تِلْكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَٰتٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ وَلَٰكِنِ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ
“Of those messengers, some of whom We have caused to excel others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake, while some of them He exalted (above others) in degree; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) and We supported him with the holy Spirit. And if Allah had so wiled it, those who followed after them would not have fought one with another after the clear proofs had come unto them. But they differed, some of them believing and some disbelieving. And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another; but Allah doeth what He will.” — M. M. Pickthall
According to Zemahşerî, the pronoun in this text refers to 'the messengers' (al-rusul) mentioned earlier in the verse; that is, the messengers are meant as the referent of the pronoun.
الضمير للرسل في قوله : من بعد الرسلAccording to Râzî, the difference in degrees in the phrase 'tilke ar-rusul' can be interpreted in terms of both the prophets' ranks and levels of honor (being a Khalil, the combination of kingdom and prophethood, subjugating jinn and humans), the variety of miracles given (the staff, the white hand, the parting of the sea, reviving the dead, the eloquence of the Qur'an), and worldly power and the multitude of their communities. It is noted that Muhammad holds the highest position in all three of these aspects. Furthermore, it is explained that the repetition in the verse (min kelleme, ba'duhum ala ba'd, wa ateyna) does not make it redundant because it carries emphasis and separate benefit.
أما إذا حملناها على المعجزات ففيه أيضا وجه ، لأن كل واحد من الأنبياء أوتي نوعا آخر من المعجزة لائقا بزمانهAccording to Kurtubî, the expression 'tilke' comes in the feminine form rather than 'zalika' out of respect for the grammatical gender of the word jamaat. Furthermore, the apparent contradiction between the statement in the verse indicating superiority among the prophets and the hadith that forbids the Prophet from claiming superiority is discussed; some scholars say this was a situation before the ruling on preference, while others say this prohibition was in the manner of humility. In this context, the view is transmitted that Muhammad's superiority over other prophets is not through deeds but through Allah's designation and preference.
وقد اختلف العلماء في تأويل هذا المعنى فقال قوم : إن هذا كان قبل أن يوحى إليه بالتفضيل وقبل أن يعلم أنه سيد ولد آدم وأن القرآن ناسخ للمنع من التفضيلAccording to Ibn Kesîr, the prophets mentioned in the verse are understood to be Musa and Muhammad (peace be upon them), as well as Adam; this matter is mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Dharr in Ibn Hibban's Sahih and in the Isra hadith. According to this exegete, there is no conflict between the hadith 'do not make preference among the prophets' and the evidence for the superiority of certain other prophets, because what is forbidden is claiming superiority without proof, based merely on whim and partisanship. In the text, this view is supported through five different explanations.
فإن المراد من ذلك هو التفضيل بمجرد التشهي والعصبية لا بمقتضى الدليل فإذا دل الدليل على شيء وجب إتباعه ولا خلاف أن الرسل أفضل من بقية الأنبياءAccording to this exegete, the preference of the prophets mentioned in the verse over one another was realized through each one being specially equipped with an excellence not found in the other. Musa distinguished himself through speaking with Allah, while Muhammad distinguished himself through universal preaching, many proofs, continuous miracles, and countless intellectual and practical virtues. Jesus is particularly mentioned because of his clear miracles and confirmation through the Holy Spirit, in order to counter both Jews and Christians from either excessively belittling or exalting him.
فضلنا بعضهم على بعض بأن خصصناه بمنقبة ليست لغيرهCommon ground
All exegetes unite in addressing the difference in degrees among the prophets in the verse; the common emphasis is that this difference is related to a unique excellence, miracle, or rank for each prophet and that this is meaningful preference rather than arbitrary. Furthermore, while Zemahşerî and Kurtubî prioritize a linguistic-rhetorical method in pronoun and word analysis, Râzî, Kurtubî, and Ibn Kesîr all attempt to resolve the apparent contradiction between the verse and the hadith 'do not make preference among the prophets,' and they converge in this resolution: what is forbidden is claiming superiority without proof or through partisanship; the preference in the verse, however, is through Allah's designation.
Differences
While Zemahşerî concentrates more on linguistic and pronoun analysis, Kurtubî adds to this fine grammatical points such as feminine-masculine agreement. Râzî elevates the issue to a discussion of predestination and theology, presenting a systematic three-dimensional framework of preference (rank, miracle, worldly power). Ibn Kesîr employs a narration-based method, clarifying who is meant by relying on specific hadith. Beydâvî, meanwhile, offers a shorter, contextual reading by summarizing each prophet's distinguishing characteristic. These differences reflect the methodological diversity between the schools of linguistic exegesis (Zemahşerî, Kurtubî), theological-logical exegesis (Râzî), exegesis based on narrations (Ibn Kesîr), and summary-contextual exegesis (Beydâvî).
Historical context
From the earlier period exegete Zemahşerî through Kurtubî, Râzî, Beydâvî, and finally Ibn Kesîr, a methodological diversification can be seen moving from linguistic analysis toward reconciliation through hadith; however, the fundamental message of the verse—that the difference in degrees among the prophets is based on wisdom—has remained constant. Over time, the discussion has deepened from purely linguistic explanation toward an effort to reconcile apparent contradictions between hadith and the verse.
This comparative reading reminds us that different excellences may not exist in everyone, but each can carry value in its own domain; this can also be connected to respect for differences in social life and a tolerant perspective. Furthermore, the fact that scholars of knowledge address the text through different methods can demonstrate the value of a multi-faceted and careful approach when approaching knowledge. The warning against exceeding bounds when making comparisons among prophets can also point to the importance of using measured and humble language when making judgments about people in our times.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar