Surah Al-Baqarah 2:47
ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ
O Children of Israel, remember My favor that I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.
Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:47
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 2:47
Al-Baqarah: (47) O Children of Israel...
Know that Allah (Exalted is He) repeated this address as an emphasis of the argument against them, and as a warning against abandoning the following of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Then, He followed it with a threat, which is His saying:
{And fear a Day} [Al-Baqarah: 48]
It is as if He is saying: If you do not obey Me for the sake of the past blessings I bestowed upon you, then obey Me out of fear of My punishment in the future.
As for His saying: {And that I preferred you over the worlds}, a question arises: This implies that they must be superior to Muhammad (peace be upon him), which is false by consensus. The answer to this is in several ways:
First: A group said that the word *al-'ālamīn* (the worlds) refers to a large gathering of people, like saying, "I saw an *ālam* (multitude) of people." The meaning here is "the many," not "all." This view is weak because the word *al-'ālam* is derived from *al-'ilm* (knowledge), which is evidence (*dalīl*). Everything that serves as evidence for Allah (Exalted is He) is considered an *ālam* (a world/realm of knowledge). This supports the view of the theologians: the *ālam* is every existing thing other than Allah. Based on this definition, it is impossible to restrict the term to only some created beings.
Second: The intended meaning is that they were preferred over the people of their time (*'ālamī zamānihim*). This is because the person who would exist later—who does not exist now—was not part of the *'ālamīn* during his non-existence, as a condition for being part of the *'ālamīn* is existence. A thing in its state of non-existence is not existent, and thus is not among the *'ālamīn*. Since Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not exist at that time, that time period was not among the *'ālamīn*. Therefore, their being superior to the *'ālamīn* of that time does not necessitate their superiority over Muhammad (peace be upon him) at that time.
This is also the answer regarding His saying:
{When He made among you prophets and made you kings and gave you what He had not given any of the worlds} [Al-Mā’idah: 20]
And His saying:
{And We have chosen them with knowledge over the worlds} [Ad-Dukhān: 32]
He meant the people of their time ('ālamī dhālik az-zamān). They were only superior to others by what they were given of kingship, prophethood, and divine books.
Third: The statement **{And that I preferred you over the worlds}** is general concerning the worlds, but it is *unrestricted* regarding the type of preference. For an unrestricted statement, its truth is satisfied by a single instance. Thus, the verse indicates that the Children of Israel were preferred over the worlds in *a certain matter*. This does not require that they be superior to all beings in *all* matters. Perhaps, even if they were superior to others in one matter, others might be superior to them in matters other than that one.
In light of this, it becomes clear that one cannot use His saying:
{Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds} [Āl 'Imrān: 33]
as proof that the Prophets are superior to the Angels.
Here remain some discussions:
Discussion One:
Ibn Zayd said that the intended meaning was the believers among them, because their transgressors were transformed into apes and pigs, as stated in:
{And He made of them apes and pigs} [Al-Mā’idah: 60]
And:
{Cursed were those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved} [Al-Mā’idah: 78]
Discussion Two:
All that Allah (Exalted is He) addressed the Children of Israel with is a reminder for the Arabs, because the virtue associated with the Prophet has now reached them. All the stories of the Prophets serve as admonition and guidance. Allah (Exalted is He) said:
{Those who listen to the word and follow the best of it} [Az-Zumar: 18]
And:
{And follow the best of what was sent down to you from your Lord} [Az-Zumar: 55]
And:
{Indeed, in their stories was a lesson for those of understanding} [Yūsuf: 111]
For this reason, Qatādah narrated that 'Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb used to say: "By Allah, the Children of Israel have passed away, and what you hear will not benefit anyone other than yourselves."
Discussion Three:
Al-Qaffāl said: The word "Ni'mah" (with a kasra on the nūn) means a favor or a gift that one bestows upon another, as in His saying:
{And that is a favor you mention to me} [Ash-Shu'arā': 22]
As for "Na'mah" (with a fatḥa on the nūn), it is what one enjoys in livelihood, as in His saying:
{And a comfort they were living in, enjoying themselves} [Ad-Dukhān: 27]
Discussion Four:
His saying:
{And that I preferred you over the worlds}
Indicates that Allah is not obligated to observe what is best (al-aṣlaḥ) either in this world or in religion. This is because the statement {And that I preferred you over the worlds} encompasses all blessings of this world and religion. This preference must either be obligatory or not obligatory. If it were obligatory, it would not be permissible to count it as a favor upon them, because one who fulfills an obligation has no favor to claim over anyone. If it is not obligatory, yet Allah (Exalted is He) singled out some people with it while excluding others, this indicates that observing what is best is not obligatory, neither in this world nor in religion.
If it is argued: Why did He single them out with great worldly blessings, which suggests He should also single them out with great blessings in the Hereafter, as it is said: "Completing a kindness is better than initiating it." Why then did He follow this with severe warning in {And fear a Day}?
The answer is: Because disobedience, when accompanied by great blessings, becomes more ugly and heinous; therefore, He warned them against it.
Discussion Five:
Regarding clarifying which group of the 'ālamīn is superior, meaning which one has gathered more qualities of goodness. Know that this is a matter of intense dispute among the inhabitants of various regions, where every sect claims to be the best and to have gathered the most perfect attributes. We will point to the core issues in this chapter with the success and aid of Allah (Exalted is He).
**{And fear a Day when no soul will avail another soul at all, nor will any compensation be accepted from it, nor will intercession be of any benefit to it, nor will they be helped.}** (7)