The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And when We took a covenant from the prophets, and from you, and from Noah, and from Abraham, and from Moses, and from Jesus, the son of Mary, and We took from them a solemn covenant”
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Then Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab: 7]. It is derived from this noble verse the greatness of the responsibility upon the prophets (peace be upon them). The indication of this is that Allah singled them out by taking the covenant. Also derived from it, as a branch of this benefit, is the greatness of the responsibility upon the people of knowledge. How is that? Because they are the heirs of the prophets.
It is also derived from it that whoever Allah has blessed with a blessing, Allah has a specific gratitude for it, other than the general blessing. This is due to His saying:. The addition here indicates specification, specifying the covenant that is particular to them. Whoever Allah has blessed with a blessing, Allah has a covenant with him regarding it to act upon this blessing. With this explanation, we accept what the author mentioned, that the covenant here refers to the covenant taken from them from the back of their father Adam. If Allah has blessed you with a blessing, then this is a covenant He gave you, so give it to Him. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah: 40]. What is this covenant that Allah mentioned? He mentioned it in Surat al-Ma'idah: [Al-Ma'idah 5:12]. Look at the image of the contract: [Al-Ma'idah: 12]. This is a covenant and a pledge. So the covenant of the prophets (peace be upon them) is a great responsibility, which is conveying the message, acting upon it, and calling to it.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is the virtue of these five noble prophets. May Allah have mercy on you. The indication is their being singled out by mention. Singling out individuals from the general by mention indicates the honor of that singled-out one.
Among its benefits is that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of these five. What is the indication? His being mentioned before them, even though he was later than them in time. Had they been equal in virtue, the requirement of the situation would have been that they be mentioned according to chronological order.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that the order of these in virtue is Muhammad, then Abraham, then Moses, then Jesus. Pay attention.
Is this benefit taken from the verse or not? The one who says it is taken, explain his point of view?
The student: What distinguished these four is that they arranged them in chronological order.
The Shaykh : What is the order of virtue?
The student: It is merely a report about the order of virtue.
The Shaykh : Yes, but the precedence in mention undoubtedly indicates care and superiority and the like. It must have a reason. It appears to me that it is not derived from the verse, because we do not know that Abraham is better than Noah except by external evidence. Or not? It is true that we know that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of them, because if the intention was chronological order, he would have been the last of them. But the verse came after mentioning Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), then Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. This is chronological and does not indicate the order of virtue.
The student: ...external?
The Shaykh : No, the external evidence is clear.
The scholars differed on which is better, Jesus or Noah, after agreeing that Muhammad is the best, then Abraham, then Moses. But they differed on which is better, Jesus or Noah? Some of them said that Noah is better because he is the first messenger Allah sent, and because he endured from his people what no one else endured, as he remained with them for a thousand years except fifty years, and their response to his calling them was nothing but fleeing, and refuge is sought in Allah, and mockery. And some of them said, rather, Jesus is better, because he (peace be upon him) was also harmed until he was threatened with killing, until it was said that he was killed. The Jews think that they saved themselves when they killed the one in whom Allah cast the likeness of Jesus. And they said: [An-Nisa: 157]. And I hold the position of suspension in this, because each of them has a merit in which he is better than the other.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is the emphasis of the responsibility upon the prophets, due to His saying: [Al-Ahzab: 7].
Among the benefits of the verse is the greatness of the Lord (Mighty and Majestic). How is that? Speaking about Himself with the pronoun of majesty:[An-Nisa 4:154]. And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) sometimes speaks about Himself with the pronoun of majesty and sometimes with the pronoun of singularity, and this is common in the Qur'an. There is no need to mention examples because it is clear.
And [mention, O Muhammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنْكَ وَمِنْ نُوح...إلى آخرهIt is also derived from it that whoever Allah has blessed with a blessing, Allah has a specific gratitude for it, other than the general blessing. This is due to His saying:
their covenant
ميثاقهمO Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me]
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْAnd Allah had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, "I am with you
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْIf you establish prayer and give zakah and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allah a goodly loan, I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow
لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنْتُمْ بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُAmong the benefits of this noble verse is the virtue of these five noble prophets. May Allah have mercy on you. The indication is their being singled out by mention. Singling out individuals from the general by mention indicates the honor of that singled-out one.
Among its benefits is that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of these five. What is the indication? His being mentioned before them, even though he was later than them in time. Had they been equal in virtue, the requirement of the situation would have been that they be mentioned according to chronological order.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that the order of these in virtue is Muhammad, then Abraham, then Moses, then Jesus. Pay attention.
Is this benefit taken from the verse or not? The one who says it is taken, explain his point of view?
The student: What distinguished these four is that they arranged them in chronological order.
The Shaykh : What is the order of virtue?
The student: It is merely a report about the order of virtue.
The Shaykh : Yes, but the precedence in mention undoubtedly indicates care and superiority and the like. It must have a reason. It appears to me that it is not derived from the verse, because we do not know that Abraham is better than Noah except by external evidence. Or not? It is true that we know that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of them, because if the intention was chronological order, he would have been the last of them. But the verse came after mentioning Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), then Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. This is chronological and does not indicate the order of virtue.
The student: ...external?
The Shaykh : No, the external evidence is clear.
The scholars differed on which is better, Jesus or Noah, after agreeing that Muhammad is the best, then Abraham, then Moses. But they differed on which is better, Jesus or Noah? Some of them said that Noah is better because he is the first messenger Allah sent, and because he endured from his people what no one else endured, as he remained with them for a thousand years except fifty years, and their response to his calling them was nothing but fleeing, and refuge is sought in Allah, and mockery. And some of them said, rather, Jesus is better, because he (peace be upon him) was also harmed until he was threatened with killing, until it was said that he was killed. The Jews think that they saved themselves when they killed the one in whom Allah cast the likeness of Jesus. And they said:
Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah
إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِAmong the benefits of this noble verse is the emphasis of the responsibility upon the prophets, due to His saying:
and We took from them a solemn covenant.
وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًاAmong the benefits of the verse is the greatness of the Lord (Mighty and Majestic). How is that? Speaking about Himself with the pronoun of majesty: