28. Al-Qasas
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
وَصَّلْنَا
لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ
لَعَلَّهُمْ
يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
﴿٥١﴾
28: 51. Now have We caused the word to reach them themselves, in order that they may receive admonition.
C3384. Before this the Quraish might have said that the Word of Allah had come to the Hebrews in their tongue or in Greek, which was used by the Hebrews in the time of Jesus. Now that Word is brought to their own doors, in their own Arabic tongue, by a man of their own race and family. Surely they have no excuse now for remaining strangers to the higher moral and spiritual law.
الَّذِينَ
آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
مِن قَبْلِهِ
هُم بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ
﴿٥٢﴾
28: 52. Those to whom We sent the Book before this -- they do believe in this (Revelation);
وَإِذَا
يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ
قَالُوا آمَنَّا
بِهِ...
28: 53. And when it is recited to them, they say:
"We believe therein,
...إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَا... ...
for it is the Truth from our Lord:
...إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٥٣﴾
indeed we have been Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will) from before this."
C3385. There were Christians and Jews who recognised that Islam was a logical and natural development of Allah's revelations as given in earlier ages, and they not only welcomed and accepted Islam, but claimed, and rightly, that they had always been Muslims.
In that sense Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus had all been Muslims. (R).
28:51 NOW, INDEED, We have caused this word [of Ours] to reach mankind step by step, 51 so that they might [learn to] keep it in mind.
(28:52) As for those unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime - they [are bound to] believe in this one [as well]; 52
(28:53) and whenever it is [clearly] conveyed unto them, they [are bound to] profess, "We have come to believe in it, for, behold, it is the truth from our Sustainer - and, verily, even before this have we surrendered ourselves unto Him!"
[[Asad’s notes -
52 This is both a statement of historical fact - alluding to conversions of Jews and Christians in Muhammad's lifetime - and a prophecy. It must, however, be understood that, in the above context, God's "vouchsafing" revelation implies a conscious, sincere acceptance of its teachings by those to whom it has been conveyed: for it is this sincerity that has enabled them - or will enable them to realize that the Qur'an preaches the same ethical truths as those forthcoming from earlier revelations. (Cf. 26:196-197 and the corresponding notes 83-85.)]]