Question: How can we reconcile between the following two verses: "Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others" (Q2[al-Saqarah]:253) and: "We make no distinction between Any of them "(Q2[al-Saqarah]:136)?
Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The aayah: "Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others [al-Baqarah 2:253] is like the aayah: "And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others" (al-Isra17:55) There is no doubt that some of the Prophets and Messengers are superior to others; the Messengers are superior to the Prophets, and the "Messengers of strong will (Q46{al-Ahqaafl:35) are superior to all the others.
Superior Five
The Messengers of strong will are the five whom Allaah has mentioned in two verses of the Quraan, the first of which is in Soorat al-Ahzaab: "And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and from Nuh (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses), and Eesa (Jews) son of Maryam (Mary)" (Q33 (al-Ahzaab17). these are Muhammad (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam). Nooh, lbraaheem, Moosa and Eesa ibn Maryam (alayhumussallaam).
The second verse is in Soorat al- Shoora: "He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islamic Monotheism) which He ordained for Nooh (Noah), and that which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses?) and Eesa (Jews)" (Q42[al-Shoora]:13). These five are superior to all others. With regard to what Allaah says concerning the believers "Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say) We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" [al-Baqarah 2: 136]- what this means is: we make no distinction between them in terms of belief, we believe that they are all truly Messengers from Allaah, and that they did not tell lies. so they all spoke the truth.
This is the meaning of the phrase "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers", i.e., in terms of belief: we believe that they were all truly Messengers from Allaah. Muhammad Is The One To Be Followed But in terms of the kind of belief that implies following, for those who come after the Messenger (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam), this applies only to the Messenger (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam).
He is the one to be followed because his shareeah (law) abrogates all other laws. Hence we know that we must believe in all of them and believe that they are truly Messengers from Allaah, but after the Messenger (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam) was sent, all previous religions were abrogated by his shareeah, and it became obligatory upon all people to follow Muhammad (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam) only.
Allaah by His wisdom abrogated all religions apart from the religion of the Messenger (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam), hence He says: "Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Laa ilaaha ilia Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad), who believes in Allaah and His Words [(this Quraan), the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allaahs Word: "Be!" - and he was, i.e. Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)], and follow him so that you may be guided" (Q7[al-Araaf]: 158). So all religions other than that of the Messenger (sallaallahu alayhi wa sallaam) are abrogated, but we must still believe in the Messengers and that they are true.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited