Surah al-Anbiya' (The Prophets ) 21 : 7
Translations
Pickthall
Yusuf Ali
Qur'an Dictionary
Click word/image to view Qur'an Dictionary | ||
---|---|---|
Word | Arabic word | |
(21:7:1) |
||
(21:7:2) arsalnā We sent |
||
(21:7:3) qablaka before you |
||
(21:7:4) illā except |
||
(21:7:5) rijālan men |
||
(21:7:6) nūḥī We revealed |
||
(21:7:7) ilayhim to them |
||
(21:7:8) fasalū So ask |
||
(21:7:9) ahla (the) people |
||
(21:7:10) l-dhik'ri (of) the Reminder |
||
(21:7:11) |
||
(21:7:12) kuntum you |
||
(21:7:13) |
||
(21:7:14) taʿlamūna know |
Explanatory Note
In His infinite wisdom, God chose His messengers from among human beings. They received His revelations and called on people to believe in Him on the basis of such revelations. Those noble messengers of God were men with human bodies. God did not make them of a special type, so as not to eat food. Food is a basic necessity for human survival, and God’s messengers, who were human, were not immortal. Such is the law God has set, and if those Arabs were unaware of it, then they should ask the people who received earlier revelations, because they knew earlier prophets.
Furthermore, were the messenger to be an angel, people would have no motivation to follow his example in their life’s details. They would feel that he belonged to a different race with a totally different nature. They will remain unable to follow his suit in their daily life. Needless to say, God’s messengers have always provided their peoples with a good example to follow.
Furthermore, such a suggestion betrays ignorance of the honour God has bestowed on mankind. For He chose His messengers from among them, providing them with contact with the Supreme Society of heaven as they received instructions and revelations from Him.