'And [mention, O Muhammad,] when We took from the prophets their covenant,' Mujahid said: meaning, while in the loins of Adam. 'And from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant'—to convey the message.
Whenever Qatada would recite this verse, 'And [mention, O Muhammad,] when We took from the prophets their covenant,' he would say: The Messenger of Allah said: 'I was the first of the prophets in creation, and the last of them in mission.'
﴿وَإِذا أَخذنَا من النَّبِيين ميثاقهم﴾ قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: يَعْنِي: فِي ظَهْرِ آدَمَ ﴿وَمِنْكَ وَمِنْ نُوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم ميثاقا غليظا﴾ بِتَبْلِيغِ الرِّسَالَةِ.
كَانَ قَتَادَةُ إِذَا تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: ﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا من النَّبِيين ميثاقهم﴾ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُول الله: " كُنْتُ أَوَّلَ النَّبِيِّينَ فِي الْخَلْقِ، وَآخرهمْ فِي الْبَعْث ".
