سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 55
وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا ﴿55﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And your Lord knows best all who are in the heavens and the earth. And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others, and to Dâwûd (David) We gave the Zabûr (Psalms).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَرَبُّكَ
warabbuka
And your Lord
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
(is) most knowing
بِمَن
biman
of whoever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And verily
فَضَّلْنَا
faḍḍalnā
We have preferred
بَعْضَ
baʿḍa
some
ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ
l-nabiyīna
(of) the Prophets
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
to
بَعْضٍۢ ۖ
baʿḍin
others
وَءَاتَيْنَا
waātaynā
And We gave
دَاوُۥدَ
dāwūda
Dawood
زَبُورًۭا
zabūran
Zaboor
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
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 55) ➊ { وَ رَبُّكَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} After mentioning that Allah has greater knowledge of the conditions of people than anyone else, Allah said that He is the One who knows best about every person present in the heavens and the earth (whether human, jinn, or angel). Therefore, He knows best whom to grant the honor of prophethood and messengership. He said: «اَللّٰهُ يَصْطَفِيْ مِنَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِ رُسُلًا وَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَمِيْعٌۢ بَصِيْرٌ » [ الحج : ۷۵ ] “Allah chooses messengers from among the angels and from among the people.”
➋ { وَ لَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيّٖنَ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ :} Therefore, the requirement of His perfect knowledge is that He grants superiority to whomever He wills among the prophets and messengers, and He grants superiority over all to whomever He wills by making him the last prophet. For details, see Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253). In His sight, the criterion for selection is not worldly wealth or power. Dawud (David), peace be upon him, was a shepherd; Allah made him a prophet and a king, and then granted him further excellence by mentioning the bestowal of the Zabur as a virtue instead of kingship, because in Allah’s sight, the criterion for excellence is not any worldly thing, but knowledge of the Hereafter and acting accordingly. In fact, this is an answer to the objection of the disbelievers, which they often raised against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as to why he was chosen for messengership. For details, see Surah Az-Zukhruf (31–35).
➌ { وَ اٰتَيْنَا دَاوٗدَ زَبُوْرًا :} The Zabur is mentioned specifically because its contents bear witness to the finality of prophethood of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and to the superiority of this Ummah. (See Al-Anbiya: 105) It is possible that Dawud, peace be upon him, was mentioned due to the similarity in striving against the disbelievers.
➍ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says that Allah’s statement: «وَ لَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيّٖنَ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ » and His statement in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253): «تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ » are not contrary to those authentic narrations in Sahih Bukhari (3415) and Muslim (2373) in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not give superiority (excellence) to the prophets over one another.” Because what is meant by this is giving superiority merely on the basis of one’s own desire or prejudice, not on the basis of evidence, because when something is proven by evidence, it is necessary to accept it, and there is no difference of opinion that the messengers are superior to the prophets.
➋ { وَ لَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيّٖنَ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ :} Therefore, the requirement of His perfect knowledge is that He grants superiority to whomever He wills among the prophets and messengers, and He grants superiority over all to whomever He wills by making him the last prophet. For details, see Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253). In His sight, the criterion for selection is not worldly wealth or power. Dawud (David), peace be upon him, was a shepherd; Allah made him a prophet and a king, and then granted him further excellence by mentioning the bestowal of the Zabur as a virtue instead of kingship, because in Allah’s sight, the criterion for excellence is not any worldly thing, but knowledge of the Hereafter and acting accordingly. In fact, this is an answer to the objection of the disbelievers, which they often raised against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as to why he was chosen for messengership. For details, see Surah Az-Zukhruf (31–35).
➌ { وَ اٰتَيْنَا دَاوٗدَ زَبُوْرًا :} The Zabur is mentioned specifically because its contents bear witness to the finality of prophethood of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and to the superiority of this Ummah. (See Al-Anbiya: 105) It is possible that Dawud, peace be upon him, was mentioned due to the similarity in striving against the disbelievers.
➍ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says that Allah’s statement: «وَ لَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيّٖنَ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ » and His statement in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253): «تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ » are not contrary to those authentic narrations in Sahih Bukhari (3415) and Muslim (2373) in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not give superiority (excellence) to the prophets over one another.” Because what is meant by this is giving superiority merely on the basis of one’s own desire or prejudice, not on the basis of evidence, because when something is proven by evidence, it is necessary to accept it, and there is no difference of opinion that the messengers are superior to the prophets.
