Someone may accuse Muslims of “favoritism” and testify with this verse. Anyhow, we understand the details of the Holy Qur’an through the Qur’an itself and the Prophet Muhammad ( (saws) after that. Allah (swt) says:

 {آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ}

(The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”) (Al-Baqara: 285)

We compare a verse to another; the messengers do not exceed each other in terms of our believe in them. Then, how some of them are preferable over others? Allah (swt):

1-    Preferred some messengers with things that are suitable for their time.

2-    Preferred some of them with more tasks,

3-    Preferred some of them with some miracles, or

4-    Preferred some of them by the degree of wisdom.

(… تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ) (Those messengers – some of them We caused to exceed others…): Allah (swt) does not mention whom was made to exceed whom. One messenger was preferred with one thing, and the other was granted another thing as willed by the Lord’s wisdom. However, the one who exceeds all is the prophet Muhammad (saws). As for belief, Allah (swt) says:

 {آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ}

(The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”) (Al-Baqara: 285)

So, we don’t differentiate among the messengers of Allah (swt) as we believe in Jesus Christ, Moses, Abraham, David, Salomon, Zechariah and all the prophets (PBUT). Therefore, the messengers are made to exceed each other by the miracles or the tasks, this is according to Allah’s (swt) wisdom, as He (swt) is The Wise. For when He sent a messenger, he is sent for a period of limited time, or (swt) sent a messenger for a group of people who would cease to exist. Anyway, when a prophet is sent to all humanity, with an immortal and everlasting miracle like the Holy Qur’an which never ends when the time of the prophet is over; such prophet, then, is the greatest among all Allah’s (swt) creatures and messengers. He is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is because the miracle is the Holy Qur’an, which is everlasting till Allah (swt) inherits the earth and whoever is on it. Prophet Muhammad’s (saws) call is for all people throughout all ages:

 {وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا..}

(And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know..) (Saba: 28)

(… مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ … ) (…Among them were those to whom Allah spoke …): Allah (swt) spoke to Moses (PBUH), he is the interlocutor of Allah (swt). However, when we say: (to whom Allah spoke) we don’t think there are vocal cords, sound and speech. He speaks but not through vibrations. He made it heard but not through the sound of the vocal cords. When the speech is attributed to Allah (swt), it’s like:

 {لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ }

(There is nothing like unto Him) (Ash-Shura: 11)

(… وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ …) (…Among them were those to whom Allah spoke …): The scholars says that the prophet Muhammad (saws) is the one who is meant here.

(… وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ …) (…And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs …): The proofs Allah (swt) gave to Jesus (PBUH) will be touched upon in the Sura of (Al-Maaida). Among such proofs is that Jesus used to give life to the dead by permission of Allah (swt), treat the ill, and cure the blind and the leper … etc. Such proofs that are given to Jesus by Allah (swt).

(… وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ …) (…and We supported him with the Pure Spirit …): Jesus used to be supported by the Pure Spirit, Gabriel (PBUH) who always stood by Jesus in all directions, cases and situations.

(… وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَٰكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا …) (…If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed …): This is one of Allah’s universal rules and a response to all terrorists and Takfiris.

Therefore, religions and proofs are never a reason for disagreement nor fighting. Conflict rather than disagreement, is the reason behind fighting. Differences are among of Allah’s universal rules, and people themselves are different. This is how Allah (swt) created people, and whatever disagreement among them is due to their freedom of choice. On the other hand, when we read (If Allah had willed, …… would not have fought each other) someone may wonder: fighting is by Allah’s will!! Yes. Although it’s by Allah (swt)’s will, He is never pleased with it. Allah (swt) doesn’t accept blasphemy among his servants, neither accepts He fighting among them unless they fight in defense of their homelands, households, beliefs and holies. Will is totally different from ordering something or being pleased with something. Allah (swt) may want something but never orders or be pleased with it. Everything is by Allah’s will though. It’s by his will that people are different; they believe and disbelieve and they stand either by the right or the wrong side. So, fighting is because of the latter not as a matter of Allah’s contention. It’s still by Allah’s will, yet, contrary to His orders and contention.

 

(… فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ …) (…and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved …): is for future, and it indicates

So, had Allah (swt) willed, they’d have never fought. Had Allah (swt) willed, He could have made all people believe and stand by the right side. However, Allah (swt) does what He wills. As for humans, they are powerless, and none can do whatever they will other than Allah (swt). Why so? Allah (swt) is the One who does what He wills and controls the elements of the action which have to do with time, the unknown and existence. Thus, when you neither have guarantee over your existence nor know the future or the unknown, the outcomes are unpredictable. The US, for example, had different plans for the region. It hasn’t succeeded yet. This is the human will that never affect people, as only Allah (swt)’s will prevail. We never call the US and Israel as a destiny. They are a mere tribulation, and we’re destined to face it. The US, Israel along with the terrorists and all bad and wrong forces never impose their will. Allah (swt) is the only One Who does what He wills:

 {إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ}

(Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends) (Hud: 107)