Selected Exegesis

In contrast to the racist prejudice of Jews and Christians in accepting only prophets sent from their own tribe, God Almighty commanded the Noble Prophet and other Muslims to believe in both specific prophethood and its message, as well as general prophethood and its message, without considering the race or tribe of the prophets, just as they believe in their own specific prophethood and its message, and not to differentiate between them.

Muslims should say: We believe in God Almighty and in all the teachings revealed by Him. Of course, belief in “what God has sent down” (mā anzala Allāh) is a necessary part of belief in “God” (Allāh). The precedence and separate mention of belief in God in this noble verse is due to the innate nature of monotheism and its importance.

The Qur’an is dominant over all previous books and scriptures, and human society is also commanded to believe in previous prophets like Abraham because of this final written proof of God. For this reason, the Qur’an precedes “what was sent down to Abraham…” (mā unzila ilā Ibrāhīm).

The Qur’an, which is the most complete book of divine teachings, while being revealed to the Noble Prophet and for the guidance of people, has also been sent down to the people, and from its source of descent to the hearing of humans, its revelatory nature is preserved. The only difference is in receiving it directly or indirectly.

The believers, who are obedient and submissive to God Almighty, believe in what was revealed to the prophets and in everything given to them, from the status of prophethood to the book and miracles and the like. They do not differentiate between any of the prophets in the principle of prophethood, in a way that they would consider some to be right and others to be wrong, or believe in one of them or their book and not believe in another.

Some prophets have virtue and superiority over others in terms of the degree of their mission; however, there is no difference between them in general prophethood, and for this reason, the principle of prophethood is indivisible. Division in the chain of prophets is incompatible with belief in the origin.