﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 253:*
تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَٰكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Those Messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour [There is a two-fold sense: they were raised to high posts of honour, and they rose by degrees]); and to 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus [ "Holy spirit", according to commentators signifies Jibreel (Gabriel)]. If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes.
*COMMENTARY*
Different gifts and different modes of procedure are prescribed to Allāh's Messengers in different ages, and perhaps their degrees are different though it is not for us mortals, with our imperfect knowledge, to make any difference between one and another of Allāh's Messengers (Sūra Al-Baqarah, verse 136). As this winds up the argument about fighting, three illustrations are given from the past, how it affected Allāh's Messengers. To Moses Allāh spoke directly: he led his men for forty years through the wilderness, mainly fighting against the unbelief of his own people; he organised them to fight with the sword for Palestine, but was raised to Allāh's mercy before his enterprise ripened, and it fell to Joshua to carry out his plan. David was chosen by Allāh (Sub-haanahu wata'aala). He overthrew the greatest warrior of his time, became a king, a Prophet and waged successful wars. 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. Gentle than Jesus, he organised on a vaster scale than Moses, and from Madīnah he ruled and gave laws, and the Qur-ān has a vaster scope than the Scriptures before.
If some power of choice was to be given to man, his selfishness inevitably caused divisions. It must not be supposed that it frustrates Allāh's Plan. He carries it out as He will.
﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 254:*
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).
*COMMENTARY*
Spend, i.e give away in charity, or employ in good works, but do not hoard. Good works would in Islam include everything that advances the good of one that is in need whether a neighbour or a stranger or that advances the good of the community, or even the good of the person himself to whom Allāh has given the bounty. But it must be real good and there should be admixture of baser motives, such as vainglory, or false indulgence, or encouragement of idleness, or playing off one person against another. The bounties include mental and spiritual gifts as well as wealth and material gifts.
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 253:*
تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَٰكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Those Messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour [There is a two-fold sense: they were raised to high posts of honour, and they rose by degrees]); and to 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus [ "Holy spirit", according to commentators signifies Jibreel (Gabriel)]. If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes.
*COMMENTARY*
Different gifts and different modes of procedure are prescribed to Allāh's Messengers in different ages, and perhaps their degrees are different though it is not for us mortals, with our imperfect knowledge, to make any difference between one and another of Allāh's Messengers (Sūra Al-Baqarah, verse 136). As this winds up the argument about fighting, three illustrations are given from the past, how it affected Allāh's Messengers. To Moses Allāh spoke directly: he led his men for forty years through the wilderness, mainly fighting against the unbelief of his own people; he organised them to fight with the sword for Palestine, but was raised to Allāh's mercy before his enterprise ripened, and it fell to Joshua to carry out his plan. David was chosen by Allāh (Sub-haanahu wata'aala). He overthrew the greatest warrior of his time, became a king, a Prophet and waged successful wars. 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. Gentle than Jesus, he organised on a vaster scale than Moses, and from Madīnah he ruled and gave laws, and the Qur-ān has a vaster scope than the Scriptures before.
If some power of choice was to be given to man, his selfishness inevitably caused divisions. It must not be supposed that it frustrates Allāh's Plan. He carries it out as He will.
﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 254:*
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).
*COMMENTARY*
Spend, i.e give away in charity, or employ in good works, but do not hoard. Good works would in Islam include everything that advances the good of one that is in need whether a neighbour or a stranger or that advances the good of the community, or even the good of the person himself to whom Allāh has given the bounty. But it must be real good and there should be admixture of baser motives, such as vainglory, or false indulgence, or encouragement of idleness, or playing off one person against another. The bounties include mental and spiritual gifts as well as wealth and material gifts.
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