Al-Hajj: (75-76) Allah Chooses...

Know that when the Almighty first presented matters related to Divinity (Uluhiyyah), He then mentioned here what pertains to Prophethood (Nubuwwat).

Muqatil said: Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah said, "Is the Reminder sent down upon him from among us?" In response to this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse.

Herein lie two questions:

The word {مِنْ} (min - from/of) implies partiality (tab'id). Therefore, His saying: {اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا} (Fāṭir: 1) suggests that the Messengers are only some of them, not all. However, His saying: {جَاعِلَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا} (implied context, referring to the general role) suggests that all angels are Messengers, leading to a contradiction.

The Answer: It is possible that what is mentioned here refers to those angels who were Messengers specifically to the children of Adam, such as the greatest angels: Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, and Azrael, along with the recording angels (may Allah's blessings be upon them). As for all angels, some of them serve as messengers to others (within the angelic hierarchy), thus resolving the contradiction.

In Sūrat Az-Zumar, He says: {لَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَاصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ} (Az-Zumar: 4). This indicates that any child (walad) He might have chosen would necessarily be among the chosen ones (muṣṭafā). This verse indicates that some angels and some humans are among the chosen ones. Combining the two verses implies the affirmation of a "child" (walad).

The Answer: His saying, {لَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَاصْطَفَى} indicates that every child must be chosen, but it does not indicate that every chosen one is a child. Therefore, the indication in this verse (that some angels/humans are chosen) does not necessitate that they are "children" of God.

There is another perspective on this verse: It is intended to rebuke those who worship anything other than Allah Almighty—specifically, those who worship angels. It is as if the Almighty refuted the claim of the idolaters in the previous verse, and in this verse, He refuted the claim of those who worship angels. He clarified that the high status of the angels is not because they are deities, but because Allah Almighty chose them due to their acts of worship. It is as if He clarified that they did not truly estimate Allah's worth when they made angels objects of worship alongside God.

Then, the Almighty clarified by saying: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ} (Indeed, Allah is Hearing, Seeing), meaning He hears what they say and sees what they do. This is why He followed it up with: {يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ} (He knows what is before them and what is behind them).

Some commentators said: "What is before them" refers to the affairs of the Hereafter, and "what is behind them" refers to the affairs of this world. Others said: "What is before them" refers to what has passed in this world, and "what is behind them" refers to what is yet to come.

He then followed this with: {وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ} (And to Allah all matters are returned). His saying: {يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ} points to His complete Knowledge, and His saying: {وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ} points to His complete Power and His singularity in Divinity and Judgment. Together, these statements encompass the utmost warning against proceeding toward disobedience.