وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ 53
Translations
And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.
Transliteration
Wa-idh atayna Musa al-kitaba wa-al-furqana la'allakum tahtadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Allah's gift of the Torah (al-Kitab) and the criterion of right and wrong (al-Furqan) to Prophet Moses, as a mercy and guidance for the Children of Israel. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that al-Furqan here denotes the distinguishing capability to discern between truth and falsehood, lawful and unlawful, which the Torah provided to its followers. The phrase 'la'allakum tahtadun' (so that you might be guided) underscores the divine purpose behind revelation: to provide clear guidance and moral direction to humanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan context of Surah Al-Baqarah, where Allah reminds the believers of His covenant with the Children of Israel and the guidance He provided through Moses. The broader context discusses the relationship between the Jewish community in Medina and the Muslim community, emphasizing the continuity of divine revelation from Moses to Muhammad.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in a hadith reported by Muslim: 'I have been given the Qur'an and something similar to it along with it' (referring to the Sunnah as a criterion like the Torah was for Moses). Additionally, Surah Al-Furqan (25:1) similarly mentions that Allah sent down the Qur'an as 'al-Furqan' to His Messenger.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah provides comprehensive guidance through revelation to help humanity navigate moral and spiritual challenges. Just as the Torah was a mercy and criterion for Moses's followers, the Qur'an and Sunnah serve as the ultimate guidance for Muslims, requiring us to study and implement them to achieve spiritual direction in our lives.
Related Ayahs
يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَنۢ بُورِكَ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
But when he came to it, he was called, "Blessed is whoever is at the fire and whoever is around it. And exalted is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّ وَهَـٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ
And We certainly know that they say, "It is only a human being who teaches him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)]." The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this [recitation, i.e., Qur’ān] is [in] a clear Arabic language.
وَهَـٰذَا ذِكْرٌ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ ۚ أَفَأَنتُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ
And this [Qur’ān] is a blessed message which We have sent down. Then are you with it unacquainted?