سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 48
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أُوتِىَ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفُرُوا۟ بِمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ قَالُوا۟ سِحْرَانِ تَظَـٰهَرَا وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِكُلٍّ كَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿48﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
But when the truth (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم with his Message) has come to them from Us, they say: "Why is he not given the like of what was given to Mûsâ (Moses)? Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Mûsâ (Moses) of old? They say: "Two kinds of magic [the Taurât (Torah) and the Qur’an], each helping the other!" And they say: "Verily in both we are disbelievers."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَمَّا
falammā
But when
جَآءَهُمُ
jāahumu
came to them
ٱلْحَقُّ
l-ḥaqu
the truth
مِنْ
min
from Us
عِندِنَا
ʿindinā
from Us
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they said
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
Why not
أُوتِىَ
ūtiya
he was given
مِثْلَ
mith'la
(the) like
مَآ
mā
(of) what
أُوتِىَ
ūtiya
was given
مُوسَىٰٓ ۚ
mūsā
(to) Musa
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Did not
يَكْفُرُوا۟
yakfurū
they disbelieve
بِمَآ
bimā
in what
أُوتِىَ
ūtiya
was given
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
(to) Musa
مِن
min
before
قَبْلُ ۖ
qablu
before
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
سِحْرَانِ
siḥ'rāni
Two magic (works)
تَظَـٰهَرَا
taẓāharā
supporting each other
وَقَالُوٓا۟
waqālū
And they said
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, we
بِكُلٍّۢ
bikullin
in all
كَـٰفِرُونَ
kāfirūna
(are) disbelievers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 48) ➊ { فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا …:} That is, if a messenger had not been sent, there would have been an excuse that why was a messenger not sent; now when a messenger has come from Us, out of stubbornness and hostility they began to say why was he not given miracles like those given to Musa, such as the staff, the shining hand, the splitting of the sea, the shading of the clouds, the gushing of twelve springs from the rock, the descent of manna and quails, Allah speaking, and the Torah being revealed in the form of tablets, etc. It is clear that if one does not want to believe, excuses never end.
➋ Mufassir Razi says: “What these people demanded was not necessary to be fulfilled in the same way, because it is neither necessary that all the miracles of the prophets be the same, nor is it necessary that the book revealed to them be revealed in the same manner, because sometimes it is better for the book to be revealed all at once, like the Torah, and sometimes it is better to reveal it gradually, like the Qur’an.”
➌ { اَوَ لَمْ يَكْفُرُوْا بِمَاۤ اُوْتِيَ مُوْسٰى مِنْ قَبْلُ :} That is, even if the miracles they demanded are shown, what benefit is there? Those who have decided not to believe will not believe even after seeing every kind of sign. Did not people of their own kind, who had the same religion and the same hostility as them, that is, the disbelievers of the time of Musa (peace be upon him), deny those miracles that were given to Musa? They said about Musa and Harun (peace be upon them) that they (are such great magicians that) they are embodied magic, helping each other, and they said that we deny all of them.
This meaning is correct, but the more authentic point is that in { ’’ اَوَ لَمْ يَكْفُرُوْا …‘‘} (Did they not deny those things which were given to Musa), the deniers referred to are the Quraysh themselves, who demanded from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) the miracles that were given to Musa (peace be upon him). The evidence for this meaning being more authentic is that from {’’ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ ‘‘} to {’’ وَ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّا بِكُلٍّ كٰفِرُوْنَ ‘‘}, all the statements are made by the same people about whom Allah said in the next verse: «{ قُلْ فَاْتُوْا بِكِتٰبٍ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ هُوَ اَهْدٰى مِنْهُمَاۤ }» “Say, then bring a book from Allah which is a better guide than these two.” It is clear that the command to say this was for those people whom you were addressing, and they were the Quraysh, or other disbelievers of your time, because they did not only deny the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) but also denied the previous prophethoods; they neither believed in Musa (peace be upon him) and became his followers, nor in Isa (peace be upon him). Allah has quoted the saying of the disbelievers of your time: «{ وَ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَنْ نُّؤْمِنَ بِهٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ وَ لَا بِالَّذِيْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ}» [ سبا : ۳۱ ] “And those who disbelieved said, ‘We will never believe in this Qur’an nor in that which was before it.’” The meaning is that the miracles of Musa (peace be upon him) which they are demanding, even with those miracles they never believed in Musa (peace be upon him), so now they are demanding them from Muhammad (peace be upon him). They themselves say that Musa (peace be upon him) was given these miracles, but even then they never accepted him as a prophet and never followed him.
➍ { قَالُوْا سِحْرٰنِ تَظٰهَرَا:} That is, the Qur’an and the Torah are both magic, confirming each other. Tabari has narrated this from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with an authentic chain through Ali bin Abi Talhah. Among the heavenly books, after the Qur’an, the greatest book is the Torah; after Musa (peace be upon him), all the prophets including Isa (peace be upon him) followed it, that is why in the Qur’an, the Torah and the Qur’an are often mentioned together, as He said: «{ قُلْ مَنْ اَنْزَلَ الْكِتٰبَ الَّذِيْ جَآءَ بِهٖ مُوْسٰى نُوْرًا وَّ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ }» [ الأنعام :۹۱ ] “Say, who sent down the Book which Musa brought, a light and guidance for the people?” Here, the Torah is described as light and guidance, then about the Qur’an it is said: «{ وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ مُبٰرَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِيْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ }» [ الأنعام : ۹۲] “And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed, confirming what was before it.” At the end of this Surah Al-An’am, He said: «{ ثُمَّ اٰتَيْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتٰبَ تَمَامًا عَلَى الَّذِيْۤ اَحْسَنَ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۴ ] “Then We gave Musa the Book to complete (Our favor) upon the one who did good.” And in the next verse, the Qur’an is mentioned: «{ وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ مُبٰرَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوْهُ وَ اتَّقُوْا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُوْنَ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۵ ] “And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed, so follow it and fear (Allah) so that you may receive mercy.”
➋ Mufassir Razi says: “What these people demanded was not necessary to be fulfilled in the same way, because it is neither necessary that all the miracles of the prophets be the same, nor is it necessary that the book revealed to them be revealed in the same manner, because sometimes it is better for the book to be revealed all at once, like the Torah, and sometimes it is better to reveal it gradually, like the Qur’an.”
➌ { اَوَ لَمْ يَكْفُرُوْا بِمَاۤ اُوْتِيَ مُوْسٰى مِنْ قَبْلُ :} That is, even if the miracles they demanded are shown, what benefit is there? Those who have decided not to believe will not believe even after seeing every kind of sign. Did not people of their own kind, who had the same religion and the same hostility as them, that is, the disbelievers of the time of Musa (peace be upon him), deny those miracles that were given to Musa? They said about Musa and Harun (peace be upon them) that they (are such great magicians that) they are embodied magic, helping each other, and they said that we deny all of them.
This meaning is correct, but the more authentic point is that in { ’’ اَوَ لَمْ يَكْفُرُوْا …‘‘} (Did they not deny those things which were given to Musa), the deniers referred to are the Quraysh themselves, who demanded from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) the miracles that were given to Musa (peace be upon him). The evidence for this meaning being more authentic is that from {’’ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ ‘‘} to {’’ وَ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّا بِكُلٍّ كٰفِرُوْنَ ‘‘}, all the statements are made by the same people about whom Allah said in the next verse: «{ قُلْ فَاْتُوْا بِكِتٰبٍ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ هُوَ اَهْدٰى مِنْهُمَاۤ }» “Say, then bring a book from Allah which is a better guide than these two.” It is clear that the command to say this was for those people whom you were addressing, and they were the Quraysh, or other disbelievers of your time, because they did not only deny the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) but also denied the previous prophethoods; they neither believed in Musa (peace be upon him) and became his followers, nor in Isa (peace be upon him). Allah has quoted the saying of the disbelievers of your time: «{ وَ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَنْ نُّؤْمِنَ بِهٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ وَ لَا بِالَّذِيْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ}» [ سبا : ۳۱ ] “And those who disbelieved said, ‘We will never believe in this Qur’an nor in that which was before it.’” The meaning is that the miracles of Musa (peace be upon him) which they are demanding, even with those miracles they never believed in Musa (peace be upon him), so now they are demanding them from Muhammad (peace be upon him). They themselves say that Musa (peace be upon him) was given these miracles, but even then they never accepted him as a prophet and never followed him.
➍ { قَالُوْا سِحْرٰنِ تَظٰهَرَا:} That is, the Qur’an and the Torah are both magic, confirming each other. Tabari has narrated this from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with an authentic chain through Ali bin Abi Talhah. Among the heavenly books, after the Qur’an, the greatest book is the Torah; after Musa (peace be upon him), all the prophets including Isa (peace be upon him) followed it, that is why in the Qur’an, the Torah and the Qur’an are often mentioned together, as He said: «{ قُلْ مَنْ اَنْزَلَ الْكِتٰبَ الَّذِيْ جَآءَ بِهٖ مُوْسٰى نُوْرًا وَّ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ }» [ الأنعام :۹۱ ] “Say, who sent down the Book which Musa brought, a light and guidance for the people?” Here, the Torah is described as light and guidance, then about the Qur’an it is said: «{ وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ مُبٰرَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِيْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ }» [ الأنعام : ۹۲] “And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed, confirming what was before it.” At the end of this Surah Al-An’am, He said: «{ ثُمَّ اٰتَيْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتٰبَ تَمَامًا عَلَى الَّذِيْۤ اَحْسَنَ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۴ ] “Then We gave Musa the Book to complete (Our favor) upon the one who did good.” And in the next verse, the Qur’an is mentioned: «{ وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ مُبٰرَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوْهُ وَ اتَّقُوْا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُوْنَ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۵ ] “And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed, so follow it and fear (Allah) so that you may receive mercy.”
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
48-1 That is, the miracles of Hazrat Musa (Moses) (علیہ السلام), such as the staff turning into a serpent and the hand shining, etc.
48-2 That is, the requested miracles—even if they are shown—what benefit is there? Those who are not destined to believe will remain deprived of faith even after seeing every kind of sign. Did the Pharaoh's people become Muslim after seeing the aforementioned miracles of Musa (علیہ السلام), or did they not persist in disbelief? Or, the pronoun in "yakfuru" refers to the Quraysh of Makkah, meaning: did they not disbelieve in Musa (علیہ السلام) even before the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ?
48-3 According to the first interpretation, "both" refers to Hazrat Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام), and according to the second interpretation, it refers to the Qur'an and the Torah, meaning: both are magic that support each other, and we are deniers of all—that is, of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Muhammad ﷺ. (Fath al-Qadeer)
48-2 That is, the requested miracles—even if they are shown—what benefit is there? Those who are not destined to believe will remain deprived of faith even after seeing every kind of sign. Did the Pharaoh's people become Muslim after seeing the aforementioned miracles of Musa (علیہ السلام), or did they not persist in disbelief? Or, the pronoun in "yakfuru" refers to the Quraysh of Makkah, meaning: did they not disbelieve in Musa (علیہ السلام) even before the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ?
48-3 According to the first interpretation, "both" refers to Hazrat Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام), and according to the second interpretation, it refers to the Qur'an and the Torah, meaning: both are magic that support each other, and we are deniers of all—that is, of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Muhammad ﷺ. (Fath al-Qadeer)
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why has he not been given the like of what was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in what was given to Moses before [64]? They say, "These two (the Torah and the Quran) [65] are magic supporting each other," and they say, "We reject both of them." [66]
[64]
Several Conclusive Answers to the Disbelievers Demanding a Miracle Like Musa (Moses) ؑ:
And now when Our Messenger has come to the disbelievers of Makkah and has brought with him the Book of guidance, they have started saying that why was he not given a staff like Musa ؑ, which would turn into a serpent, or why was he not given a hand that would shine like the sun, or why was this Book not revealed in the form of tablets? The answer that Allah Almighty has given to this objection of the polytheists of Makkah can have two meanings. One is that when Musa ؑ presented these miracles before his people, did they believe? According to your thinking, they should certainly have believed. And the second meaning is that if you consider these miracles correct and a proof of prophethood, then have you believed in the Torah? And since you have not believed in the Torah and Musa ؑ, it clearly means that in reality you also deny these miracles. And this claim of yours is mere lip service.
[65] This sentence has several meanings. One is that the people of Musa ؑ began to say that Musa and Harun are both magicians and are helpers of each other. And the second meaning is that when the disbelievers of Makkah see that there are many similarities in the beliefs of Muslims and Jews—for example, both groups detest idol worship and consider it shirk and disbelief, both believe in the Hereafter, both consider slaughtering in the name of anyone other than Allah as forbidden, and if Muslims affirm Musa ؑ, then many fair-minded Jews consider this Prophet to be true—then these disbelievers say that Musa ؑ and Muhammad ﷺ are both magicians and support and affirm each other. And the third meaning is that the disbelievers of Makkah say that both the Torah and the Quran are clear magic, because both books support and affirm each other.
[66] Therefore, we do not believe in the Torah, nor in the Gospel, nor in the Quran. All these books are birds of a feather. None of these books represent our interests. Therefore, none of these books are acceptable.
[64]
Several Conclusive Answers to the Disbelievers Demanding a Miracle Like Musa (Moses) ؑ:
And now when Our Messenger has come to the disbelievers of Makkah and has brought with him the Book of guidance, they have started saying that why was he not given a staff like Musa ؑ, which would turn into a serpent, or why was he not given a hand that would shine like the sun, or why was this Book not revealed in the form of tablets? The answer that Allah Almighty has given to this objection of the polytheists of Makkah can have two meanings. One is that when Musa ؑ presented these miracles before his people, did they believe? According to your thinking, they should certainly have believed. And the second meaning is that if you consider these miracles correct and a proof of prophethood, then have you believed in the Torah? And since you have not believed in the Torah and Musa ؑ, it clearly means that in reality you also deny these miracles. And this claim of yours is mere lip service.
[65] This sentence has several meanings. One is that the people of Musa ؑ began to say that Musa and Harun are both magicians and are helpers of each other. And the second meaning is that when the disbelievers of Makkah see that there are many similarities in the beliefs of Muslims and Jews—for example, both groups detest idol worship and consider it shirk and disbelief, both believe in the Hereafter, both consider slaughtering in the name of anyone other than Allah as forbidden, and if Muslims affirm Musa ؑ, then many fair-minded Jews consider this Prophet to be true—then these disbelievers say that Musa ؑ and Muhammad ﷺ are both magicians and support and affirm each other. And the third meaning is that the disbelievers of Makkah say that both the Torah and the Quran are clear magic, because both books support and affirm each other.
[66] Therefore, we do not believe in the Torah, nor in the Gospel, nor in the Quran. All these books are birds of a feather. None of these books represent our interests. Therefore, none of these books are acceptable.
