Surah Baqarah ayat 253 Tafsir Quran 2:253

﴿۞ تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۘ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ ۚ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ۗ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَٰكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ﴾
[ البقرة: 253]

2:253 Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit. If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.

Those tilka is the subject messengers al-rusul is either an adjective or the predicate some We have preferred above others by assigning a particular trait to one not found in the other; some there are to whom God spoke such as Moses and some He raised in rank namely Muhammad (s) on account of his call being to all peoples his being the Seal of the Prophets on account of the superiority of his community to all others the sundry miracles and the many special qualities. And We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear proofs and confirmed him strengthened him with the Holy Spirit namely Gabriel who would accompany him wherever he went. And had God willed that all people be guided those who came after them after the messengers that is their communities would not have fought against one another after the clear proofs had come to them because of their disagreement and their leading one another astray; but they fell into variance as He willed and some of them believed and adhered firmly to his faith and some disbelieved as the Christians did after Jesus al-Masīh and had God willed they would not have fought against one another repeated here for emphasis but God does whatever He desires giving success to whomever He will and disappointment to whomever He will.

We endowed such Prophets with privileges, some more than others. Among them was one spoken to by Allah, and He evaluated some a degree higher in rank. And We sent ‘Isa, son of Maryam, with clear revelations and signs guiding out of darkness and superstition of later times and out of want of spiritual and intellectual vision into illumination and mental enlightenment, and We supported him giving him countenance by the Holy Spirit, Jibril. And had Allah willed, never would have their successors fought against each other, especially after receiving intellectual enlightenment and mental illumination. But they were at variance in a state of discord and enmity, some recognising Allah and obeying His statutes and others denying Him or rejecting His ordinances and decrees. And had Allah willed they would not have warred against each other, but Allah does and enacts what He will

Allah Honored Some Prophets Above Others Allah states that He has honored some Prophets to others.
For instance, Allah said, وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ( And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others, and to Dawud We gave the Zabur (Psalms )) 17:55. In the Ayah above, Allah said, تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُمْ مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ ( Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly )) meaning, Musa and Muhammad , and also Adam according to a Hadith recorded in Sahih Ibn Hibban from Abu Dharr. وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَـتٍ ( Others He raised to degrees (of honor )) as is evident in the Hadith about the Isra' journey, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the Prophets in the various heavens according to their rank with Allah. If somebody asks about the collective meaning of this Ayah and the Hadith that the Two Sahihs collected from Abu Hurayrah which states, "Once, a Muslim man and a Jew had an argument and the Jew said, `No, by Him Who gave Musa superiority over all human beings!' Hearing him, the Muslim man raised his hand and slapped the Jew on his face and said, `Over Muhammad too, O evil one!' The Jew went to the Prophet and complained to him and the Prophet said,
«لَا تُفَضِّلُونِي عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ، فَأَجِدُ مُوسَى بَاطِشًا بِقَائِمَةِ الْعَرْشِ، فَلَا أَدْرِي أَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ جُوزِيَ بِصَعْقَةِ الطُّورِ؟ فَلَا تُفَضِّلُونِي عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاء»
( Don't give me superiority above the Prophets, for the people will become unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Musa holding on to the pillar of Allah's Throne.
I will not know whether the unconsciousness Musa suffered on the Day of the Trumpet sufficed for him, or if he got up before me.
So, do not give me superiority above the Prophets. ) In another narration, the Prophet said, ( Do not give superiority to some Prophets above others. ) The answer to this question is that this Hadith prohibits preferring some Prophets above others in cases of dispute and argument, such as the incident mentioned in the Hadith.
The Hadith indicates that it is not up to creation to decide which Prophet is better, for this is Allah's decision.
The creation is only required to submit to, obey and believe in Allah's decision. Allah's statement, وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَـتِ ( And We gave `Isa, the son of Maryam, clear signs ) refers to the proofs and unequivocal evidences that testify to the truth that `Isa delivered to the Children of Israel, thus testifying that he was Allah's servant and His Messenger to them. وَأَيَّدْنَـهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ( And supported him with Ruh-il-Qudus ) meaning Allah aided `Isa with Jibil, peace be upon him.
Allah then said, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَـتُ وَلَـكِنِ اخْتَلَفُواْ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُواْ ( If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but they differed ـ some of them believed and others disbelieved.
If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another. ) meaning all this happened by Allah's decree, and this is why He said next, وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ ( But Allah does what He wills. )

(2:253) Of these Messengers (whom We sent for the guidance of mankind), We raised some above the others in rank. Among them was one with whom Allah Himself had direct talks. There were others whom He raised high in rank in other ways. Likewise We gave clear signs to Jesus, son of Mary, and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Had Allah so willed the people who had seen clear signs would not have fought against one another after the Prophets. But (it was not Allah's will to prevent people forcibly from differences: so) they disagreed; then some of them accepted the Truth and others rejected it. If Allah had so willed they would have never fought against one another, but Allah does whatever He pleases (to fulfil His designs. *275

Those messengers - some of them We meaning

*275).
The main cause of the differences which arose after people had received true knowledge through the Prophets, and which were even aggravated into feuds and wars, is not that God was helpless, and lacked the power to put an end to the fighting.
Had He willed so, no one would have had the power to defy the teachings of the Prophets, to take the course of disbelief and rebellion against Him, and to spread mischief and corruption in His world.
But it was not His will to deprive human beings of their free-will and choice, and to compel them to follow a particular course.
He has created human beings on earth in order to test them and hence endowed them with the freedom to choose from the various alternative courses of belief and action.

God did not appoint the Prophets as policemen to force people to faith and obedience.
He sent them, instead, with reasonable arguments and clear signs in order to invite people to righteousness.
Hence the cause of all the differences and wranglings and fighting which took place was that people, in exercising the free-will granted to them by God, followed divergent courses.
In short, people follow divergent ways precisely because of God's omnipotent will that men should have a choice.
It would be a grave misunderstanding to hold that people follow different paths because God failed to persuade people to follow the path which He wanted them to choose.

 

Allah Honored Some Prophets Above Others Allah states that He has honored some Prophets to others.
For instance, Allah said, وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ( And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others, and to Dawud We gave the Zabur (Psalms )) 17:55. In the Ayah above, Allah said, تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُمْ مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ ( Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly )) meaning, Musa and Muhammad , and also Adam according to a Hadith recorded in Sahih Ibn Hibban from Abu Dharr. وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَـتٍ ( Others He raised to degrees (of honor )) as is evident in the Hadith about the Isra' journey, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the Prophets in the various heavens according to their rank with Allah. If somebody asks about the collective meaning of this Ayah and the Hadith that the Two Sahihs collected from Abu Hurayrah which states, "Once, a Muslim man and a Jew had an argument and the Jew said, `No, by Him Who gave Musa superiority over all human beings!' Hearing him, the Muslim man raised his hand and slapped the Jew on his face and said, `Over Muhammad too, O evil one!' The Jew went to the Prophet and complained to him and the Prophet said, «لَا تُفَضِّلُونِي عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ، فَأَجِدُ مُوسَى بَاطِشًا بِقَائِمَةِ الْعَرْشِ، فَلَا أَدْرِي أَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ جُوزِيَ بِصَعْقَةِ الطُّورِ؟ فَلَا تُفَضِّلُونِي عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاء» ( Don't give me superiority above the Prophets, for the people will become unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Musa holding on to the pillar of Allah's Throne.
I will not know whether the unconsciousness Musa suffered on the Day of the Trumpet sufficed for him, or if he got up before me.
So, do not give me superiority above the Prophets. ) In another narration, the Prophet said, ( Do not give superiority to some Prophets above others. ) The answer to this question is that this Hadith prohibits preferring some Prophets above others in cases of dispute and argument, such as the incident mentioned in the Hadith.
The Hadith indicates that it is not up to creation to decide which Prophet is better, for this is Allah's decision.
The creation is only required to submit to, obey and believe in Allah's decision. Allah's statement, وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَـتِ ( And We gave `Isa, the son of Maryam, clear signs ) refers to the proofs and unequivocal evidences that testify to the truth that `Isa delivered to the Children of Israel, thus testifying that he was Allah's servant and His Messenger to them. وَأَيَّدْنَـهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ( And supported him with Ruh-il-Qudus ) meaning Allah aided `Isa with Jibil, peace be upon him.
Allah then said, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَـتُ وَلَـكِنِ اخْتَلَفُواْ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُواْ ( If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but they differed ـ some of them believed and others disbelieved.
If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another. ) meaning all this happened by Allah's decree, and this is why He said next, وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ ( But Allah does what He wills. )

( Of those messengers ) whom We have named for you, ( some of whom We have caused to excel others ) by bestowing honour upon them, ( and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake ) this is Moses, ( while some of them He exalted (above others ) in degrees) this is Abraham whom Allah took as a friend, and Enoch whom Allah raised to an elevated place; ( and We gave Jesus son of Mary clear proofs ) commands, prohibitions and the working of marvels ( and We supported him ) strengthened and assisted him ( with the holy Spirit ) with Gabriel, the pure. ( And if Allah had so willed it, those who followed after them ) after Moses and Jesus ( would not have fought one with another ) differed with one another ( after clear proofs had come unto them ) the exposition in their Scriptures of the description and traits of Muhammad. ( But they differed ) in the matter of Religion, ( some of them believing ) in every Scripture and Messenger ( and some disbelieving ) in the Scriptures and messengers. ( And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another ) they would not have differed with one another in the matter of the religion; ( but Allah doeth what He will ) with His servants.

Those Messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour); and to 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes.

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