46. Surah Al-Ahqaf (The Sand-Dunes)

Mecca Period 66

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً...

46:12. And before this, was the Book of Moses as a guide and a mercy;

C4786. The last revealed Book which was a Code of Life (Shariah) was the Book of Moses; for that of Jesus was not such a Code, but merely moral precepts to sweep away the corruptions that had crept in. The Quran has the same attitude to it as the teaching of Jesus had to the Law. Jesus said (Matt. 5:17): "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

But the corruptions took new forms in Christian Churches: an entirely new Shariah became necessary, and this was provided in Islam.

...وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا ...

and this Book confirms (it) in the Arabic tongue;

... لِّيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٢﴾

to admonish the unjust, and as Glad Tidings to those who do right.

Asad’s Version:

46:12 And yet, before this there was the revelation of Moses, a guide and a [sign of God's] grace; and this [Qur'an] is a divine writ confirming the truth [of the Torah 15 ] in the Arabic tongue, to warn those who are bent on evildoing, and [to bring] a glad tiding to the doers of good: