كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْلَمُونَ 151
Translations
Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know.
Transliteration
Kamā arsalnā fīkum rasūlan minkum yatlū ʿalaykum āyātinā wa yuzakkīkum wa yuʿallimukum al-kitāb wa al-ḥikmah wa yuʿallimukum mā lam takūnū taʿlamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the four primary functions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger: reciting Allah's verses, purifying souls, teaching the Qur'an, and imparting wisdom. Ibn Kathir notes that these four roles represent the complete spiritual and intellectual guidance the Prophet provided to his community, establishing the comprehensive nature of his prophetic mission. Al-Tabari emphasizes that the phrase 'from amongst you' (minkum) highlights the Prophet's humanity and relatability, making him an exemplary model for believers to emulate.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of the covenant with the Children of Israel and Allah's blessings upon them. It directly parallels and completes the promise made in ayah 2:129, where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made dua for a messenger to be sent to his descendants, and this ayah confirms that Allah answered this supplication through Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Additionally, 'I have been sent to perfect noble character' (Muwatta Malik) relates to the purification (tazkiyah) mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
The four functions of the Prophet—recitation, purification, teaching scripture, and imparting wisdom—represent a holistic spiritual development model for the Muslim community that combines knowledge, character refinement, and ethical instruction. For modern believers, this underscores the importance of seeking knowledge from authentic sources while simultaneously focusing on inner purification and ethical transformation rather than knowledge alone.