سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 253
۞ تِلْكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۘ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَـٰتٍ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ ۗ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ ﴿253﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allâh spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour); and to ‘Îsâ (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidence, and supported him with Rûh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. If Allâh had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allâh had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved. If Allâh had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allâh does what He likes.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ تِلْكَ
til'ka
These
ٱلرُّسُلُ
l-rusulu
(are) the Messengers
فَضَّلْنَا
faḍḍalnā
We (have) preferred
بَعْضَهُمْ
baʿḍahum
some of them
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
بَعْضٍۢ ۘ
baʿḍin
others
مِّنْهُم
min'hum
Among them
مَّن
man
(were those with) whom
كَلَّمَ
kallama
spoke
ٱللَّهُ ۖ
l-lahu
Allah
وَرَفَعَ
warafaʿa
and He raised
بَعْضَهُمْ
baʿḍahum
some of them
دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ ۚ
darajātin
(in) degrees
وَءَاتَيْنَا
waātaynā
And We gave
عِيسَى
ʿīsā
Isa
ٱبْنَ
ib'na
son
مَرْيَمَ
maryama
(of) Maryam
ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ
l-bayināti
the clear proofs
وَأَيَّدْنَـٰهُ
wa-ayyadnāhu
and We supported him
بِرُوحِ
birūḥi
with Spirit
ٱلْقُدُسِ ۗ
l-qudusi
[the] Holy
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَآءَ
shāa
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
مَا
mā
not
ٱقْتَتَلَ
iq'tatala
(would have) fought each other
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِنۢ
min
(came) from
بَعْدِهِم
baʿdihim
after them
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَا
mā
[what]
جَآءَتْهُمُ
jāathumu
came to them
ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ
l-bayinātu
the clear proofs
وَلَـٰكِنِ
walākini
[And] but
ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟
ikh'talafū
they differed
فَمِنْهُم
famin'hum
[so] of them
مَّنْ
man
(are some) who
ءَامَنَ
āmana
believed
وَمِنْهُم
wamin'hum
and of them
مَّن
man
(are some) who
كَفَرَ ۚ
kafara
denied
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَآءَ
shāa
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
مَا
mā
not
ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟
iq'tatalū
they (would have) fought each other
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[and] but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يَفْعَلُ
yafʿalu
does
مَا
mā
what
يُرِيدُ
yurīdu
He intends
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
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.
253. 1. The Quran has mentioned this at another place as well (وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيّٖنَ عَلٰي بَعْضٍ) 17:55 "We have given preference to some prophets over others," so there is no doubt in this reality. However, the Prophet ﷺ said (لا تخیرونی من بین الأنبیآء (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, Surah Al-A'raf, Chapter 135. Muslim, Book of Virtues, Musa)) "Do not give me superiority over the other prophets." This does not necessitate denial of one being superior to another, rather, the Ummah is being taught etiquette and respect regarding the prophets, that since you do not have complete knowledge of all the matters and distinctions on the basis of which they have been given superiority over each other, therefore, do not mention my superiority in such a way that it diminishes the status of other prophets. Otherwise, the superiority of some prophets over others, and the superiority and nobility of the Prophet ﷺ over all messengers, is established and is the unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah, which is proven from the Book and Sunnah. For details, see (Fath al-Qadir).
253. 2. What is meant are those miracles that were given to Isa (peace be upon him), such as reviving the dead (مُردوں کو زندہ کرنا) etc., the details of which will come in Surah Al-Imran. By "Ruh al-Qudus" is meant Jibril, as has been mentioned earlier.
253. 3. Allah Almighty has mentioned this subject in several places in the Noble Quran. The meaning is not that disagreement in the religion sent down by Allah is desirable or that Allah dislikes it. His pleasure (rida) is that all humans adopt the Shariah He has sent down and thus save themselves from Hell, which is why He sent down the Books, established the chain of prophets, and concluded prophethood with the Messenger ﷺ. However, even after that, the caliphs and scholars continued the call to truth and the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, and its great importance and emphasis was stated. Why? For this very reason, so that people may choose the path pleasing to Allah. But since He has pointed out both the paths of guidance and misguidance and has not forced humans to choose any one path, rather, as a test, He has granted them freedom of choice and will, therefore, some use this choice correctly and become believers, and some misuse this freedom and become disbelievers. This, in a way, is His wisdom and will, which is different from His pleasure.
253. 2. What is meant are those miracles that were given to Isa (peace be upon him), such as reviving the dead (مُردوں کو زندہ کرنا) etc., the details of which will come in Surah Al-Imran. By "Ruh al-Qudus" is meant Jibril, as has been mentioned earlier.
253. 3. Allah Almighty has mentioned this subject in several places in the Noble Quran. The meaning is not that disagreement in the religion sent down by Allah is desirable or that Allah dislikes it. His pleasure (rida) is that all humans adopt the Shariah He has sent down and thus save themselves from Hell, which is why He sent down the Books, established the chain of prophets, and concluded prophethood with the Messenger ﷺ. However, even after that, the caliphs and scholars continued the call to truth and the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, and its great importance and emphasis was stated. Why? For this very reason, so that people may choose the path pleasing to Allah. But since He has pointed out both the paths of guidance and misguidance and has not forced humans to choose any one path, rather, as a test, He has granted them freedom of choice and will, therefore, some use this choice correctly and become believers, and some misuse this freedom and become disbelievers. This, in a way, is His wisdom and will, which is different from His pleasure.
