Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:33-34)

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:33-34)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Maryam’s Ancestors

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ‎﴿٣٣﴾‏ ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ‎﴿٣٤﴾‏

3:33 Indeed, Allah (SWT) chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran above all people –

3:34 Descendants (that in purity, piety, and virtue), some of them (are taken) from others. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

Commentary: The word “Istafa” (اصْطَفَىٰ) means selecting the most excellent and purest part of something^[1], and it is translated as “select” or “chose.” According to verse 33, Allah (SWT) selected and exalted (إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ) Adam (AS), Noah (AS), and the descendants of Ibrahim (AS) and Imran (AS) above all people (عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ). Each had elite characters, abilities, knowledge, and wisdom to match their duties in teaching and guiding people. Nevertheless, each possessed unique traits, some mentioned in the subsequent paragraph.

Prophet Adam (AS) was the first human that Allah (SWT) created and appointed him as vicegerent on the earth. He also was the only human that angel prostrated before him.^[2].

Prophet Noah (AS) was the first Ulu’l-Azm Prophets [3]; he came with his own set of laws (Shari’a)^[4].

“Ala-Ibrahim” (آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ) refers to the family of Ibrahim, which encompasses Prophet Isaac (AS) and all prophets from his lineage who were sent to the Children of Israel, as well as Prophet Ismael (AS) and his righteous descendants, among whom is Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his Ahlul-Bayt (AS).

“Aal-i-Imran” (آلَ عِمْرَانَ) refers to the family of Imran. Imran could be either the father of the prophet Musa (AS) or Lady Maryam (SA). Seemingly, it refers to the father of Maryam (SA), as mentioned in verse 66:12 (At-Tahrim)^[5]. This view is justified since the subsequent verses of the chapter speak extensively about Maryam (SA) and Isa (AS)^[6].

Prophets Ibrahim (AS), Musa (AS), Isa (AS), and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) each had a sacred book and a divine law^[7]. In addition, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was the final and the master of all divine messengers.  It is worth mentioning two points:

Point 1: Verse 3:33 states that Allah (SWT) only chose and exalted Adam (AS), Noah (AS), the family of Ibrahim (AS), and Imran (AS). This statement does not imply that Allah (SWT) did not give excellence and precedence to other prophets whose names are not mentioned in verse 3:33^[8].

Point 2: Allah (SWT) exalted prophets and messengers above all people^[9]. However, He made some of the prophets exceed other prophets, as stated in Verse 17:55 (Al-Isra):

… وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۖ .. ‎﴿٥٥﴾

17:55 And We have made some of the prophets exceed others (in various ways).

Descendants (that in purity, piety, and virtue), some of them (are taken) from others. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

(that in purity, piety and virtue),

Verse 3:34 states, “(They were) descendants that some of them (in purity, piety and virtue) were taken) from others” (ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ). When something is taken from something else, it implies a substantial similarity between the two things. Hence, divine messengers share virtues that caused them to rise above other people in the eyes of Allah (SWT).

In the end, the verse says, “And Allah is Hearing and Knowing” (وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ). It highlights that Allah (SWT) is aware of their mind, sees their action, and hears their words:

… وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ‎﴿٣٤﴾‏

3:34 … And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

[1] Al-Mizan, Vol.3, P.257

[2] Al-Baqarah, 2:30-37

[3] The Ulu’l-Azm Prophets had their own set of laws (shari’a), and they were Prophet Noah, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa, and Mohammad

[4] Al-Baqara, 2:213

[5] At-Tahrim, 66:12 (وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ) And Maryam the daughter of Imran

[6] Al-Mizan, Vol.3, P.262

[7] Al-Ahqaf, 46:35 (فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ)

[8] Al-Mizan, Vol.3, P.261

[9] AL-Anam, 6:86 (وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ)