ٱللَّهُ يَصْطَفِى مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ 75
Translations
Allāh chooses from the angels messengers and from the people. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
Transliteration
Allahu yastasfee mina al-mala'ikati rusulun wa mina al-nas. Inna Allaha samee'un baseer.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah selects messengers from among the angels and from among mankind, demonstrating His divine wisdom and choice (istifaa') in appointing those who will convey His message. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this ayah establishes that prophethood is not self-assumed but granted by Allah's exclusive prerogative, and He is All-Hearing and All-Seeing in His selection, aware of the fitness and sincerity of those chosen to bear this tremendous responsibility.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Hajj, which addresses the pilgrimage and broader themes of monotheism and divine authority. The verse comes within a passage discussing Allah's complete knowledge and sovereignty, particularly relevant to Medinan context where the Prophet ﷺ had already established the Muslim community and clarified the nature of prophethood against various claims.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Indeed, Allah has chosen the language of Kinana [referring to Quraysh dialect] from among the languages' relates to how Allah selects the best means for conveying His message. Additionally, hadiths about the appointment of the four rightly-guided caliphs reflect the principle of divine selection mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that spiritual leadership and divine guidance are gifts from Allah alone, not positions to be claimed by humans, encouraging humility and submission to divinely-appointed guidance. It also reminds us that Allah's choices are based on perfect knowledge and wisdom, so we should trust His wisdom even when we may not fully comprehend His decisions regarding leadership and guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَثَمُودُ
And if they deny you, [O Muḥammad] - so, before them, did the people of Noah and ʿAad and Thamūd deny [their prophets],
ٱلَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَٰمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَٰتٌ وَمَسَـٰجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ
[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allāh." And were it not that Allāh checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allāh is much mentioned [i.e., praised]. And Allāh will surely support those who support Him [i.e., His cause]. Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ
Inclining [only] to Allāh, not associating [anything] with Him. And he who associates with Allāh - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place.
۞ ذَٰلِكَ وَمَنْ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبَ بِهِۦ ثُمَّ بُغِىَ عَلَيْهِ لَيَنصُرَنَّهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
That [is so]. And whoever responds [to injustice] with the equivalent of that with which he was harmed and then is tyrannized - Allāh will surely aid him. Indeed, Allāh is Pardoning and Forgiving.