Tafsir for verse: 21:48
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ وَضِيَآءٗ وَذِكۡرٗا لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨ ﴿48
48And We gave Mūsā and Hārūn the Criterion, and a light and an advice for the God-fearing,
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Commentary

And when he presented [in his saying] ﴿What comes to them of reminder from their Lord﴾ [Al-Anbiya: 2] - the verse and others - that they turned away from this reminder, justifying it by things including the demand for the signs of the former peoples. He pointed out their excess in ignorance regarding what they rejected of honor by his saying ﴿Indeed, We have sent down to you a Book in which is your mention﴾ [Al-Anbiya: 10]. And he moved on to conclude with a warning of His punishment, and that He judges with justice. The Book of Musa, peace be upon him, after the Qur'an, was the greatest of the heavenly books. The people of the Book had turned away from it more than once during the time of Musa, peace be upon him, with the worship of the calf and others. After his death, while there were two messengers with him who supported each other in conveying it and establishing its rulings after they amazed minds with what they brought of the signs, which among them - as clarified in [Surah Al-Baqarah and Al-A'raf] - is the manipulation of the four elements which are the origin of the creation that Allah began from. The purpose of the Surah is to indicate its return, and among it is what He punished those who turned away from the mention of Musa and Harun, peace be upon them, which is the standard of justice for what he spread of the light that brings insight that obliterates darkness, so the follower of it does not fall into injustice. The reckoning is the detailing of matters and the comparison of each of them with what is appropriate for it, and that in itself is the criterion. He, glorified and exalted is He, said after the verse of reckoning, adding to ﴿Indeed, We have sent down﴾ [Al-Anbiya: 10] ﴿And indeed, We gave﴾ meaning with what We have of greatness ﴿Musa and Harun﴾ meaning his brother, who asked that his strength be supported by him ﴿the criterion﴾ which they supported each other in conveying and obligating what he called to while he was clarifying for the happiness of the two abodes, leaving no ambiguity in any matter ﴿and light﴾ there is no darkness with it, so there is no injustice for the one who seeks insight through it, for it is the nature of one who is in the light not to place anything except in its proper place ﴿and a reminder﴾ meaning an admonition and honor.

And when it was the case that one who does not benefit from something has nothing from it, he said: ﴿For the righteous﴾ meaning those for whom [this -] description has become a banner carrying [them -] to the reminder of what the Book calls to of monotheism, which is the essence of vigilance;

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