Sura 6, al-Anam (The Cattle), Mecca 55

The Quranic Text and Ali’s Translation:

ثُمَّ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ تَمَامًا عَلَى الَّذِيَ أَحْسَنَ وَتَفْصِيلاً لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ...

6:154. Moreover, We gave Moses the Book, completing (Our favor) to those who would do right, and explaining all things in detail,

...وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَّعَلَّهُم بِلِقَاء رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٥٤﴾

and a guide and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord.

Transliteration Summa a_taina_ mu_sal kita_ba tama_man 'alal lazi ahsana wa tafsilal likulli syai'iw wa hudaw wa rahmatal la'allahum bi liqa_'i rabbihim yu'minu_n(a).

Asad’s Translation

6: 154 And once again: We vouchsafed the divine writ unto Moses in fulfillment [of Our favor] upon those who persevered in doing good, clearly spelling out everything, and guidance and grace, so that they might have faith in the meeting with their Sustainer.

Pickthall’s Translation

Again, We gave the Scripture unto Moses, complete for him who would do good, an explanation of all things, a guidance and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord.

****************************************

Ali’s Comments:

980. The revelation to Moses went into the details of people's lives, and thus served as a practical guide to the Jews and after them to the Christians.

Admittedly the Message delivered by Christ dealt with general principles only and in no way with details.

The message of Islam as in the Quran is the next complete guide in point of time after that of Moses.

Asad’s note 156 –

I.e., everything that they needed by way of laws and injunctions appropriate to their time and the stage of their development (Razi). See in this connection the phrase, “Unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life”, occurring in 5:48, and the corresponding note 66.

Context:

وَهَـذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿١٥٥﴾

155. And this is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing:

so follow it and be righteous, that ye may receive mercy:

أَن تَقُولُواْ إِنَّمَا أُنزِلَ الْكِتَابُ عَلَى طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا...

156. Lest ye should say:

"The Book was sent down to two peoples before us,

...وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَافِلِينَ ﴿١٥٦﴾

and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study."

[ Ali’s comment: 981. Because the diligent studies of the earlier People of the Book were in languages foreign to the new People of Islam, or because they were meant for circumstances different from those of the new world after Islam.]

أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَابُ لَكُنَّا أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ...

157. Or lest ye should say:

"If the Book had only been sent down to us, we should have followed its guidance better than they."

...فَقَدْ جَاءكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ ...

Now then hath come unto you a Clear (sign) from your Lord, and a guide and a mercy:

...فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا...

then who could do more wrong than one who rejecteth Allah's signs, and turneth away therefrom?

...سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْدِفُونَ ﴿١٥٧﴾

In good time shall We requite those who turn away from Our Signs, with a dreadful penalty, for their turning away.

[Ali’s comment: 982. The Quran and the life and the teaching of Muhammad the Messenger of Allah.]