سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 153
يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا ﴿153﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The people of the Scripture (Jews) ask you to cause a book to descend upon them from heaven. Indeed they asked Mûsâ (Moses) for even greater than that, when they said: "Show us Allâh in public," but they were struck with thunderclap and lightning for their wickedness. Then they worshipped the calf even after clear proofs, evidence, and signs had come to them. (Even) so We forgave them. And We gave Mûsâ (Moses) a clear proof of authority.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَسْـَٔلُكَ
yasaluka
Ask you
أَهْلُ
ahlu
(the) People
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
أَن
an
that
تُنَزِّلَ
tunazzila
you bring down
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
كِتَـٰبًۭا
kitāban
a book
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ
l-samāi
the heaven
فَقَدْ
faqad
Then indeed
سَأَلُوا۟
sa-alū
they (had) asked
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
Musa
أَكْبَرَ
akbara
greater
مِن
min
than
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
فَقَالُوٓا۟
faqālū
for they said
أَرِنَا
arinā
Show us
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
جَهْرَةًۭ
jahratan
manifestly
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ
fa-akhadhathumu
so struck them
ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ
l-ṣāʿiqatu
the thunderbolt
بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ
biẓul'mihim
for their wrongdoing
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
ٱتَّخَذُوا۟
ittakhadhū
they took
ٱلْعِجْلَ
l-ʿij'la
the calf (for worship)
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَا
mā
[what]
جَآءَتْهُمُ
jāathumu
came to them
ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ
l-bayinātu
the clear proofs
فَعَفَوْنَا
faʿafawnā
then We forgave them
عَن
ʿan
for
ذَٰلِكَ ۚ
dhālika
that
وَءَاتَيْنَا
waātaynā
And We gave
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
سُلْطَـٰنًۭا
sul'ṭānan
an authority
مُّبِينًۭا
mubīnan
clear
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.
153. 1. That is, just as Musa (Moses) ؑ went to Mount Tur and brought the Torah written on tablets, in the same way, you should also go to the sky and bring the written Qur'an. This demand was made purely out of stubbornness, denial, and obstinacy.
