وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى ٱلْغَضَبُ أَخَذَ ٱلْأَلْوَاحَ ۖ وَفِى نُسْخَتِهَا هُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِرَبِّهِمْ يَرْهَبُونَ 154
Translations
And when the anger subsided in Moses, he took up the tablets; and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for those who are fearful of their Lord.
Transliteration
Wa-lammā sakata 'an Mūsā al-ghaḍab akhatha al-alwāḥ; wa-fī nuskhatiha hudān wa-raḥmah li-lladhīna hum li-rabbihim yarhabūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
When Prophet Musa's (Moses) anger subsided after witnessing the Israelites' worship of the calf, he took up the Tablets of the Law, which contained guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this demonstrates how the Torah itself is a manifestation of divine guidance and compassion, and that its benefits are reserved for those who possess taqwa (God-consciousness and reverence). The ayah illustrates the connection between fearing Allah and receiving the full benefit of revelation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative detailing the story of the Golden Calf incident, occurring during Musa's absence of forty nights on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. The context shows the aftermath of his initial anger when discovering the Israelites' transgression, and his recovery of the divinely inscribed Tablets—emphasizing that despite the people's error, the scripture itself remains a source of guidance for the God-fearing.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said regarding the Torah: 'The most truthful word spoken by any poet is the statement of Labid: Verily, all things except Allah are perishable' (Sahih Bukhari 3839). Additionally, there are numerous hadiths emphasizing that revelation guides those with hearts inclined toward obedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
Just as the Tablets contained guidance and mercy for the God-fearing, the Quran and teachings of Islam offer spiritual nourishment only to those who approach them with sincere reverence and fear of Allah. Developing genuine taqwa is essential to benefit fully from divine guidance in our lives.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأْكُلُوا۟ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓا۟ أَضْعَـٰفًا مُّضَـٰعَفَةً ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied, but fear Allāh that you may be successful.
تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
The revelation of the Book is from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
And We have certainly presented for the people in this Qur’ān from every [kind of] example - that they might remember.
كَذَٰلِكَ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ فِىٓ أُمَّةٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهَآ أُمَمٌ لِّتَتْلُوَا۟ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۚ قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ
Thus have We sent you to a community before which [other] communities have passed on so you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Merciful. Say, "He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return."