Last week’s question was about two verses in the Qur’aan that mention the ulul-‘azm from the Messengers and the significance of the order in which the Messengers were mentioned in the two verses. Let’s read them once again:
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ
He (Allâh) has ordained for you the same religion (Islâm) which He ordained for Nûh (Noah), and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad SAW), and that which We ordained for Ibrahîm (Abraham), Mûsa (Moses) and ‘Iesa (Jesus) saying you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. various sects in religion). Intolerable for the Mushrikûn , is that to which you (O Muhammad SAW) call them. Allâh chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides unto Himself who turns to Him in repentance and in obedience. (Ash-Shooraa 42:13)
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا
And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad SAW), and from Nûh (Noah), Ibrâhim (Abraham), Mûsa (Moses), and ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). We took from them a strong covenant. (Al-Ahzaab 33:7)
The reason why the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, is mentioned first in soorat al-Ahzaab is because Allaah is addressing him directly as is shown in the beginning of the Soorat where Allaah starts with:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
As for the aayah in soorat Shooraa, the Prophet Nooh, ‘alayhis-salaam, is mentioned before our Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, because here Allaah is talking about the Deen which has been around from the beginning, and so He starts with Nooh, ‘alayhis-salaam, as he was the first of the Messengers sent to convey Allaah’s religion to mankind.
This week’s question
Read the following two verses:
وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلاَدَكُم مِّنْ إمْلاَقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ
“….kill not your children because of poverty – We provide sustenance for you and for them….”(al-An’aam, 6:151)
وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم
And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you… (Al-Israa 17:31)
They are very similar except for two differences as are highlighted above; The addition of the word khashya (fear) and the precedence of the pronoun hum (them) in the second verse whereas in the first verse, the pronoun kum (you) is mentioned first. In other words, in the second verse, Allaah says not to kill the children out of fear of poverty and that He will provide for them and you. But in the first verse, He says not to kill the children out of poverty and that He will provide for you and them.
The question is; What is the significance of the order in which the pronouns are mentioned in the two verses? Why is the provision of the offspring mentioned first in the second verse but not in the former?