Tafsir

The Chosen and the Best among the Prophets

Allah tells us about the virtues of His servants the Messengers and His Prophets: وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى وَالاٌّبْصَـرِ (And remember Our servants, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya`qub, Ulil-Aydi wal-Absar.) meaning, righteous deeds, beneficial knowledge, strength in worship and insight.

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى(Ulil-Aydi) "Of great strength and worship; وَالاٌّبْصَـرُ(wal-Absar) means, understanding of the religion." Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "They were given strength in worship and understanding of the religion." إِنَّآ أَخْلَصْنَهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ (Verily, We did choose them by granting them the remembrance of the Abode.) Mujahid said, "This means: We made them strive for the Hereafter, and there is nothing else for them besides that." As-Suddi also said, "The remembrance of the Hereafter and striving for it." Malik bin Dinar said, "Allah removed the love of this world from their hearts, and singled them out for land remembrance of the Hereafter." Qatadah said, "They used to remind the people about the Abode of the Hereafter and to strive for it." وَإِنَّهُمْ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ (And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best!) means, they are among those who have been elected and chosen, and they are the best and the chosen ones.

وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَـعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ (And remember Isma`il, Al-Yasa`, and Dhul-Kifl, all are among the best.) We have already discussed their characteristics and stories in detail in Surat Al-Anbiya', may peace be upon them, and there is no need to repeat it here. هَـذَا ذِكْرُ(This is a Reminder) means, a reminder to those who will be reminded. As-Suddi said, "This means the Holy Qur'an."

Commentary

The expression: أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ‌(translated as: men of strength and men of vision) literally means 'owners or possessors of hands and eyes.' The sense is that they devoted their physical and intellectual energies in remaining obedient to Allah Ta’ ala. When this is said, a hint is being released to the fact that the real end use of human body parts is no other but that they are spent or utilized in obedience to the Divine commands, and the those parts of the body that are not utilized in it, their existence or non-existence remains equal.

واذكر -أيها الرسول- عبادنا وأنبياءنا: إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب؛ فإنهم أصحاب قوة في طاعة الله، وبصيرة في دينه.

يقول تعالى مخبرا عن فضائل عباده المرسلين وأنبيائه العابدين : ( واذكر عبادنا إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب أولي الأيدي والأبصار ) يعني بذلك : العمل الصالح والعلم النافع والقوة في العبادة والبصيرة النافذة .قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس : ( أولي الأيدي ) يقول : أولي القوة ) والأبصار ) يقول : الفقه في الدين .وقال مجاهد : ( أولي الأيدي ) يعني : القوة في طاعة الله ) والأبصار ) يعني : البصر في الحق .وقال قتادة والسدي : أعطوا قوة في العبادة وبصرا في الدين .