Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 253 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:253

۞ تِلْكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۘ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَـٰتٍ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ ۗ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ

“Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allāh 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 [i.e., Gabriel]. If Allāh 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 Allāh had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allāh does what He intends.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Allah raised some messengers above others; those after them fought despite clear proofs, and had He willed they would not have.

A reflection

He could have stopped it

For years a woman has prayed every night for peace in the country her parents fled. The fighting goes on. One night she asks, almost angrily: Allah could end this in a moment. Why doesn't He?

The ayah says the same thing twice, so that no one misses it. 'Had Allah willed, those after them would not have fought'. And again: 'had Allah willed, they would not have fought'. Then it closes: 'but Allah does what He intends'.

A classical commentator reads it plainly: all of it happens by His decree. A modern commentary explains: He grants success to whom He wills, and forsakes whom He wills; He does what He wills and chooses.

This is majesty that refuses to be audited. The ego quietly assumes that if it were in charge, it would run the world better. It would stop the wars, fix the families, convert the doubters. The ayah does not deny that Allah could do exactly that. It says He has not, and that He does what He intends.

That is humbling, and also steadying. It means the conflicts we see are not escaping His control. Nothing is happening that He could not have prevented. His wisdom in allowing it may be hidden from us, but His power over it is not in question.

Does Allah need us to accept that He does what He wills? He is free of all need (35:15). We need it. Only those who accept it can keep praying for a war-torn land without despair.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.