Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 20

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Recall) when Mūsā said to his people, “O my people, remember the blessing of Allah upon you when He made prophets from among you, made you kings and gave you what He did not give to anyone in the worlds.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember˺ when Moses said to his people, “O my people! Remember Allah’s favours upon you when He raised prophets from among you, made you sovereign,[[ He rescued you from Egypt where the Pharaoh treated you like slaves and blessed you with freedom so you can manage your own affairs.]] and gave you what He had never given anyone in the world.[[ i.e., the miracles of splitting the sea, water coming out of the rock, manna and quails, and clouds shading them.]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when Moses said to his people, “O my people, remember the favor of Allah upon you when He appointed prophets from among you, made you sovereign, and gave you what He had not given any other people in the world.

A. J. Arberry

And when Moses said to his people, 'O my people, remember God's blessing upon you, when He appointed among you Prophets, and appointed you kings, and gave you such as He had not given to any being.

Abdul Haleem

Moses said to his people, ‘My people, remember God’s blessing on you: how He raised prophets among you and appointed kings for you and gave you what he had not given to any other people.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time Musa said unto his people: O my people! remember the favour of Allah on you when he made amongst you prophets and made princes, and vouchsafed unto you that which he vouchsafed not to anyone in the world.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Remember Moses said to his people; "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.

Abul Ala Maududi

Remember when Moses said to his people: 'My people, remember Allah's favour upon you when He raised Prophets amongst you and appointed you rulers, and granted to you what He had not granted to anyone else in the world.

Ahmed Ali

Remember when Moses said to his people: "O my people, remember the favours that God bestowed on you when He appointed apostles from among you, and made you kings and gave you what had never been given to any one in the world.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when Moosa said to his people, “O my people! Remember Allah’s favour upon you, that He created Prophets among you, and made you kings, and has now given you what He has not given to any one else in this world.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When Moses said to his people, ‘O my people, remember Allah’s blessing upon you when He appointed prophets among you, and made you kings, and gave you what none of the nations were given.

Ali Ünal

And (remember) when Moses warned his people, saying: "O my people! Remember God’s favor upon you, for He appointed among you Prophets, and appointed (among you) rulers (while in Egypt; and made you free to manage your own affairs), and He granted to you favors such as He had not granted to anyone else in the worlds.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (recall the time) when Moses said to his people, `O my people! remember Allâh´s blessings upon you when He raised Prophets among you and made you masters of your own affairs, and He gave you what He has not given to any other of your contemporary peoples.

English Literal

And when Moses said to his nation: "You my nation mention/remember God`s blessing/goodness on you when He put/created between you prophets, and He made you kings, and he gave you what he did not give anyone from the creations altogether/(universes).

Faridul Haque

And when Moosa said to his people, “O my people! Remember Allah’s favour upon you, that He created Prophets among you, and made you kings, and has now given you what He has not given to any one else in this world.”

Hamid S. Aziz

"O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you; and be not thrust back upon your hinder parts, for surely you retreat losers."

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: "O my people! Remember the Favour of Allah to you, when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns, in the past)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O People of the Book, indeed Our Messenger has come to you explaining to you after a cessation of the messengers, lest you say: There came not to us a bearer of good news nor a warner. So indeed a bearer of good news and a warner has come to you. And Allah is Possessor of power over all things.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when Musa said to his people: O my people! remember the favor of Allah upon you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (remember) when Moses said unto his people: O my people! Remember Allah's favour unto you, how He placed among you prophets, and He made you kings, and gave you that (which) He gave not to any (other) of (His) creatures.

Muhammad Sarwar

When Moses told his people, "Recall God's favors to you. He made Messengers and Kings out of your own people and gave you what He had not given to others-

Qaribullah & Darwish

(Remember) when Moses said to his people. 'Remember, my people, the favors which Allah has bestowed upon you. He has raised up Prophets among you, made you kings, and given you that which He has not given to any one of the worlds.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when Musa said to his people: "O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations (Al-`Alamin)."

Wahiduddin Khan

Remember when Moses said to his people, "O my people! Remember God's favour to you, He has raised up prophets among you, made you kings, and granted you [favours] such as He has not granted to anyone else in the world.

Talal Itani

When Moses said to his people, “O my people, remember God’s blessings upon you, when He placed prophets among you, and made you kings, and gave you what He never gave any other people.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when Moses said to his people, `O my people, remember God's favour to you, when He established among you, that is, from among you, prophets, and established you as kings, possessing servants and retinues, and gave you such as He had not given to any in all the worlds, in the way of manna and quails, the parting of the sea and other things.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Musa Reminds His People of Allah's Favors on Them; The Jews Refuse to Enter the Holy Land

Allah states that His servant, Messenger, to whom He spoke directly, Musa, the son of Imran, reminded his people that among the favors Allah granted them, is that He will give them all of the good of this life and the Hereafter, if they remain on the righteous and straight path.

Allah said,

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاء

And (remember) when Musa said to his people;"O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you, when He made Prophets among you,

for whenever a Prophet died, another rose among them, from the time of their father Ibrahim and thereafter.

There were many Prophets among the Children of Israel calling to Allah and warning against His torment, until `Isa was sent as the final Prophet from the Children of Israel. Allah then sent down the revelation to the Final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, from the offspring of Ismail, the son of Ibrahim, peace be upon them. Muhammad is the most honorable Prophet of all times.

Allah said next,

وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا

made you kings,

Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Ibn Abbas commented;

"Having a servant, a wife and a house."

In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"A wife and a servant,

وَاتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُوْتِ أَحَدًا مِّن الْعَالَمِينَ



and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations (Alamin),

means, during their time."

Al-Hakim said,

"Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Sahihs, but they did not collect it."

Qatadah said,

"They were the first people to take servants."

A Hadith states,

مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ امِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا بِحَذَافِيرِهَا

He among you who wakes up while healthy in body, safe in his family and having the provision for that very day, is as if the world and all that was in it were collected for him.

Allah's statement,
وَاتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُوْتِ أَحَدًا مِّن الْعَالَمِينَ
(and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations (Al-`Alamin)).

means, during your time, as we stated.

The Children of Israel were the most honorable among the people of their time, compared to the Greek, Copts and the rest of mankind.

Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَـهُمْ مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَـتِ وَفَضَّلْنَـهُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمينَ

And indeed We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, and the understanding of the Scripture and its laws, and the Prophethood; and provided them with good things, and preferred them above the nations (Al-`Alamin). (45;16)

Allah said,

لَّهُمْ قَالُواْ يَمُوسَى اجْعَلْ لَّنَأ إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ

إِنَّ هَـوُلاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

قَالَ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْغِيكُمْ إِلَـهًا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ

They said;"O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods." He said;"Verily, you are an ignorant people." (Musa added;) "Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idol worship)." And all that they are doing is in vain. He said;"Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the nations." (7;138-140)

Therefore, they were the best among the people of their time. The Muslim Ummah is more respected and honored before Allah, and has a more perfect legislative code and system of life, it has the most honorable Prophet, the larger kingdom, more provisions, wealth and children, a larger domain and more lasting glory than the Children of Israel. Allah said,

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ

Thus We have made you, a just (the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind. (2;143)

We mentioned the Mutawatir Hadiths about the honor of this Ummah and its status and honor with Allah, when we explained Allah's statement in Surah Al-Imran,
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ
(You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind...). (3;110)

Allah next says;