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.