Tafseer of The Stories · Al-Qasas · 28:53
And when it is recited to them, they say, "We have believed in it; indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed we were, [even] before it, Muslims [submitting to Allah]."
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 explanation of the words of the Exalted: وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ ("And when it is recited to them, they say: We believe in it; truly, it is the truth from our Lord; truly, we were already, before this, submitters (Muslims)") (28:53).
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: وَإِذَا يُتْلَى ("And when is recited") this Qurʾān to those to whom We gave the Book before the sending down of this Qurʾān, قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ ("they say: We believe in it"). He says: they say: we have held it to be true, إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا ("truly, it is the truth from our Lord"), that is to say: it has come down from our Lord, إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ ("truly, we were already, before this"), that is to say: before the sending down of this Qurʾān, مُسْلِمِينَ ("submitters, Muslims"). And that is because they were believers in what the prophets had brought before the coming of our Prophet Muḥammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in the Books that had been sent down upon them. And in their Books was the description of Muḥammad and his characteristics; so they believed in him, in his mission, and in his Book before the sending down of the Qurʾān. Therefore they said: إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ ("truly, we were already, before this, submitters, Muslims").
