According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the Quranic statement that Prophet Ibrahim was 'neither a Jew nor a Christian' is a foundational theological declaration centered on the concept of **Hanif (حَنِيف)**. As explained by Tafsir Ibn Kathir regarding Surah Al-Imran, verses 65-68, the argument is both chronological and doctrinal: the Torah and the Gospel were revealed long after Ibrahim, making it impossible for him to be a follower of either. Instead, verse 3:67 defines his true path: 'he was a Hanif, a Muslim [submitting to Allah], and he was not of the polytheists.' Al-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi affirm that 'Hanif' denotes one who turns away from all falsehood and idolatry, inclining purely towards the One God, which is the essence of Islam (submission). This concept establishes Islam as the primordial, universal faith of all prophets, with Prophet Muhammad's message being a restoration of this pure, unadulterated monotheism of Ibrahim, the 'Millat Ibrahim'. The synthesis of these verses confirms that the true claim to Ibrahim is not through lineage or later religious labels, but through adherence to his core creed of pure submission to the One God.