أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِى صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ 36
Translations
Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses
Transliteration
Am lam yunabba bi-mā fī suhuf mūsā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question to those who deny the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), asking whether they have not been informed of what is contained in the Scriptures of Moses. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this refers to the prophecies and descriptions of the final Prophet found in the Torah, which should serve as evidence for the truthfulness of Islam. The ayah emphasizes that the coming of Muhammad was foretold in previous scriptures, making denial of his prophethood irrational for those familiar with the Books of the Prophets.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Najm, which addresses disbelievers of Mecca and their rejection of the Qur'an and the Prophet's message. The surah emphasizes the divine origins of the Qur'an and refutes pagan polytheism by pointing to monotheistic evidence found in earlier revealed scriptures.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most truthful of poets is Labīd, [in his statement] 'Verily, everything other than Allah is vanity.' (Sahih Bukhari 3839). Additionally, there are numerous hadiths about the People of the Book recognizing the Prophet's description in their scriptures, such as those found in Sahih Muslim regarding the knowledge of the Jews and Christians about Muhammad's prophethood.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers and non-believers alike that divine truth has been consistent across all prophetic messages, and that seeking knowledge from authenticated sources strengthens faith. For modern readers, it encourages critical examination of historical scriptures and recognition that belief should be grounded in evidence and reason, not mere denial or ignorance.