Tafseer of The Stories · Al-Qasas · 28:43
And We gave Moses the Scripture, after We had destroyed the former generations, as enlightenment for the people and guidance and mercy that they might be reminded.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The word of Allah, the Exalted: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الأُولَى بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ (43)
Allah, the Exalted, says: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى — the Torah مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا — the communities that existed before him, such as the people of Nūḥ, ʿĀd, Thamūd, the people of Lūṭ, and the inhabitants of Madyan. بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ — that is: a light for the Children of Israel in what they needed of religious matters. وَهُدًى — that is: an explanation for them. وَرَحْمَةً — for whoever among them acted according to it. لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ — that is: so that they may remember the favors of Allah therein toward them and thank Him for them and not be ungrateful.
In accordance with what we have said concerning the meaning of: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الأولَى the exegetes spoke.
Mention of those who said that:
Ibn Bashār related to us, saying: Muḥammad and ʿAbd al-Wahhāb related to us, who said: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of Abū Naḍra, on the authority of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, who said: "Allah, after the descent of the Torah upon the surface of the earth, did not punish any people with a punishment from the heaven or the earth, except the town of the people who were transformed into apes. Do you not see that Allah says: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الأولَى بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ?"
