa, Vol. 256)

Marudi said:

والفَرْقُ بَيْنَ المِلَّةَ والدِينِ أنَّ المِلَّةَ مَا شَرَعَهُ اللهُ، والدِينِ ما اعْتَقَدَهُ النَاسُ تَقَرُّبًا إلَى اللهِ، فَصَارَ كُلَ دِينٍ مَلَةً، وليْسَ كلَ مِلَةٍ دِين

"The difference between millah and deen is: millah is what Allah legislated, but deen is what people believed in as a kind of servitude to Allah. Thus every deen is considered millah, but every millah is not considered deen" (Tafsir al-Marudi, Vol. 2, p. 239)

The Maliki scholar Qurtubi holds a similar view in his tafsir (Tafsir Qurtubi, Vol. 2, p. 91)

So, Islam is a deen and a millah.

Conclusion

Millah refers either to deen (in a reduced meaning) or to the Divine shari'ah that was revealed by Allah in order to guide the people. It also refers to the principle beliefs upon which the deen is established. Deen is a wider term that encompasses the meaning of the term millah as well as other concepts; such as submission and obedience to Allah, ownership of ourselves to Allah and all kinds of worships not only the principles of certain revelation.

References

al-Asfahani, al-Mufradat fi Ghara'ib al-Qur'an
Marudi, Tafsir al-Marudi
Qurtubi, Tafsir Qurtubi
Ghazali, al-Mustasfa

The Arabic term "deen" (دين) means "religion" or "way of life." It is often used to refer to the comprehensive system of beliefs, practices, and values that shape an individual's way of life and worldview. In the context of Islam, "deen" refers to the religion of Islam and the way of life that it prescribes.

The Arabic term "millah" (ملة) means "community," "nation," or "people." It is often used to refer to a group of people who share a common culture, heritage, or religion. In the context of Islam, "millah" can refer to the global Muslim community or to a specific group of Muslims who share a common cultural or religious identity.

It is worth noting that the terms "deen" and "millah" are often used in combination, as in the phrase "Islam is a deen and a millah." This phrase is used to emphasize the comprehensive nature of Islam as a religion and way of life, and the fact that it encompasses not only individual beliefs and practices, but also a sense of belonging to a larger community of believers.

In Islam, the concept of "deen" is closely related to the concept of "ibadah," which means "worship" or "service." The term "ibadah" encompasses not only traditional acts of worship such as prayer and fasting, but also the idea of living one's life in accordance with the teachings and values of Islam. In this sense, "deen" and "ibadah" are closely interconnected, as the practice of one's religion is seen as a central aspect of living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Conclusion

In summary, the term "deen" refers to a religion or way of life, while the term "millah" refers to a community or group of people. In the context of Islam, "deen" refers to the religion of Islam, while "millah" can refer to the global Muslim community or to a specific group of Muslims who share a common cultural or religious identity.