سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْقَافِ
Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 12
وَمِن قَبْلِهِۦ كِتَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً ۚ وَهَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿12﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And before this was the Scripture of Mûsâ (Moses) as a guide and a mercy. And this is a confirming Book (the Qur’ân) in the Arabic language, to warn those who do wrong, and as glad tidings to the Muhsinûn (good-doers. See the footnote of V.9:120).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِن
wamin
And before it
قَبْلِهِۦ
qablihi
And before it
كِتَـٰبُ
kitābu
(was the) Scripture
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
(of) Musa
إِمَامًۭا
imāman
(as) a guide
وَرَحْمَةًۭ ۚ
waraḥmatan
and a mercy
وَهَـٰذَا
wahādhā
And this
كِتَـٰبٌۭ
kitābun
(is) a Book
مُّصَدِّقٌۭ
muṣaddiqun
confirming
لِّسَانًا
lisānan
(in) language
عَرَبِيًّۭا
ʿarabiyyan
Arabic
لِّيُنذِرَ
liyundhira
to warn
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ظَلَمُوا۟
ẓalamū
do wrong
وَبُشْرَىٰ
wabush'rā
and (as) glad tidings
لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ
lil'muḥ'sinīna
for the good-doers
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 12) ➊ The conjunction of {وَ مِنْ قَبْلِهٖ كِتٰبُ مُوْسٰۤى اِمَامًا وَّ رَحْمَةً: ’’ كِتٰبُ مُوْسٰۤى ‘‘} is with {’’ شَاهِدٌ ‘‘} and the pronoun of {’’ قَبْلِهٖ ‘‘} is referring to {’’ شَاهِدٌ ‘‘}: {’’أَيْ شَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ بَنِيْ إِسْرَائِيْلَ عَلٰي مِثْلِهِ وَ شَهِدَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوْسٰي عَلٰي مِثْلِهِ‘‘} meaning a witness from the Children of Israel bore witness to it, and before it, the Book of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, also bore witness to its truth, which was a leader for the people. People used to follow it and act upon its commands (see Ma'idah: 44), and it was a mercy for the people.
➋ Most commentators have considered the pronoun of {’’ قَبْلِهٖ ‘‘} to refer to the Quran, meaning before this Quran, the Book of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, was a leader and a mercy, but the construction mentioned above seems better to me.
➌ { وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا:} And this Book, that is, the Quran, confirms the Book of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, meaning it is exactly according to those prophecies that were made in the Torah, which confirms it, and the fundamental teachings of both are the same. Although that was in the Hebrew language and this is in the Arabic language, and it was revealed to a person who did not even know Hebrew, rather he was unlettered, and could not even read Arabic. This is proof that both are revealed by Allah Almighty, who is the Creator of all languages and Knower of everything.
➍ {لِّيُنْذِرَ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا …:} So that it may warn those people of their evil end who, by committing disbelief and polytheism, have wronged their own souls, and give great glad tidings to those who do righteous deeds.
➋ Most commentators have considered the pronoun of {’’ قَبْلِهٖ ‘‘} to refer to the Quran, meaning before this Quran, the Book of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, was a leader and a mercy, but the construction mentioned above seems better to me.
➌ { وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا:} And this Book, that is, the Quran, confirms the Book of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, meaning it is exactly according to those prophecies that were made in the Torah, which confirms it, and the fundamental teachings of both are the same. Although that was in the Hebrew language and this is in the Arabic language, and it was revealed to a person who did not even know Hebrew, rather he was unlettered, and could not even read Arabic. This is proof that both are revealed by Allah Almighty, who is the Creator of all languages and Knower of everything.
➍ {لِّيُنْذِرَ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا …:} So that it may warn those people of their evil end who, by committing disbelief and polytheism, have wronged their own souls, and give great glad tidings to those who do righteous deeds.
