The Holy Quran, like a radiant torch, illuminates the path of guidance by addressing peoples and nations. Verse 47 of Surah Al-Baqarah, through the repeated address to the Children of Israel and the emphasis on divine blessings and their preference over all worlds, opens a window toward understanding their special status in the cosmic order and the history of religions. This treatise, consolidating the content of two lectures, embarks on a systematic and scholarly exploration of this verse, employing a refined and academic language to present a framework for analysing blessing, preference, and the responsibilities that arise therefrom. The objective is to elucidate the position of the Children of Israel within the monotheistic tradition, critique historical deviations, and examine the concept of the worlds in the Holy Quran, designed for researchers and erudite audiences in theology, philosophy, and Quranic exegesis.
This work, by considering the linkage of Abrahamic religions and the pivotal role of religion in human history, analyses the concept of preference and its epistemological challenges. Its structure comprises systematic sections with specialised subtitles, each dedicated to an aspect of the verses interpretation and related analyses. Elegant metaphors and literary imagery have been employed to enrich the literary quality and scholarly appeal, whilst preserving the academic essence of the text.
Verse 47 of Surah Al-Baqarah reiterates the address يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ from verse 40, underscoring the importance of the Children of Israels attention to divine blessings. This repetition acts as a bell awakening the nation from heedlessness and calls them to remember their responsibilities.
Key Point: The repetition of the address O Children of Israel demonstrates the Qurans insistence on awakening this nation from negligence.
This address, by referring to the boundless divine blessings, invites the Children of Israel to reflect on their position within the cosmic order.
Verse 40 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by emphasising the fulfilment of the covenant (وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ; Fulfil My covenant, I will fulfil your covenant), provides a general framework for the relationship with God. In contrast, verse 47, by introducing the preference over the worlds, presents a specific example of divine blessings.
This difference is akin to transitioning from a general city map to the detailed layout of a street; each complements the other.
Key Point: Verse 47, by introducing preference, places a specific example of divine blessings against the general framework of verse 40.
The Children of Israel are the descendants of Jacob (nicknamed Israel), connected to Abraham through Isaac. This lineage demonstrates their place within the line of Abrahamic prophets, who are the inheritors of the monotheistic tradition.
This connection is like the roots of a tree from which the branches of Jews and Christians have grown.
Key Point: The Children of Israel, as heirs of the Abrahamic tradition, hold a pivotal role in the history of monotheistic religions.
The address to the Children of Israel in verse 47, with emphasis on divine blessings and the repetition from verse 40, provides a framework to understand the responsibilities of this nation. The thematic distinction between these two verses exemplifies the Qurans gradual approach to guidance. This section lays the groundwork for analysing preference and the status of the Children of Israel.
The noble verse under discussion:
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
Translation: O Children of Israel, remember My favour which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over all the worlds.
This verse explicitly presents the preference of the Children of Israel as a manifestation of divine blessings and places the responsibility of gratitude and righteous action upon them.
The preference of the Children of Israel over the worlds constitutes a prominent example of divine blessings that entails not only a distinctive privilege but also a heavy burden of responsibility. This preference is like a crown placed upon the head of sovereignty, yet it obliges justice and service.
Key Point: The preference of the Children of Israel is a blessing accompanied by the responsibility of gratitude and righteous deeds.
This superiority, within a specific temporal and spatial context, points to their guiding position in the history of religions.
Blessing denotes everything pleasant, sweet, and desirable that God grants to humans, encompassing both material and spiritual dimensions. A tradition is narrated: نِعْمَتَانِ مَجْهُولَتَانِ الصِّحَّةُ وَالْأَمَانُ (Two unknown blessings: health and safety).
Blessing resembles a stream that brings life to a barren land, yet human heedlessness conceals it from sight.
Key Point: Blessing encompasses all material and spiritual good requiring gratitude and attention.
Divine blessings, due to their vastness and subtlety, are innumerable, as the Quran states: وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا (Surah An-Nahl, 16:18: And if you should count the favour of Allah, you could not enumerate them). Humans, due to negligence, remain deprived of these blessings.
This heedlessness is like dust on a mirror that obscures the beauty of truth from sight.
Key Point: Heedlessness towards divine blessings obstructs humans from benefiting from limitless benevolence.
Verse 47 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by emphasising the blessing and preference of the Children of Israel, places a heavy responsibility of gratitude and righteous conduct upon this nation. The meaning of blessing and heedlessness frames the understanding of human position in the divine order. This section sets the stage for analysing the concept of the worlds and the challenges of preference.
The Jewish and Christian religions, as branches of the Abrahamic tradition, originate from the descendants of Abraham. The Holy Quran, by referring to مِلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (Surah Al-Hajj, 22:78: the religion of your father Abraham), introduces Abraham as the spiritual progenitor of monotheistic religions.
This universality is like a tree rooted in monotheism whose branches encompass diverse religions.
Key Point: Abrahamic religions, rooted in the monotheistic tradition, represent the universality of religion in human history.
Human history is inextricably intertwined with religion. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as spiritual progeny of the prophets, constitute the axis of monotheistic history. All humans, as descendants of Adam, stem from the prophets.
This connection resembles a river flowing from the source of monotheism, nourishing human civilisation.
Key Point: Human history is interwoven with religion and the prophetic tradition, originating from Adam and Abrahams descendants.
Despite their divine lineage, deviations such as Zionism among Abrahams descendants and figures like Shimar and Harmala among Adams descendants have emerged. These deviations result from carnal inclinations and neglect of divine blessings.
Such deviation is like a branch severed from a mighty tree, straying into darkness.
Key Point: Deviations among the descendants of the prophets arise from heedlessness and carnal desires, not from defects in their divine lineage.
Verse 47, in the context of the advent of Islam and the finality of prophethood, serves as a warning to the Children of Israel to awaken from negligence and cherish divine blessings. This warning is akin to a cry in the darkness of night awakening the slumbering.
Key Point: Verse 47 calls the Children of Israel to vigilance against heedlessness and commitment to divine blessings.
The Abrahamic religions, rooted in the monotheistic tradition, form the centre of human history. Deviations among the descendants of the prophets stem from heedlessness and carnal desire rather than deficiencies in divine lineage. Verse 47, through its warning to the Children of Israel, provides a framework to understand monotheistic responsibilities.
Al-Alamin is the true plural of Alam and encompasses all existential realms (material and spiritual, including the celestial hierarchies of Malakut, Jabarut, and Lahut). Traditional views, such as those of Al-Suyuti limiting the worlds to this world and the Hereafter, are inaccurate.
The worlds resemble an ocean encompassing all beings, from angels to humans.
Key Point: The worlds encompass all existential realms and are not restricted to this world and the Hereafter.
Preference is an ontological matter and must be applied to existent beings (not non-existents). The phrase فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
