“And We blessed him and Isaac.” That is, We bestowed upon them both the blessing of growth and increase in their knowledge, deeds, and descendants. Thus, from their descendants Allah brought forth three great nations: the Arabs from the descendants of Ishmael, the Children of Israel, and the Romans from the descendants of Isaac.

“And among their descendants are those who excel in good and those who plainly wrong themselves.” That is, among them are the righteous and the wicked, the just and the unjust—those whose wrongdoing is manifest through their disbelief and polytheism. This may have been stated to prevent a possible misunderstanding: when He said, “And We blessed him and Isaac,” this implied that their descendants would be blessed, and it might be thought that a complete blessing required all their descendants to excel in good. Allah Most High therefore stated that among them are those who excel in good and those who do wrong. Allah knows best.

⦗707⦘

(114–122) “We certainly bestowed Our favor upon Moses and Aaron”—to the end of the account.

Allah Most High recounts His favor upon His two servants and messengers, Moses and Aaron, the sons of Imrān: He granted them prophethood and the divine mission, and called them to summon people to Allah Most High; He delivered them and their people from their enemy Pharaoh and granted them victory over him, until Allah drowned him while they looked on; He sent down to them the clear Book—the Torah—which contains rulings, admonitions, and a detailed explanation of all things; and He guided them to the straight path by prescribing for them a religion whose upright rulings and laws lead to Allah, and by favoring them with the ability to follow it.

“And We left for them among later generations: ‘Peace be upon Moses and Aaron.’” That is, He preserved for them favorable praise and a salutation among later generations—and, all the more so, among the earlier ones. “Indeed, this is how We reward those who excel. Indeed, they were among Our believing servants.”