وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ فَلَا تَكُن فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآئِهِۦ ۖ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ 23
Translations
And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, so do not be in doubt over his meeting. And We made it [i.e., the Torah] guidance for the Children of Israel.
Transliteration
Wa laqad atayna Musa al-Kitaba fa la takun fi miryatin min liqaihi wa ja'alnahu hudan li bani Isra'il
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah declares that He granted Musa (Moses) the Torah (al-Kitab), and commands the Prophet Muhammad not to doubt its authenticity or meeting with Allah. Ibn Kathir explains this as affirmation of the Torah's divine origin and its role as guidance for the Children of Israel, while also establishing that previous scriptures were genuine revelations. Al-Tabari emphasizes that 'liqaihi' (meeting with it/encountering it) refers to the certainty of receiving the Book directly from Allah, not doubting this divine transaction.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah As-Sajdah, a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period. It contextualizes the Qur'an within the continuum of divine revelation, addressing potential doubts about previous scriptures and affirming their authenticity. The broader context of the surah discusses signs of Allah's creation and the reality of the Hereafter, establishing the consistency of divine guidance across prophets.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, 'The closest of people to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who feared Allah the most,' relates to the theme of following divine guidance. Additionally, hadiths confirming the Torah's revelation support this ayah's assertion of Musa's receipt of the Book.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to have unwavering certainty in divine revelation and the authenticity of previous scriptures, recognizing that guidance has been consistent throughout history via different prophets. It encourages us to appreciate the legacy of divine books and understand that doubting divine revelation contradicts the nature of faith itself.
Related Ayahs
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُوا۟ فَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَرَادُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَآ أُعِيدُوا۟ فِيهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ
But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."
ذَٰلِكَ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,
وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And We will surely let them taste the nearer punishment short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will return [i.e., repent].
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّا نَسُوقُ ٱلْمَآءَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَـٰمُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يُبْصِرُونَ
Have they not seen that We drive water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves? Then do they not see?