17. Surah Al Isra

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ...   

17: 55.  And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth:

C2240. Not only are we not to judge other ordinary men and carp at them. We are not to set up false standards for judging the Prophets of Allah.

If one was born of the unlearned Arab race, he yet was a mercy to all the worlds.

If one spoke to Allah as Kalim Allah or another's life Ruh Allah began with a miracle; it does not imply superiority. It only means that Allah's wisdom is more profound than we can fathom. (R).

...وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ...

We did bestow on some Prophets more (and other) gifts than on others:

...وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ﴿٥٥﴾

and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.

C2241. The spiritual gifts with which the prophets came may themselves take different forms, according to the needs of the world and the times in which they lived, as judged by the wisdom of Allah.

A striking example here given is the gift of David over others.

David was given the Zabur, the Psalter or Psalms, intended to be for the worship of Allah and the celebration of Allah's praise.

For the Book of Psalms, see the last part of n. 669 to 4:163, where exactly the same words are used about David.

Other versions:

17: 55 [al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]

Yusuf Ali And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some Prophets more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.

Pickthall And thy Lord is best aware of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And we preferred some of the Prophets above others, and unto David We gave the Psalms.

Yuksel Your Lord is fully aware of who is in the heavens and the earth. We have preferred some prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms.*

Transliteration Wa rabbuka a'lamu biman fis sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), wa ladaq faddalna_ ba'dan nabiyyina 'ala_ ba'diw wa a_taina_ da_wu_da zabu_ra_(n).

[[Yuksel’s note - 017:055 The Creator and Master of prophets and messengers has given each special qualities and skills. It is not up to us to put them in a competition that ultimately produces fancy lies and idols. See 2:285. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 2240 Not only are we not to judge other ordinary men and carp at them. We are not to set up false standards for judging the Prophets of Allah. If one was born of the unlearned Arab race, he yet was a mercy to all the worlds. If one spoke to Allah as Kalimullah or another's life began with a miracle; it does not imply superiority. It only means that Allah's wisdom is more profound than we can fathom. (17.55)

2241 The gifts with which the prophets came may themselves take different forms, according to the needs of the world and the times in which they lived, as judged by the wisdom of Allah. A striking example here given is the gift of David over others. David was given the Zabur, the Psalter or Psalms, intended to be for the worship of Allah and the celebration of Allah's praise. For the Book of Psalms, see the last part of n. 669 to iv. 163, where exactly the same words are used about David. (17.55)]]