Al-Qasas 28:48
The Stories · Juz 20 · Page 391
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِنۡ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ لَوۡلَآ أُوتِيَ مِثۡلَ مَآ أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰٓۚ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبۡلُۖ قَالُواْ سِحۡرَانِ تَظَٰهَرَا وَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِكُلّٖ كَٰفِرُونَ ٤٨
But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why was he not given like that which was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Moses before? They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other,1 and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."
1 translator’s note
- The reference is by the disbelievers of Quraysh to the Qur’ān and the Torah. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
Change
Commentary on 28:47–48
At the time when Moses conveyed his message as a prophet to the ancient Egyptians, he also performed miracles. But, they did not accept the miracles as such and said that it was magic. When the Prophet Muhammad gave the call for the Truth in ancient Arabia on the basis of arguments, people said that if he was a prophet, why did he not perform miracles like Moses? All these objections are the products of non-serious minds. In the present world the most important condition necessary for someone to accept the Truth is that he should be earnest and serious. One who is not serious in matters of Truth and Untruth, nothing can force him to admit the Truth. On each occasion, he will seek fresh excuses for not doing so and will find new words to refute all arguments.
Page 391
28:44
وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلۡغَرۡبِيِّ إِذۡ قَضَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلۡأَمۡرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٤٤
And you, [O Muḥammad], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses [to that].
28:45
وَلَٰكِنَّآ أَنشَأۡنَا قُرُونٗا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡعُمُرُۚ وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِيٗا فِيٓ أَهۡلِ مَدۡيَنَ تَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِينَ ٤٥
But We produced [many] generations [after Moses], and prolonged was their duration.1 And you were not a resident among the people of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses, but We were senders [of this message].2
28:46
وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ إِذۡ نَادَيۡنَا وَلَٰكِن رَّحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوۡمٗا مَّآ أَتَىٰهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٦
And you were not at the side of the mount when We called [Moses] but [were sent] as a mercy from your Lord to warn a people to whom no warner had come before you that they might be reminded.
28:47
وَلَوۡلَآ أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُواْ رَبَّنَا لَوۡلَآ أَرۡسَلۡتَ إِلَيۡنَا رَسُولٗا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٤٧
And if not that a disaster should strike them for what their hands put forth [of sins] and they would say, "Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger so we could have followed Your verses and been among the believers?"...1
1 translator’s note
- The conclusion of the sentence is understood to be "...We would not have sent messengers," meaning that Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) sent messengers and sent Muḥammad (ﷺ) with the final scripture to mankind so that no one could claim that punishment was imposed unjustly without warning. ↩
28:48
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِنۡ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ لَوۡلَآ أُوتِيَ مِثۡلَ مَآ أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰٓۚ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبۡلُۖ قَالُواْ سِحۡرَانِ تَظَٰهَرَا وَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِكُلّٖ كَٰفِرُونَ ٤٨
But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why was he not given like that which was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Moses before? They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other,1 and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."
1 translator’s note
- The reference is by the disbelievers of Quraysh to the Qur’ān and the Torah. ↩
28:49
قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِكِتَٰبٖ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ مِنۡهُمَآ أَتَّبِعۡهُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤٩
Say, "Then bring a scripture from Allāh which is more guiding than either of them that I may follow it, if you should be truthful."
28:50
فَإِن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكَ فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۚ وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيۡرِ هُدٗى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٠
But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allāh? Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.