Tafsir & Commentary
The Cattle (الأنعام) · Meccan
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا ۚ وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِۦ دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ84
6:84
Translation — Sahih International
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 (Asbab al-Nuzul)
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 Lessons
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.