سُوْرَةُ الدُّخَانِ

Surah Ad-Dukhaan (44) — Ayah 32

The Smoke · Meccan · Juz 25 · Page 497

وَلَقَدِ ٱخْتَرْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿32﴾
And We chose them (the Children of Israel) above the ‘Âlamîn (mankind and jinn) [during the time of Mûsâ (Moses)] with knowledge,
وَلَقَدِ walaqadi And certainly
ٱخْتَرْنَـٰهُمْ ikh'tarnāhum We chose them
عَلَىٰ ʿalā by
عِلْمٍ ʿil'min knowledge
عَلَى ʿalā over
ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ l-ʿālamīna the worlds

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 32) ➊ { وَ لَقَدِ اخْتَرْنٰهُمْ:’’اِخْتَرْنَا‘‘ ’’اِخْتَارَ يَخْتَارُ اِخْتِيَارًا‘‘} is the first person plural perfect active from (افتعال). Here too, the purpose of bringing {’’ لَقَدْ ‘‘} is that how can such a downtrodden nation suddenly gain superiority over the entire world? It is said, "By oath, We have chosen them over all the worlds," so why would Our chosen ones not have superiority?

{ عَلٰى عِلْمٍ:} means that We did not choose them without reason, rather We knew their virtues and abilities, and We were also aware of their flaws and weaknesses. It was on the basis of this knowledge that We selected them from among all the nations of their time.

➌ By {عَلَى الْعٰلَمِيْنَ: ’’ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ ‘‘} is meant the worlds of their time, not all worlds, because Allah Almighty has declared the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as: «كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ اُمَّةٍ » [ آل عمران : ۱۱۰ ] and thus better than all other nations, because {’’ كَانَ ‘‘} indicates continuity. Yes, there are some partial virtues in the Children of Israel that are unique to them, such as so many prophets being sent among them, but in an overall and comprehensive sense, the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is superior.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

32. 1. By "this world" is meant the world of the time of Bani Israel, not the entire world, because in the Quran the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ has been given the title of كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ, meaning Bani Israel had superiority over the people of the world in their own era. Their superiority was due to that entitlement, the knowledge of which is with Allah.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

32. And We gave preference to the Children of Israel over all the worlds [24] based on Our knowledge.

[24] That is, the Arabs know that there are various flaws present among the Children of Israel. However, compared to other nations, they are still better. Therefore, We entrusted the religious leadership of the world to them.