4, Sura an-Nissa [The Women], Medina 92
The Quranic verse and Ali’s translation
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;
... وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإْسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ ...
We sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,
... وَعِيسَى وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ ...
to Jesus Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,
... وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ﴿١٦٣﴾
and to David We gave the Psalms.
Transliteration Inna_ auhaina_ ilaika kama_ auhaina_ ila_ nu_hiw wan nabiyyina mim ba'dih(i), wa auhaina_ ila_ ibra_hima wa isma_'ila wa isha_qa wa ya'qu_ba wal asba_ti wa 'isa_ wa ayyu_ba wa yu_nusa wa ha_ru_na wa sulaima_n(a), wa a_tainu_ da_wu_da zabu_ra_(n).
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.
Transliteration Wa rusulan qad qasasna_hum'alaika min qablu wa rusulal lam naqsushum'alaik(a), wa kallamalla_hu mu_sa_ taklima_(n).
رُّسُلاً
مُّبَشِّرِينَ
وَمُنذِرِينَ
لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ
لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى
اللّهِ حُجَّةٌ
بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ...
4: 165. Messengers who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the coming) of the Messengers, should have no plea against God:
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا ﴿١٦٥﴾
for Gof is Exalted in Power, Wise.
Rusulam mubasysyirina wa munzirina li'alla_ yaku_na linna_si 'alalla_hi hujjatum ba'dar rusul(i), wa ka_nalla_hu 'azizan hakima_(n).
Other Translations
Asad
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.
"We did send messengers before you: of them there are some whose story We have related to you, and some whose story We have not related to you." (Ghafir 78; An-Nisa' 164).
4:163
Pickthall
Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as we imparted unto David the Psalms;
Yuksel Messengers of God
We have inspired you as We have inspired Noah and the prophets after him. We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon; and We have given David the Psalms.
4: 164
Pickthall
And messengers We have mentioned unto thee before and messengers We have not mentioned unto thee; and Allah spake directly unto Moses;
Yuksel
Messengers of whom We have narrated to you from before, and messengers We have not narrated to you; and God spoke to Moses directly.
4: 165
Pickthall
Messengers of good cheer and off warning, in order that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the messengers. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise.
Yuksel
Messengers who were bearers of good news and warners, so that there will be no excuse for the people with God after the messengers. God is Noble, Wise.
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Ali’s comments:
668. 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.
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).
670. Allah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. Hence the title of Moses in Muslim theology:
Kalim Allah: the one to whom Allah spoke.
671. Every prophet proclaims Allah's goodness to the righteous and forgiveness to those who repent, (good news), and the Wrath to come for those who reject Faith and live in iniquity (warning).
Their mission of warning is a prelude and complement to their mission of good news. No one can then say that he or she did not know.
Asad’s comments –
178 I.e., the Psalms (see surah 21, verse 105).
179 I.e., before the revelation of this surah.