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 تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers."
وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ ۖ كُلٌّ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous.
قُلْ إِنَّنِى هَدَىٰنِى رَبِّىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path - a correct religion - the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allāh."
وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـٰنًا ۚ فَأَىُّ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْأَمْنِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
And how should I fear what you associate while you do not fear that you have associated with Allāh that for which He has not sent down to you any authority? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you should know?"