Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:253-254

"Those messengers, We have favored some of them over others."

"Those messengers" A reference to the group of messengers whose stories were mentioned in the Surah, or those whose knowledge was established with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

"We have favored some of them over others" Because this necessitates their differentiation in merit and good deeds.

"Of them are those to whom Allah spoke" Among them is one whom Allah favored by speaking to him without an intermediary, namely Moses (peace be upon him). It is also recited as kallama Allahu (in the accusative). The Yamani reading is kālama Allahu (from mukālama—mutual conversation), which is supported by the term Kalīm Allah, meaning the one who conversed with Him.

"And He raised some of them in degrees" Meaning, among them is one whom He raised above all other prophets. Thus, after their varying degrees of merit, he was superior to them by many degrees. It is apparent that He intended Muhammad (ﷺ), for he is the one favored over them, having been given signs that no one else was given—signs reaching a thousand or more. Even if he had been given nothing but the Qur’an alone, it would have sufficed as a superior merit over all that the other prophets were given, for it is the miracle that remains throughout time, unlike other miracles.

In this ambiguity lies a magnification of his merit and an exaltation of his status that is evident, as it serves as a testimony that he is the "known entity" that cannot be mistaken and the "distinct one" who cannot be confused. It is like when one asks about a man who did a certain deed, and the reply is, "One of you" or "Some of you," intending the one who is known and famous for such deeds. This is more majestic than naming him explicitly and is more honorable for him. Al-Hutay'ah was asked about the greatest poet; he mentioned Zuhayr and Al-Nabigha, then said, "And if I wished, I could mention the third," intending himself. Had he said, "I would mention myself," he would not have magnified his status. It is also possible that He intended Abraham, Muhammad, and others among the messengers of strong resolve (ulu al-'azm).

Regarding the narration of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them): "We were in the mosque discussing the merit of the prophets. We mentioned Noah for his long worship, Abraham for his intimate friendship (khulla), Moses for Allah speaking to him, and Jesus for his ascension to heaven. We said, 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is better than them; he was sent to all people, his past and future sins were forgiven, and he is the Seal of the Prophets.' The Prophet (ﷺ) entered and asked, 'What are you in?' We told him, and he said, 'It is not fitting for anyone to say he is better than Jonah son of Matta,' and he mentioned that he never committed a sin nor intended one."

If you ask: Why were Moses and Jesus singled out from among the prophets? I say: Because of the great signs and overwhelming miracles they were given. Allah has clarified the aspect of favoring by making the act of speaking a merit and a sign among the signs. Since these two prophets were given such great signs, they were singled out in the context of favoring. This is clear evidence that whoever is increased in merit through signs is favored over others. Since our Prophet (ﷺ) was the one given more of these than anyone else in both quantity and magnitude, he is the one testified to as having attained the highest ranks of merit without dispute. O Allah, grant us his intercession on the Day of Judgment.

"And if Allah had willed" A will of compulsion and force.

"Those who succeeded them would not have fought" After the messengers, due to their differences in religion, the branching of their sects, and their declaring one another disbelievers.

"But they differed; some of them believed" By adhering to the religion of the prophets.

"And some of them disbelieved" By turning away from it.

"And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought" Repeated for emphasis. "But Allah does what He wills" of abandonment or protection.

"Spend from what We have provided you" He intends the obligatory spending, as it is connected to a warning: "Before there comes a day in which there is no exchange"—you will not be able to compensate for what you missed of spending, for there is no trade in which to buy what you need to spend, nor friendship (khulla) so that your friends might overlook your debts. If you want the obligatory duties on your record to be removed, you will find no intercessor to intercede for the removal of obligations, because intercession there is only for an increase in merit, nothing else.

"And the disbelievers are the wrongdoers" He meant: "Those who abandon Zakat are the wrongdoers." He said "the disbelievers" for intensification, just as He said at the end of Surah Al-Hajj: "And whoever disbelieves" (meaning whoever does not perform Hajj). This is because He made the abandonment of Zakat a trait of the disbelievers in His saying: "And woe to the polytheists, who do not give Zakat" (Fussilat: 6). It is also recited as lā bay'un fīhi wa-lā khullatun wa-lā shafā'atun (in the nominative).

"Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great."