وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ فَٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۗ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ 45
Translations
And We had already given Moses the Scripture, but it came under disagreement. And if not for a word [i.e., decree] that preceded from your Lord, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur’ān], in disquieting doubt.
Transliteration
Wa laqad ātaynā Mūsā al-kitāba fa-ikhtulifa fīh. Wa law lā kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika laqudiya baynahum. Wa innahum lafī shakkin minhu murīb.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah granted the Torah to Musa (Moses), yet the Children of Israel disputed and differed regarding its teachings and laws. Had it not been for Allah's prior decree of respite and delayed punishment, Allah would have judged between them immediately for their disputes. Ibn Kathir notes that despite receiving clear guidance, they remained in grave doubt about the Scripture—a manifestation of their spiritual blindness and arrogance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Fussilat (a Meccan chapter) which addresses the Quran as a detailed explanation of divine guidance. The context references the historical pattern of the Children of Israel's rejection and distortion of previous scriptures, serving as a warning to the Meccan disbelievers who similarly rejected the Quranic message. The surah emphasizes that God's signs are clear, yet people choose to turn away.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those in my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them' (Sahih Bukhari). This relates to the theme of the Israelites' later generations losing clarity of their scripture. Also relevant: 'Verily, you will follow the ways of those before you' (Sunan Ibn Majah), warning against repeating the mistakes of previous communities.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that possessing divine guidance is insufficient without sincere acceptance and application; the Children of Israel's disputes over the Torah demonstrate that knowledge without certainty of heart leads to misguidance. For Muslims today, it serves as a warning against sectarian divisions and encourages us to seek unity upon the clear teachings of the Quran and authentic Sunnah.