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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 253

سورة البقرة، الآية ٢٥٣

2:253 Juz 3 Hizb 5 Page 42 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:253

تِلْكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَٰتٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ وَلَٰكِنِ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ ۝٢٥٣

Transliteration

til'ka l-rusulu faḍḍalnā baʿḍahum ʿalā baʿḍin min'hum man kallama l-lahu warafaʿa baʿḍahum darajātin waātaynā ʿīsā ib'na maryama l-bayināti wa-ayyadnāhu birūḥi l-qudusi walaw shāa l-lahu mā iq'tatala alladhīna min baʿdihim min baʿdi mā jāathumu l-bayinātu walākini ikh'talafū famin'hum man āmana wamin'hum man kafara walaw shāa l-lahu mā iq'tatalū walākinna l-laha yafʿalu mā yurīdu

Translation

Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allāh spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel]. If Allāh had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allāh had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allāh does what He intends.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 253 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253), a Medinan surah, is in juz 3, on page 42 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.

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Tafsir of verse 253

Al-Mukhtasar

Allah favoured some of those messengers mentioned to you over others with respect to their revelation, followers and ranks. Some of them Allah spoke to, such as Moses, and others He granted a high rank, such as Muhammad (peace be upon him) – who was sent to the entire humankind as the last of the prophets and whose nation was preferred over all other communities. Allah gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear miracles confirming his prophethood, such as bringing the dead to life and curing the leper and the blind; and supported him with the angel Gabriel to give him strength in fulfilling Allah’s instruction. If Allah had willed, those that came after the messengers would not have fought amongst themselves after having received clear signs; but they disagreed and were divided. Some of them had faith in Allah, whilst others did not. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought with each other; but Allah does as He wills: He guides whomever He wills to faith through His mercy and grace, and He does not guide whomever He wishes by His justice and wisdom.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 253

Those messengers: We favored some over others. There are some to whom Allah spoke140, and some He raised high in rank141. To Jesus, son of Mary, We gave clear signs and supported him with the Holy Spirit142. If Allah had willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after receiving clear signs. But they differed – some believed and some disbelieved. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought one another, but Allah does what He wills.

Notes

[140] Such as Moses (عليه السلام). [141] Such as Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
[142] Miracles and the Evangel (Gospel).

Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allâh spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour); and to ‘Îsâ (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidence, and supported him with Rûh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. If Allâh had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allâh had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved. If Allâh had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allâh does what He likes.

Of those messengers, some of whom We have caused to excel others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake, while some of them He exalted (above others) in degree; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) and We supported him with the holy Spirit. And if Allah had so wiled it, those who followed after them would not have fought one with another after the clear proofs had come unto them. But they differed, some of them believing and some disbelieving. And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another; but Allah doeth what He will.

Those messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (Signs) had come to them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah Fulfilleth His plan.

We have made some of these messengers to excel the others among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We gave clear miracles to Isa son of Marium, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah brings about what He intends.

Those are the Messengers; We have graced some of them over some others; of them (there are some) to whom Allah spoke, and some He raised in degrees. And We brought Isa son of Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) the supreme evidences and aided him with the Spirit of Holiness. (The Angel Jibril) And if Allah had (so) decided, the ones who (came) after them would not have fought against each other, after the supreme evidences had come to them. But they differed among themselves. So of them are the ones who believed, and of them are the ones who disbelieved. And if Allah had (so) decided, they would not have fought against each other; but Allah performs whatever He wills.

Verse 253 word by word

  1. تِلْكَ til'ka These
  2. ٱلرُّسُلُ l-rusulu (are) the Messengers ر س ل
  3. فَضَّلْنَا faḍḍalnā We (have) preferred ف ض ل
  4. بَعْضَهُمْ baʿḍahum some of them ب ع ض
  5. عَلَىٰ ʿalā over
  6. بَعْضٍ baʿḍin others ب ع ض
  7. مِّنْهُم min'hum Among them
  8. مَّن man (were those with) whom
  9. كَلَّمَ kallama spoke ك ل م
  10. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah
  11. وَرَفَعَ warafaʿa and He raised ر ف ع
  12. بَعْضَهُمْ baʿḍahum some of them ب ع ض
  13. دَرَجَٰتٍ darajātin (in) degrees د ر ج
  14. وَءَاتَيْنَا waātaynā And We gave أ ت ي
  15. عِيسَى ʿīsā Isa
  16. ٱبْنَ ib'na son ب ن ي
  17. مَرْيَمَ maryama (of) Maryam
  18. ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ l-bayināti the clear proofs ب ي ن
  19. وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ wa-ayyadnāhu and We supported him أ ي د
  20. بِرُوحِ birūḥi with Spirit ر و ح
  21. ٱلْقُدُسِ l-qudusi [the] Holy ق د س
  22. وَلَوْ walaw And if
  23. شَآءَ shāa (had) willed ش ي أ
  24. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah
  25. مَا mā not
  26. ٱقْتَتَلَ iq'tatala (would have) fought each other ق ت ل
  27. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those who
  28. مِنۢ min (came) from
  29. بَعْدِهِم baʿdihim after them ب ع د
  30. مِّنۢ min from
  31. بَعْدِ baʿdi after ب ع د
  32. مَا mā [what]
  33. جَآءَتْهُمُ jāathumu came to them ج ي أ
  34. ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ l-bayinātu the clear proofs ب ي ن
  35. وَلَٰكِنِ walākini [And] but
  36. ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ ikh'talafū they differed خ ل ف
  37. فَمِنْهُم famin'hum [so] of them
  38. مَّنْ man (are some) who
  39. ءَامَنَ āmana believed أ م ن
  40. وَمِنْهُم wamin'hum and of them
  41. مَّن man (are some) who
  42. كَفَرَ kafara denied ك ف ر
  43. وَلَوْ walaw And if
  44. شَآءَ shāa (had) willed ش ي أ
  45. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah
  46. مَا mā not
  47. ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ iq'tatalū they (would have) fought each other ق ت ل
  48. وَلَٰكِنَّ walākinna [and] but
  49. ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
  50. يَفْعَلُ yafʿalu does ف ع ل
  51. مَا mā what
  52. يُرِيدُ yurīdu He intends ر و د

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3398

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'People will be struck unconscious on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first to regain consciousness, and behold! There I will see Moses holding one of the pillars of Allah's Throne. I will wonder whether he has become conscious before me of he has been exempted…

النَّاسُ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِمُوسَى آخِذٌ بِقَائِمَةٍ مِنْ قَوَائِمِ الْعَرْشِ، فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَفَاقَ قَبْلِي، أَمْ جُوزِيَ بِصَعْقَةِ الطُّورِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri + 8 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 3416

It is not proper for a servant of Allah to say: I am better than Yūnus ibn Matta

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be please with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is not proper for a servant of Allah to say: “I am better than Yūnus ibn Matta." And he linked him to his father.

لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِعَبْدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 4 other versions Explained

Verses related to verse 253

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Isra 17:55

    وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا

    And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:87

    وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ

    And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel]. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.

  • As-Saffat 37:27

    وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

    And they will approach one another asking [i.e., blaming] each other.

  • As-Saffat 37:50

    فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

    And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.

  • At-Tur 52:25

    وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

    And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.

  • Al-Qalam 68:30

    فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ

    Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

  • Al-Isra 17:21

    ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَٰتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا

    Look how We have favored [in provision] some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in distinction.

All similar verses of Surah Al-Baqarah

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