43 Preface وَما أَرسَلنا مِن قَبلِكَ إِلّا رِجالًا نوحي إِلَيهِم ۚ فَاسأَلوا أَهلَ الذِّكرِ إِن كُنتُم لا تَعلَمونَYusuf AliAnd before thee also the messengers We sent were but men,1 to whom We granted inspiration: if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message.2God’s prophets were always men, not angels; and their distinction was the inspiration they received.If the Pagan Arabs, who were ignorant of religious and other history, wondered how a man from among themselves could receive inspiration and bring a Message from God, let them ask the Jews, who had also received God’s Message earlier through Moses, whether Moses was a man, or an angel, or a god. They would learn that Moses was a man like themselves, but inspired by God. “Those who possess the Message” may also mean any men of Wisdom, who were qualified to have an opinion in such matters (Cf. 21:7 and 38:1).