يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ
وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِىٓ أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ
وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ
وَلَا تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟
بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ
O Children of Israil!
Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you,
and fulfill (your obligations to)
My covenant (with you)
so that I fulfill (My obligations to)
your covenant (with Me),
and fear none but Me.
And believe in what I have sent down (this Qur’an),
confirming that which is with you
(the Tawrah and the Injil),
and be not the first to disbelieve therein,
and buy not with My verses
(the Tawrah and the Injil) a small price
( getting a small gain by selling My verses),
and fear Me and Me alone.
Encouraging the Children of Israil to embrace Islam
Allah commanded the Children of Israil to embrace Islam and to follow Muhammad . He also reminded them with the example of their father Israil, Allah’s Prophet Ya`qub, as if saying, “O children of the pious, righteous servant of Allah who obeyed Allah! Be like your father, following the truth.” This statement is similar to one’s saying, “O you son of that generous man! Do this or that” or, “O son of the brave man, engage the strong fighters,” or “O son of the scholar, seek the knowledge,” and so forth. Similarly, Allah said,
ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا
O offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh! Verily, he was a grateful servant (Al-Isra 3).
Israil is Prophet Ya`qub. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas said, “A group of Jews came to the Prophet and he said to them,
هَلْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ إِسْرَائِيلَ يَعْقُوبُ؟
Do you know that Israil is Yaqub? They said, “Yes, by Allah.” He said,
اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَد
O Allah! Be witness.”
At-Tabari recorded that `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas said that `Israil’ means, `the servant of Allah.’
Allah’s Blessings for the Children of Israil
Allah said,
اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِى أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ
Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you
Mujahid commented, “Allah’s favor that He granted the Jews is that He made water gush from stones, sent down manna and quails for them, and saved them from being enslaved by Firawn.”
Abu Al-`Aliyah also said, “Allah’s favor mentioned here is His sending Prophets and Messengers among them, and revealing Books to them.”
I – Ibn Kathir – say that this Ayah is similar to what Musa said to the Children of Israil,
يَـقَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَآءَ
وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُّلُوكاً وَءَاتَـكُمْ مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَداً مِّن الْعَـلَمِينَ
O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations (of their time (Al-Ma’idah 20)
meaning, during their time. Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Ibn `Abbas said,
اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِى أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ
Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you
means, “My support for you and your fathers,” that is saving them from Firawn and his people.