6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَوَهَبْنَا
لَهُ إِسْحَقَ
وَيَعْقُوبَ
كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا...
6: 84. We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided:
C903. We have now a list of eighteen Prophets in four groups, covering the great Teachers accepted among the three great religions based on Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
The first group to be mentioned is that of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob.
Abraham was the first to have a Book. His Book is mentioned in 87:19, though it is now lost. They were therefore the first to receive Guidance in the sense of a Book.
...وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ...
and before him, We guided Noah,
C904. In the second group, we have the great founders of families, apart from Abraham, viz., Noah of the time of the Flood;
- David and Solomon, the real establishers of the Jewish monarchy;
- Job, who lived 140 years, saw four generations of descendants, and was blessed at the end of his life with large pastoral wealth (Job 42:16,12);
- Joseph, who as Minister of State did great things in Egypt and was the progenitor of two Tribes; and
- Moses and Aaron, the leaders of the Exodus from Egypt. They led active lives and called "doers of good."
...وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ...
and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:
...وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٨٤﴾
thus do We reward those who do good:
وَزَكَرِيَّا
وَيَحْيَى
وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ
...
6: 85. And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias:
C905. The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: "the Righteous."
They form a connected group round Jesus. Zakariya was the father of John the Baptist as Elias, which was for to come" (Matt 11:14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt. 17:3).
Elias is the same as Elijah. (R).
... كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾
all in the ranks of the righteous:
وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ
وَالْيَسَعَ
وَيُونُسَ
وَلُوطًا...
6: 86. And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonahs, and Lut:
C906. This is the last group, described as those "favoured above the nations."
It consists of four men who had all great misfortunes to contend with, and were concerned in the clash of nations, but they kept in the path of Allah, and came through above the clash of nations.
- Ismail was the eldest son of Abraham; when he was a baby, he and his mother had nearly died of thirst in the desert round Makkah; but they were saved by the well of Zamzam, and became the founder of the new Arab nation.
- Elisha (Al-Yasa) succeeded to the mantle of the Prophet Elijah (same as Elias, see last note); he lived in troublous times for both the Jewish kingdoms (of Judah and Israel); there were wicked kings, and other nations were pressing in on them; but he performed many miracles, and some check was given to the enemies under his advice.
- The story of Jonah (Yunus) is well-known: he was swallowed by a fish or whale, but was saved by God's mercy: through his preaching, his city (Nineveh) was saved (10:98).
- Lut was a contemporary and nephew of Abraham: when the city of Sodom was destroyed for its wickedness, he was saved as a just man (7:80-84).
...وَكُلاًّ فضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٨٦﴾
and to all We gave favor above the nations:
وَمِنْ
آبَائِهِمْ
وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ
وَإِخْوَانِهِمْ...
6: 87. (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren:
C907. I take verse 87 to refer back to all the four groups just mentioned.
...وَاجْتَبَيْنَاهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٨٧﴾
We chose them.
And We guided them to a straight way.
Asad’s Version:
6: 84
Asad and We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; and We guided each of them as We had guided Noah aforetime. And out of his offspring, David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: for thus do We reward the doers of good ...........................(names of prophets) ...And every one of them was the righteous; .......And every one of them did We favor above other people ..........We elected them and guided them onto a straight way.
Yusuf Ali We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided: and before him We guided Noah and before him We guided Noah and among his progeny David Solomon Job Joseph Moses and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good:
Pickthall And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good.
Transliteration Wa wahabna_ lahu_ isha_qa wa ya'qu_b(a), kullan hadaina_ wa nu_han hadaina_ min qablu wa min zurriyatihi da_wu_da wa sulaima_na wa ayyu_ba wa yu_sufa wa mu_sa_ wa ha_ru_n(a), wa kaza_lika najzil muhsinin(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – The guidance came to those who were doers of good. Therefore the guidance was not an arbitrary choice. It was based on the absolute knowledge of God as to who is sincere and dedicated to His service and cause. The clause placed here indicates that.]]
6: 85
Yusuf Ali And Zakariya and John and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:
Pickthall And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.
Transliteration Wa zakariyya_ wa yahya_ wa 'isa_ wa ilya_s(a), kullum minas sa_lihin(a).
6: 86
Yusuf Ali And Ismail and Elisha and Jonas and Lot: and to all We gave favor above the nations:
Pickthall And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above (Our) creatures,
Transliteration Wa isma_'ila wal yasa'a wa yu_nusa wa lu_ta_(n), wa kullan faddalna_ 'alal 'a_lamin(a).
6: 87
Yusuf Ali (To them) and to their fathers and progeny and brethren: We chose them. And We guided them to a straight way.
Pickthall With some of their forefathers and thee offspring and thee brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path:
Transliteration Wa min a_ba_'ihim wa zurriya_tihim wa ikhwa_nihim, wajtabaina_hum wa hadaina_hum ila_sira_tim mustaqim(in).