Key Verses

1. 12:91Yusuf
   قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ ءَاثَرَكَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡنَا وَإِن كُنَّا لَخَٰطِـِٔينَ
   They said: By Allah, verily Allah hath preferred thee above us, and we were indeed sinful.
   In context

   The brothers apologised to Joseph for their behaviour towards him, and they said that Allah had indeed preferred him over them through the attributes of perfection He had given to him, and that they had committed evil and disobedience in what they had done to him.

2. 20:72Ta-Ha
   قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤۡثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِي فَطَرَنَاۖ فَٱقۡضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍۖ إِنَّمَا تَقۡضِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ
   They said: We choose thee not above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what thou wilt decree. Thou wilt end for us only this life of the world.
   In context

   The magicians said to Pharaoh: We shall never prefer following you - O Pharaoh - to following the clear signs that have come to us. We will never prefer you to Allah Who created us. So do whatever you want to us: you only have power over us in this present transient life, and your power will soon vanish.

3. 20:84Ta-Ha
   قَالَ هُمۡ أُوْلَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِي وَعَجِلۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ رَبِّ لِتَرۡضَىٰ
   He said: They are close upon my track. I hastened unto Thee, my Lord, that Thou mightest be well pleased.
   In context

   Moses (peace be upon him) said: “Here they are behind me. They shall catch up with me. I preceded my people in coming to You, so that you become pleased with me for coming towards You quickly”.

4. 20:96Ta-HaNarrative
   قَالَ بَصُرۡتُ بِمَا لَمۡ يَبۡصُرُواْ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضۡتُ قَبۡضَةٗ مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذۡتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتۡ لِي نَفۡسِي
   He said: I perceived what they perceive not, so I seized a handful from the footsteps of the messenger, and then threw it in. Thus my soul commended to me.
   In context

   Samiri said to Moses (peace be upon him): “I saw what they did not see: I saw Gabriel on a horse, so I took a handful of soil from the footsteps of his horse and threw it on melted jewellery which was moulded into the form of a calf. From this, the body of a calf with a mooing sound was formed. And this is how my soul made what I did appealing to me”.

5. 48:29Al-Fath
   مُّحَمَّدٞ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ تَرَىٰهُمۡ رُكَّعٗا سُجَّدٗا يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٰنٗاۖ سِيمَاهُمۡ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمۡ فِي ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِۚ وَمَثَلُهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡإِنجِيلِ كَزَرۡعٍ أَخۡرَجَ شَطۡـَٔهُۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُۥ فَٱسۡتَغۡلَظَ فَٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعۡجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ ٱلۡكُفَّارَۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ مِنۡهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٗ وَأَجۡرًا عَظِيمَۢا
   Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration. Such is their likeness in the Torah and their likeness in the Gospel - like as sown corn that sendeth forth its shoot and strengtheneth it and riseth firm upon its stalk, delighting the sowers - that He may enrage the disbelievers with (the sight of) them. Allah hath promised, unto such of them as believe and do good works, forgiveness and immense reward.
   In context

   Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and his companions are strict against the combatant disbelievers and merciful, affectionate and friendly among themselves. O onlooker! You will see them bowing and prostrating, seeking from Allah that He grace them with forgiveness, a generous reward and that He becomes pleased with them.

6. 59:9Al-Hashr
   وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةٗ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةٞۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
   Those who entered the city and the faith before them love those who flee unto them for refuge, and find in their breasts no need for that which hath been given them, but prefer (the fugitives) above themselves though poverty become their lot. And whoso is saved from his own avarice - such are they who are successful.
   In context

   After Allah mentioned the migrants and praised them, He mentions the Helpers and praises them also, saying may He be glorified: And those Helpers who inhabited Al-Madīnah before the Migrants and chose to bring faith in Allah and His Messenger, they love those who migrated to them from Makkah and do not feel any anger or jealousy towards those who migrated in the path of Allah when they are given a…

7. 74:24Al-Muddaththir
   فَقَالَ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٞ يُؤۡثَرُ
   And said: This is naught else than magic from of old;
   In context

   He said: This what Muhammad brought is not Allah’s speech, but it is sorcery that he relates from others.

8. 79:38An-Naziat
   وَءَاثَرَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا
   And chose the life of the world,
   In context

   And gave priority to the temporary worldly life over the everlasting afterlife.

9. 87:16Al-Ala
   بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا
   But ye prefer the life of the world
   In context

   But, you give preference to the worldly life and prefer it over the afterlife despite the huge disparity between them.

10. 100:4Al-AdiyatNarrative
    فَأَثَرۡنَ بِهِۦ نَقۡعٗا
    Then, therewith, with their trail of dust,
    In context

    And unsettle the dust by their running.