Translation:
We (God) have made some of these prophets to excel others (just like people). Among them are those to whom God spoke (e.g., Moses) and others whom He raised in eminence (e.g., Prophet Abraham and Prophet Mohammad). We (God) gave clear arguments and thoughts to Jesus, Son of Mary, and strengthened him with holy inspi- ration. Had God pleased, the followers of these prophets would not have fought one another after the case had been made to see and believe in the truth, but they chose to disagree—some believed while others refused to accept (the guidance). They would not have contended with one another if God had willed, but God does what He intends (by allowing people the freedom to make their choices).136
Those who have attained faith should dedicate the resources (e.g., health, wealth, knowledge, and technology) that We have given you (for good cause) before the day comes (e.g., death, the Day of Judgment, and the reversal of conducive circumstances) when (you will lose the power) of bargaining, friendship, and intervention. The deniers (of truth, if you choose to be one) are truly the ones that do (serious) wrong (to them- selves and to others).137
Interpretation:
36 The tendency for people to excel amongst themselves is a natural phenomenon, and it was also common among prophets, where each one excelled in certain ways. This ability to excel should be a reason to give respect, show humility, and strengthen one another instead of being used as a means to exploit others for personal benefit. But despite repeated warnings and counseling from God, our prophets, and people
of good faith and intent, we continue to make choices that are contrary to our faith and our collective well-being. Even though all prophets of God preached Oneness of God and goodness to humanity, some of us assign partnerships to God implicitly or explicitly through our thoughts and actions (e.g., assigning Godhead to Prophet Jesus and assuming divine power through false claims by some religious leaders) and continue to harbor ill will toward our fellow men, as is evident by acts of war, ethnic cleansing, political oppression, widespread corruption, and the increasing polari- zation of the haves and the have-nots.
137 God directly addresses those people who claim to possess faith and says that our faith can only be proven to be sincere if we commit our resources to sustain the foun- dation of faith and freedom. He further strengthens the point by making clear that our freedom to choose is time-bound and can only be exercised in our lifetime and within certain conditions and a certain ecosystem outside of which we will face the consequences of the choices we did or did not make.
Reflection: We need to reflect on our condition and our lives. The followers of three great prophets—Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad—have more in common than not, yet we, as mankind, continue to create differences between us to the point of causing overall degradation and lack of peace on this earth. Similarly, people who have been blessed with knowledge, wisdom, and material resources need to come together to harness their collective resources for the betterment of humanity, and only by serving people do we truly serve God and demonstrate our faith. The oneness of God and the uniqueness of the Prophet’s message are fundamental truths that many Muslims have lost or forgotten about due to narrow-mindedness, interreligious quibbling, and a deep apathy for the common good of humanity.
Action: We all have to make choices, some hard and some easy, but they all have to be made, individually and collectively. So all people who desire faith and freedom have to make determined choices, unite to make a difference, and secure the peace, harmony, and prosperity we all aspire to. We have only a short lifetime to prove our worth to God and to humanity before God will judge our performance; therefore, we should make the most of our time in this world.