Tafseer of The Most High · Al-A'laa · 87:18
Indeed, this is in the former scriptures,
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.
His statement: إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولَى ("verily, this is in the earlier scriptures"). The scholars of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) differed concerning that to which "this" refers in His statement. Some of them said: by it is meant the verses contained in سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى ("Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High").
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأُولَى * صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى ("verily, this is in the earlier scriptures, the scriptures of Ibrāhīm and Mūsā"), he says: the verses contained in سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى ("Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High").
And others said: it is the narrative of this sūra.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, on the authority of Abū al-ʿĀliya, concerning إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأُولَى * صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى ("verily, this is in the earlier scriptures, the scriptures of Ibrāhīm and Mūsā"), he said: the narrative of this sūra is in the earlier scriptures.
And others said: no, rather its meaning is: verily, this which Allah, the Exalted, has narrated in this sūra, لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولَى ("is in the earlier scriptures").
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولَى ("verily, this is in the earlier scriptures"), he said: verily, this which Allah has narrated in this sūra is in the earlier scriptures, صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى ("the scriptures of Ibrāhīm and Mūsā").
And others said: no, by it is meant that His statement وَالآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى ("and the Hereafter is better and more lasting") is in the earlier scriptures.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولَى ("verily, this is in the earlier scriptures"), he said: the books of Allah followed one another, as you hear, with the message that the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
