Medinan · Surah 2 of 114

Al-Baqara 2:53

The Cow · ayah 53 of 286

وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

Wa-ith atayna moosaalkitaba walfurqana laAAallakum tahtadoon

"And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided."

Saheeh International translation

Recitation by Mishary Alafasy

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Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Remember when We gave Moses the Scripture, and the means to distinguish [right and wrong], so that you might be guided."

Pickthall (classic)+

"And when We gave unto Moses the Scripture and the criterion (of right and wrong), that ye might be led aright."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"And remember We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion (Between right and wrong): There was a chance for you to be guided aright."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

The Children of Israel worshipped the Calf

Allah then said, "Remember My favor on you when I forgave you for worshipping the calf." This happened after Musa went to the meeting place with his Lord at the end of that period which was forty days. These forty days were mentioned in Surat Al-A`raf, when Allah said,

وَوَعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلَـثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ

(And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more)) (7:142).

It was said that these days were during the month of Dhul-Qa`dah plus the first ten days in Dhul-Hijjah, after the Children of Israel were delivered from Fir`awn and they safely crossed the sea. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ

(And (remember) when We gave Musa the Scripture) means, the Tawrah,

وَالْفُرْقَانِ

(And the criterion) that is that which differentiates between truth and falsehood, guidance and deviation.

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

(So that you may be guided aright), after escaping the sea, as another Ayah in Surat Al-A`raf clearly stated,

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ مِن بَعْدِ مَآ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاٍّولَى بَصَآئِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

(And indeed We gave Musa ـ after We had destroyed the generations of old ـ the Scripture (the Tawrah) as an enlightenment for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy, that they might remember (or receive admonition)) (28:43).

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Начиная с этого аята, Всевышний Аллах приступил к перечислению милостей, оказанных сынам Исраила. О сыны Исраила! Аллах избавил вас от Фараона, его приближенных и воинов, которые причиняли вам великие муки. Они зарезали ваших сыновей, опасаясь приумножения вашего рода, и оставляли в живых только ваших женщин. Одних из вас ожидала смерть, а других - унижение и принуждение к непосильному труду. Вас оставляли в живых, словно оказывая вам милость, а затем порабощали. Это было для вас величайшим унижением, но Аллах оказал вам подлинную милость и полностью избавил вас от рабства. А ваши враги были потоплены на ваших глазах, дабы вы могли насладиться этим зрелищем. Это спасение было великим благом, которое обязывает вас благодарить Аллаха и выполнять Его веления.

Maʿārif al-Qur'ān

Mufti Shafi Usmani, English

Torah is the book which was given to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام)

In the language of the Holy Qur'an, al-Furgan الفرقان is a term signifying something which separates truth from falsehood or distinguishes the one from the other. In the present verse, it refers either to (a) the injunctions of the Shari` ah which are to be found in the Torah, for the Shari` ah resolves all the differences that may arise with regard to the doctrines or the practice of good deeds; or to (b) miracles which decide between a true or a false claim in a palpable manner; or even to (c) the Torah itself which has the twin qualities of being a Book of Allah and of being an instrument for separating truth from falsehood.

Tafsīr sourced from quran.com's open API. These are classical commentaries; for personal rulings consult a qualified scholar.

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