2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ...

2: 253. Those apostles We endowed with gifts, some above others:

C289. Different gifts and different modes of procedure are prescribed to Allah's Prophets in different ages, and perhaps their degrees are different through it is not for us mortals, with our imperfect knowledge to make any difference between one and another of Allah's Prophets (2:136).

As this winds up the argument about fighting, three illustrations are given from the past, how it affected Allah's Messengers.

- To Moses Allah spoke in clouds of glory; he led his men for forty years through the wilderness, mainly fighting against the unbelief of his own people; he organized them to fight with the sword for Palestine, but was raised to Allah's mercy before his enterprise ripened, and it fell to Joshua to carry out his plan.

- David, though a mere shepherd boy, was chosen by Allah. He overthrew the greatest warrior of his time, became a king, and waged successful wars, being also a prophet, a poet, and a musician.

- Jesus was "strengthened with the holy spirit' he was given no weapons to fight and his mission was of a more limited character.

- In Muhammad's mission these and other characters were combined. Gentler than Jesus, he organized on a vaster scale than Moses and from Madinah he ruled and gave laws and the Quran has a vaster scope than the Psalms of David.

... مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللّهُ ...

to one of them Allah spoke;

C290. Moses: see note above.

... وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ ...

others He raised to degrees (of honor);

C291. There is a two-fold sense:

- they were raised to high posts of honour,

- and they rose by degrees.

I take the reference to be to David.

... وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ...

to Jesus the son of Mary, We gave clear (Signs),

C292. Cf. 2:87. See n. 401 to 3:62.

and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.

C292a. "Holy Spirit" according to commentators signifies Gabriel. [Eds]

... وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ...

If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (Signs) had come to them,

... وَلَـكِنِ اخْتَلَفُواْ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ...

but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting.

... وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُواْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ ﴿٢٥٣﴾

If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah fulfilleth His plan.

C293. If some power of choice was to be given to man, his selfishness inevitably caused divisions. It must not be supposed that it frustrates God's Plan. He carries it out as He will.

Asad’s Version:

(2:253) Some of these apostles have We endowed more highly than others: among them were such as were spoken to by God [Himself], and some He has raised yet higher.' 243 And We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration. 244

[[ Asad’s notes - 244 The mention, in this context, of Jesus by name is intended to stress the fact of his having been a prophet, and to refute the claims of those who deify him. For an explanation of the term ruh al-qudus (rendered by me as "holy inspiration"), see note 71 on verse 87 of this surah. ]]