نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ 3
Translations
He has sent down upon you, [O Muḥammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
Transliteration
Nazzala 'alayka al-kitāba bil-ḥaqqi muṣaddiqan limā bayna yadayhi wa anzala at-Tawrāta wa al-Injīl
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with truth, confirming and validating the previous scriptures (Torah and Gospel) that came before it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that while the Qur'an authenticates the core truths of earlier revelations, it also corrects distortions and abrogates certain laws specific to earlier communities. The verse establishes the Qur'an's role as the final, comprehensive revelation that encompasses guidance for all of humanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the opening section of Surah Ali 'Imran, which addresses the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) and their relationship to divine revelation. The broader Medinan context involves dialogue with communities who possessed previous scriptures, establishing the Qur'an's authenticity and superiority while acknowledging the divine origin of earlier revelations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth' (Sahih Bukhari 97). This relates to the successive revelations mentioned in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Islam honors the prophetic tradition and earlier revelations while recognizing the Qur'an as the final, authoritative guidance. It invites reflective study of how divine truth progresses through history while remaining fundamentally unified in its core principles.