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Section 5

Allah’s Chosen Servants

Allah’s Bounties – Peace upon Allah’s Chosen Servants – Arguments proving the Unity of Allah

﴿59﴾ قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَسَلاَمٌ عَلَي عِبَادِهِ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَي ءَآللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

59. “ Say: ‘Praise be to Allah, and peace be on His servants whom He has chosen. Is Allah better, or what they associate (with Him)?’”

Commentary:

Not only the punishment of the wrong doers, but also the deliverance and the salvation of the believers are because of Allah’s Grace, which must be thanked. “Say: ‘Praise be to Allah, …”

Both the praise of the servants of Allah and peace being on them are mentioned beside the praise of Allah. “… Praise be to Allah, and peace be on His servants …”

However, next to the end of the explanation of the life stories of five Divine prophets, as well as the fate of their peoples, the verse under discussion addresses the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) and, as drawing a conclusion from the former statements and as a premise for speaking with pagans, implies that all praise belongs to Allah Who annihilated the former disgraceful nations, such as the people of Lot, lest the

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kind of their corruption might spread all over the earth. The verse announces:

Praise belongs to the One Who sent the corruptors such as the people of Thamūd and the arrogant people of Pharaoh to destruction so that their manner might not be continued as a tradition among others.

And, finally, the praise belongs to the One Who bestowed those plenty bounties and might on His faithful servants, like David and Solomon, and by which guided some misled ones like the people of Sheba.

Then, it adds:

Peace be on prophets, such as: Moses, Saleh, Lot, Solomon, and David (a.s.), and peace be upon all Divine prophets and their true followers. Then, the verse continues saying:

That is, which is better, the Lord Who has those infinite powers, strengths and bountiful merits, or the idols which idolaters associate to Allah (s.w.t.) and they absolutely affect nothing?

In the explanations of the life stories of the former prophets, we realized that idols could never help their worshippers at the time of coming misfortunes and afflictions, while Allah did not leave the believers alone in none of their difficulties and His merciful grace came to help them.

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