وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا ۚ وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِۦ دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ 84
Translations
And We gave to him [i.e., Abraham] Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good.
Transliteration
Wa wahabna lahu Ishaaqa wa Ya'qooba kullan hadayna wa Noohan hadayna min qablu wa min dhurriyyatihi Dawooda wa Sulaymana wa Ayyooba wa Yoosufa wa Moosa wa Haroona wa kadhalika najzee al-muhsineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's blessings upon Ibrahim (Abraham) by granting him righteous descendants and guiding them all to the straight path. The passage emphasizes that guidance and prophethood were bestowed upon Ibrahim's progeny—including Ishaq, Ya'qub, and through them, the great prophets Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, and Harun. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates the special honor of Ibrahim's lineage and concludes with the universal principle that Allah rewards those who do good (al-muhsinun) with guidance and blessing.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-An'am within a passage (6:83-87) recounting Allah's favor upon Ibrahim and his offspring. The context addresses the significance of the prophetic tradition and guidance flowing through Ibrahim's descendants, serving to remind the Quraysh of their ancestral connection to this noble lineage and reinforcing the legitimacy of prophetic guidance.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2406) narrates that Ibrahim is called 'Khalil Allah' (the Friend of Allah), reflecting his elevated status. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3189) discusses Allah's preference and guidance of certain servants, which complements the theme of selective divine guidance in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that righteousness and guidance are interconnected blessings from Allah—those who strive for ihsan (excellence in faith and action) are rewarded with divine guidance and honor. It also reminds believers that spiritual legacy and the transmission of faith across generations is a sign of Allah's mercy and wisdom.
Related Ayahs
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ
But if Allāh had willed, they would not have associated. And We have not appointed you over them as a guardian, nor are you a manager over them.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whomever Allāh wills - He sends astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْـِٔدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـٰرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
And We will turn away their hearts and their eyes just as they refused to believe in it [i.e., the revelation] the first time. And We will leave them in their transgression, wandering blindly.
قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُل لِّلَّهِ ۚ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۚ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allāh." He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] do not believe.