Surah Baqarah ayat 47 Tafsir Quran 2:47

﴿يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ﴾
[ البقرة: 47]

2:47 O Children of Israel, remember My favor that I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.

O Children of Israel remember My favour wherewith I favoured you by giving thanks through obedience to Me and that I have preferred you your forefathers above all the worlds of their time;

O you Bani Israil: Render solemn acknowledgement to My divine favour and impel yourselves to the feeling of gratitude and gratefulness to Me for the efficacious grace I conferred on you and that I confined to you such prerogative as to be the chosen* for My mercy and blessings out of all people

Reminding the Children of Israel that They were preferred above the Other Nations Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the favors that He granted their fathers and grandfathers, how He showed preference to them by sending them Messengers from among them and revealing Books to them, more so than any of the other previous nations.
Similarly, Allah said, وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَـهُمْ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ ( And We chose them (the Children of Israel ) over the `Alamin, ( nations ) with knowledge.) ( 44:32 ) and, وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَـقَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُّلُوكاً وَءَاتَـكُمْ مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَداً مِّن الْعَـلَمِينَ ( And (remember ) when Musa ( Moses ) said to his people: "O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, honored you above the `Alamin ( nations ).") ( 5:20 ). Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi reported that Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that Abu Al-`Aliyah said that Allah's statement, وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ ( and that I preferred you over the `Alamin ) means, "The kingship, Messengers and Books that were granted to them, instead of granting such to the other kingdoms that existed during their time, for every period there is a nation." It was also reported that Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said similarly. The Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ is Better than the Children of Israel This is the only way the Ayah can be understood, because this Ummah is better than theirs, as Allah said; كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَـبِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ ( You are the best of people ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah.
And had the People of the Book (Jews and Christians ) believed, it would have been better for them) ( 3:110 ). Also, the Musnad and Sunan Collections of Hadith recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«أَنْتُمْ تُوَفُّونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى الله»
( You (Muslims ) are the seventieth nation, but you are the best and most honored of them according to Allah.) There are many Hadiths on this subject, and they will be mentioned when we discuss Allah's statement, كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ ( You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind ) ( 3:110 ).

(2:47) O Children of Israel! Just recall to mind My favour that bestowed upon you, and remember that I exalted you above all the peoples of the world. *62

O Children of Israel, remember My favor meaning

*62).
This refers to that period of human history when, of all nations, only the Children of Israel possessed that knowledge of Truth which comes from God alone.
At that time they were entrusted with the task of directing the nations of the world to righteousness; they were expected to serve God and to invite the rest of the world to do the same.

 

Reminding the Children of Israel that They were preferred above the Other Nations Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the favors that He granted their fathers and grandfathers, how He showed preference to them by sending them Messengers from among them and revealing Books to them, more so than any of the other previous nations.
Similarly, Allah said, وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَـهُمْ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ ( And We chose them (the Children of Israel ) over the `Alamin, ( nations ) with knowledge.) ( 44:32 ) and, وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَـقَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُّلُوكاً وَءَاتَـكُمْ مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَداً مِّن الْعَـلَمِينَ ( And (remember ) when Musa ( Moses ) said to his people: "O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, honored you above the `Alamin ( nations ).") ( 5:20 ). Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi reported that Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that Abu Al-`Aliyah said that Allah's statement, وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ ( and that I preferred you over the `Alamin ) means, "The kingship, Messengers and Books that were granted to them, instead of granting such to the other kingdoms that existed during their time, for every period there is a nation." It was also reported that Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qatadah and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said similarly. The Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ is Better than the Children of Israel This is the only way the Ayah can be understood, because this Ummah is better than theirs, as Allah said; كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَـبِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ ( You are the best of people ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah.
And had the People of the Book (Jews and Christians ) believed, it would have been better for them) ( 3:110 ). Also, the Musnad and Sunan Collections of Hadith recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَنْتُمْ تُوَفُّونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى الله» ( You (Muslims ) are the seventieth nation, but you are the best and most honored of them according to Allah.) There are many Hadiths on this subject, and they will be mentioned when we discuss Allah's statement, كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ ( You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind ) ( 3:110 ).

Then He also mentioned His blessings upon the Children of Israel, saying: ( O Children of Israel! ), O Children of Jacob! ( Remember My favour ), recollect my blessings ( wherewith I favoured you ) with the scripture, the Messenger and Islam ( and how I preferred you to the worlds ) sought you in preference to the other peoples of your time.

O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you to the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of your time period, in the past).

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