Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (55) Surah: Al-Isrā’
وَرَبُّكَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَلَقَدۡ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورٗا
(55) [3614]Your Lord ˹Muhammad˺ Knows best those in the Heavens and Earth; We have favoured some Prophets over some and We granted Dāwūd ˹David˺[3615] a ˹Sacred˺ Writ[3616].
[3614] In His Infinite Wisdom, God Almighty knows about His creation in the Heavens and Earth; the purity or otherwise of their intentions, conditions, their deeds, life terms, what is best for them, those who deserve guidance and thus mercy, and those who deserve misguidance and thus punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samʿānī, Ibn Kathīr).
Some also deserve to be favoured over others in both moral and physical traits. This is a known fact, so why would the Deniers disrespect the fact that Muhammad (ﷺ) was given Prophethood and the Book (cf. al-Saʿdī): “And they said: “Why was this Qur’ān not sent down to a distinguished man, from either of the two towns ˹Makkah and Taif ˺?”” (43: 31) God Almighty knows best who deserves to be honoured with Messengership (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Allah knows best where He places His Message!” (6: 124)
[3615] Given the fact that not all the Noble Messengers were of the same calibre and people acknowledge the most notable of them, to wit, Abraham and Moses, the question is why was David cited here as a revealing example. It is said that this is so because David made a good case of God’s favouring of whomever He wishes with the great honour of Messengership. He was a mere shepherd who tended the sheep of the Children of Israel, thus coming from a very humble background, but when he killed Goliath, with God’s will, he was given this great honour: “They defeated them with Allah’s permission; Dāwūd ˹David˺ killed Jālūt and Allah gave him kingship and Wisdom and taught him of whatever He willed” (2: 251). Hence there is no point in the Makkans’ wonder at the Messengership of Muhammad (ﷺ) whom they only saw as a poor orphan who used to tend their sheep (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Another deep reasoning as to why David and His Psalms are taken as a case in hand, is that it hints at the Believers inheriting the land from their enemies as such a fact finds mention in the Psalms (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Psalms 37:29): “Indeed We wrote in the Psalms, as We did in the ˹earlier˺ Scripture: “My righteous servants shall inherit the land”” (21: 105).
[3616] al-Zabūr is the Book revealed to Prophet David (عليه السلام) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Originally al-zabūr is every book that contains wisdom (zubur for plural, 3: 184), a Sacred Writ.
Some also deserve to be favoured over others in both moral and physical traits. This is a known fact, so why would the Deniers disrespect the fact that Muhammad (ﷺ) was given Prophethood and the Book (cf. al-Saʿdī): “And they said: “Why was this Qur’ān not sent down to a distinguished man, from either of the two towns ˹Makkah and Taif ˺?”” (43: 31) God Almighty knows best who deserves to be honoured with Messengership (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Allah knows best where He places His Message!” (6: 124)
[3615] Given the fact that not all the Noble Messengers were of the same calibre and people acknowledge the most notable of them, to wit, Abraham and Moses, the question is why was David cited here as a revealing example. It is said that this is so because David made a good case of God’s favouring of whomever He wishes with the great honour of Messengership. He was a mere shepherd who tended the sheep of the Children of Israel, thus coming from a very humble background, but when he killed Goliath, with God’s will, he was given this great honour: “They defeated them with Allah’s permission; Dāwūd ˹David˺ killed Jālūt and Allah gave him kingship and Wisdom and taught him of whatever He willed” (2: 251). Hence there is no point in the Makkans’ wonder at the Messengership of Muhammad (ﷺ) whom they only saw as a poor orphan who used to tend their sheep (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Another deep reasoning as to why David and His Psalms are taken as a case in hand, is that it hints at the Believers inheriting the land from their enemies as such a fact finds mention in the Psalms (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Psalms 37:29): “Indeed We wrote in the Psalms, as We did in the ˹earlier˺ Scripture: “My righteous servants shall inherit the land”” (21: 105).
[3616] al-Zabūr is the Book revealed to Prophet David (عليه السلام) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Originally al-zabūr is every book that contains wisdom (zubur for plural, 3: 184), a Sacred Writ.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (55) Surah: Al-Isrā’
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.