سورة الإسراء، الآية ٢١
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَٰتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا ٢١
unẓur kayfa faḍḍalnā baʿḍahum ʿalā baʿḍin walalākhiratu akbaru darajātin wa-akbaru tafḍīlan
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.
Verse 21 of Surah Al-Isra (17:21), a Meccan surah, is in juz 15, on page 284 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
79 recitations by 73 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
O Messenger, reflect about how we favoured some over others in the world in respect of provision and rank. Yet the Hereafter is greater in the disparity between the ranks of luxury than that of the world, and greater in favours, so a believer should be eager for that.
See how We have favored some over others [in this world], but the Hereafter has higher ranks and greater degrees of excellence for some over others19.
[19] In beauty, wealth, power, knowledge, etc; as a test for them, to see how they react.
See how We prefer one above another (in this world), and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment.
See how We prefer one of them above another, and verily the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment.
See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; but verily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradation and more in excellence.
See how We have made some of them to excel others, and certainly the hereafter is much superior in respect of excellence.
Look how We have graced some of them over the others, (Literally: over some "others") and indeed the Hereafter is greater in degrees and greater with marked graciousness.
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
And they will approach one another asking [i.e., blaming] each other.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.
وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ
Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
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
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.
