Sura 4, an-Nissa, Medina 92
The Quranic verse and Ali’s version
إِنَّا
أَوْحَيْنَا
إِلَيْكَ
كَمَا
أَوْحَيْنَا
إِلَى
نُوحٍ
وَالنَّبِيِّينَ
مِن
بَعْدِهِ...
4:163. We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him;
C668. First we have a general statement:
that inspiration was sent to many Messengers, and the inspiration was of the same kind as that sent to the Prophet Muhammad, for Allah's Message is one.
Note that what is spoken of here is Inspiration, not necessarily a Book.
Every nation or group of people had a messenger: 10:47. Some of these messengers have been mentioned by name in the Quran, and some not: 4:164.
... وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإْسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ ...
We sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,
The list here given is in three groups.
- The first group, Abraham's family, is the same as in 2:136, (where see the note) and in 3:84.
- Then we have the prophets Jesus, Job and Jonah, who symbolize patience and perseverance.
- Then we have Aaron the priest and Solomon the King, both great, figures, but each subordinate to another primary figure, viz., Moses (mentioned in the next verse) and David (mentioned at the end of this verse),
David's distinction was the Psalms, some of which are still extant. Though their present form is different from the original and they do undoubtedly include Psalms not written by David, the collection contains much devotional poetry of a high order. (R).
... وَعِيسَى وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ ...
to Jesus Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,
... وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ﴿١٦٣﴾
and to David We gave the Psalms.
وَرُسُلاً
قَدْ
قَصَصْنَاهُمْ
عَلَيْكَ
مِن
قَبْلُ
وَرُسُلاً
لَّمْ
نَقْصُصْهُمْ
عَلَيْكَ...
4:164. Of some Messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not;
... وَكَلَّمَ اللّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا ﴿١٦٤﴾
and to Moses Allah spoke direct.
C670. Allah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. Hence the title of Moses in Muslim theology:
Kalim Allah: the one to whom Allah spoke.
Asad’s version
4:163 BEHOLD, We have inspired thee [O Prophet] just as We inspired Noah and all the prophets after him - as We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants, including Jesus and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon; and as We vouchsafed unto David a book of divine wisdom; 178
(4: 164) and as [We inspired other] apostles whom We have mentioned to thee ere this, 179 as well as apostles whom We have not mentioned to thee; and as God spoke His word unto Moses:
(4:165) [We sent all these] apostles as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, so that men might have no excuse before God after [the coming of] these apostles: and God is indeed almighty, wise.
[[ Asad’s notes - 178 I.e., the Psalms (see surah 21, verse 105).
179 I.e., before the revelation of this surah.]]