Surah Al-Baqara 2:253 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 253 / 286 · Page 42

ۘ ۖ ۚ ۗ ۚ تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى 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 وَلَكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ

Word by Word

ۘ
ۖ
ۚ
ۗ
ۚ
تِلْكَ
til'ka
These
الرُّسُلُ
al-rusulu
(are) the Messengers
فَضَّلْنَا
faddalna
We (have) preferred
بَعْضَهُمْ
ba'dahum
some of them
عَلَى
ala
over
بَعْضٍ
ba'din
others
مِّنْهُم
min'hum
Among them
مَّن
man
(were those with) whom
كَلَّمَ
kallama
spoke
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
وَرَفَعَ
warafa'a
and He raised
بَعْضَهُمْ
ba'dahum
some of them
دَرَجَاتٍ
darajatin
(in) degrees
وَآتَيْنَا
waatayna
And We gave
عِيسَى
isa
Isa
ابْنَ
ib'na
son
مَرْيَمَ
maryama
(of) Maryam
الْبَيِّنَاتِ
al-bayinati
the clear proofs
وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ
wa-ayyadnahu
and We supported him
بِرُوحِ
biruhi
with Spirit
الْقُدُسِ
al-qudusi
[the] Holy
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَاءَ
shaa
(had) willed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
مَا
ma
not
اقْتَتَلَ
iq'tatala
(would have) fought each other
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
مِن
min
(came) from
بَعْدِهِم
ba'dihim
after them
مِّن
min
from
بَعْدِ
ba'di
after
مَا
ma
[what]
جَاءَتْهُمُ
jaathumu
came to them
الْبَيِّنَاتُ
al-bayinatu
the clear proofs
وَلَكِنِ
walakini
[And] but
اخْتَلَفُوا
ikh'talafu
they differed
فَمِنْهُم
famin'hum
[so] of them
مَّنْ
man
(are some) who
آمَنَ
amana
believed
وَمِنْهُم
wamin'hum
and of them
مَّن
man
(are some) who
كَفَرَ
kafara
denied
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَاءَ
shaa
(had) willed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
مَا
ma
not
اقْتَتَلُوا
iq'tatalu
they (would have) fought each other
وَلَكِنَّ
walakinna
[and] but
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
يَفْعَلُ
yaf 'alu
does
مَا
ma
what
يُرِيدُ
yuridu
He intends

Transliteration

Tilkar Rusulu faddalnaa ba'dahum 'alaa ba'd; minhum man kallamal laahu wa rafa'a ba'dahum darajaat; wa aatainaa 'Eesab na Maryamal baiyinaati wa ayyadnaahu bi Roohil Qudus; wa law shaaa'al laahu maqtatalal lazeena mimba'dihim mim ba'di maa jaaa'athumul baiyinaatu wa laakinikh talafoo faminhum man aamana wa minhum man kafar; wa law shaaa'al laahu maq tataloo wa laakinnallaaha yaf'alu maa yureed (

Translation

Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah 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. If Allah 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 Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

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.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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