אשקלון

&

المسافر

Ж

وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ

And Ismail and Elisha,

& > This is the last group, described as those -favoured above the peoples- it consists of four men who had all great misfortunes to contend with, and were concerned in the clash of nations, but they kept in the path of Allah, and came through above the clash of nations. Ismail was the eldest son of Abraham; when he was a baby, he and his mother had nearly died of thirst in the desert round Makkah; but they were saved by the well of Zamzam, and he became the founder of the new Arab nation. Elisha succeeded to the mantle of the Prophet Elias; he lived in troublous times for both the Jewish kingdoms (of Judah and Israel); there were wicked kings, and other nations were pressing in on them; but he performed many miracles, and some check was given to the enemies under his advice. The story of Yunus is well-known: he was swallowed by a fish or a whale, but was saved by Allah’s mercy: through his preaching, his city, Nineveh, was saved. Lot was contemporary and nephew of Abraham: when the city of Sodom was destroyed for its wickedness, he was saved as a just man.

وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا ۚ وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

And Jonah, and Lot:

And to all We gave

Favour above the nations,

وَمِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَانِهِمْ ۖ وَاجْتَبَيْنَاهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

(To them) and to their fathers,

And progeny and brethren:

We chose them,

And We guided them

To a straight Way.

ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

This is the Guidance

Of Allah: He giveth

That guidance to whom

He pleaseth of His worshippers.

If they were to join

Other gods with Him,

All that they did

Would be vain for them.

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ۚ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ

These were the men

To whom We gave

The Book, and Authority,

And Prophethood: if these

(Their descendants) reject them

& > the Book, and Authority and Prophethood entrusted to the Holy Prophet Muhammad and the Holy Household.

فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا بِهَا بِكَافِرِينَ

Behold! We shall entrust

Their charge to a new People

Who reject them not.

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ ۖ فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ ۗ قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَالَمِينَ

Those were the (prophets)

Who received Allah’s guidance:

Spread the guidance they received;

Say: No reward for this

Do I ask of you:

This is no less than

A Message for the nations.