Nabi - Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Aaron, Idris [Enoch]

19. Surah Maryam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ...   

19: 49.  When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah,

...وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا ﴿٤٩﴾

We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob,

and each one of them We made a prophet.

C2501. Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob are mentioned here as carrying on one line of Abraham's traditions. The other line was carried on by Isma'il, who is mentioned independently five verses lower down, as his line got special honour in the Holy Prophet of Islam. That is why his mention comes after that of Moses.

Cf. 21:72.

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا ﴿٥٠﴾

19: 50.  And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them,

and We granted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth.

C2502. Abraham and his son and grandson Isaac and Jacob, and their fine, maintained the banner of Allah's truth for many generations, and they won deservedly high praise-the praise of truth-on the tongues of men.

Abraham prayed that he should be praised by the tongue of truth among men to come in later ages: 26:84.

Ordinary praise may mean nothing: it may be due to selfish flattery on the part of others or artful management by the person praised. Praise on the tongue of sincere truth is praise indeed!

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِن رَّحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا ﴿٥٣﴾

19: 53.  And, out of Our Mercy, We gave him his brother Aaron, (also) a prophet.

C2505. Moses was diffident, and reluctant to go to Pharaoh as he had an impediment in his tongue, and he asked that his brother Aaron should be associated with him in his mission. Allah in His Mercy granted his request; 20:25-36.

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِدْرِيسَ...   

19: 56.  Also mention in the Book the case of Idris:

C2508. Idris is mentioned twice in the Quran, viz.; here and in 21:85, where he is mentioned among those who patiently persevered.

His identification with the Biblical Enoch, who "'walked with God' (Gen. 5:21-24), may or may not be correct. Nor are we justified in interpreting verse 57 here as meaning the same thing as in Gen. 5:24("God took him"), that he was taken up without passing through the portals of death.

All we are told is that he was a man of truth and sincerity, and a prophet, and that he had a high position among his people. It is this point which brings him in the series of men just mentioned; he kept himself in touch with his people, and was honoured among them.

Spiritual progress need not cut us off from our people, for we have to help and guide them. He kept to truth and piety in the highest station.

...إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا ﴿٥٦﴾

he was a man of truth (and sincerity), (and) a prophet:

وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا ﴿٥٧﴾

19: 57.  And We raised him to a lofty station.

Other versions:

19: 49 [Mary, Mecca 44]

Asad And after he had withdrawn from them and from all that they were worshipping instead of God, We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, and made each of them a prophet;

Yusuf Ali When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob and each one of them We made a prophet.

Pickthall So, when he had withdrawn from them and that which they were worshipping beside Allah. We gave him Isaac and Jacob. Each of them We made a Prophet.

Transliteration Falam ma tazalahum wa ma_ ya'budu_na min du_nil la_hi wahabna_ lahu_ is ha_qa wa ya'qu_b wa kul lan ja'alna_ nabiy ya_

[ Ali’s note: 2501 Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob are mentioned here as carrying on one line of Abraham's traditions. The other line was carried on by Isma'il, who is mentioned independently five verses lower down, as his line got special honour in the Holy Prophet of Islam. That is why his mention comes after that of Moses. Cf. xxi. 72. (19.49) ]

19: 50

Asad and We bestowed upon them [manifold] gifts out of Our grace, and granted them a lofty power to convey the truth [unto others].

Yusuf Ali And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them and We granted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth.

Pickthall And We gave them of Our mercy, and assigned to them a high and true renown.

Transliteration Wa wahabna_ lahum mir rahmatina_ wa ja'alna_ lahum lisa_na shidqin 'aliy ya_

[ Asad’s note 36: Lit., “a lofty language of truth” or “of truthfulness” – the term “lisan”

(“language” or “tongue”) being used here metonymically for what may be pronounced by the tongue (Zamakhshari). An alternative interpretation of the phrase, advanced by many commentators, is “granted them a lofty renown for truth” or “truthfulness”, or simply “ a most goodly renown”.]

[Ali’s note: 2502 Abraham and his son and grandson Isaac and Jacob, and their line, maintained the banner of Allah's truth for many generations, and they won deservedly high praise-the praise of truth-on the tongues of men. Abraham prayed that he should be praised by the tongue of truth among men to come in later ages: xxvi. 84. Ordinary praise may mean nothing: it may be due to selfish flattery on the part of others or artful management by the person praised. Praise on the tongue of sincere truth is praise indeed! (19.50) ]

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19:53

(19:53) and [how], out of Our grace, We

granted unto him his brother Aaron, to be a prophet [by his side] .

19: 56 [Maryam, mecca 44]

Asad And call to mind, through this divine writ, Idris. Behold he was a man of truth, a prophet,

Yusuf Ali Also mention in the Book the case of Idris: he was a man of truth (and sincerity) (and) a prophet:

Pickthall And make mention in the Scripture of Idris. Lo! he was a saint, a Prophet;

Transliteration Wadz kur fil kita_bi idris in nahu_ ka_na shid diqan nabiy ya_

19: 57

Asad whom We exalted onto a lofty station.

Yusuf Ali And We raised him to a lofty station.

Pickthall And We raised him to high station.

Transliteration Wa rafa'na_hu maka_nan 'aliy ya_

[See Asad’s note 41

note 42 As regards my rendering of ‘rafanahu’ as “whom We exalted”, see 3:55 and 4:158, where the same expression is used with reference to Jesus,………..]