۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 33
Translations
Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds -
Transliteration
Inna Allaha istafa Adam wa Nuhan wa ala Ibrahim wa ala Imrana ala al-alamin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has chosen Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 'Imran above all the worlds—meaning He selected them for prophethood, divine guidance, and noble lineage. This ayah emphasizes the divine selection and honor bestowed upon these chosen households, establishing a chain of prophetic succession and spiritual superiority. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this verse demonstrates Allah's wisdom in choosing the most righteous and worthy for His message, while also introducing the family of 'Imran (to which Maryam and 'Isa belong) as part of this honored lineage.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah Ali 'Imran, which addresses both the People of the Book and the Muslim community. The context relates to discussions about the virtue of the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Prophet's Household) and validates the prophetic mission by connecting Muhammad's lineage to the honored families of previous prophets, particularly relevant as the surah discusses 'Isa (Jesus) and his mother Maryam from the family of 'Imran.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Verily, Allah chose the children of Ismail from the children of Ibrahim, chose Quraysh from the children of Ismail, chose Hashim from Quraysh, and chose me from Bani Hashim' (Sahih Muslim 2276). Additionally, the hadith on the Ghadir emphasizes the virtue of the Ahl al-Bayt in preserving Islamic knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that closeness to Allah comes through righteousness and devotion to His cause, not through genealogy alone. It reminds believers that honor in Allah's sight is determined by piety and submission to His will, and that being part of a righteous family carries the responsibility to uphold and transmit divine guidance.