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Surah An-Nisa, verse 153: meaning and tafsir
يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَٰنًا مُّبِينًا ١٥٣
The People of the Book ask you to bring down upon them a Book from heaven[103]. They had asked Moses even greater than that when they said, “Show us Allah openly.” But they were struck with a thunderbolt for their transgression. Then they took the calf for worship after receiving clear signs, yet We pardoned them, and We gave Moses compelling proof.
Translation of the meanings: Rowwad Translation Center — version 1.0.19 · QuranEnc.com
[103] This demand and all of the other Israelite infringements mentioned here are detailed in Surat al-Baqarah. See 2:50-66.
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Al-Mukhtasar: Abridged Explanation of the Quran
Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies · QuranEnc.com
153. The Jews ask you, O Messenger, to bring down to them at once a Book from the heaven, as it occurred with Moses, to prove your truthfulness. Do not be surprised at them as their predecessors had asked Moses for something much greater when they asked him to show them Allah openly. As a consequence for what they said they were seized by a thunderbolt. Then Allah brought them back to life and they went on to worship the calf instead of Allah after clear proofs came to them indicating Allah’s Oneness and Him being the only One worthy of worship. Then He forgave them and gave Moses clear evidence against his people.
Quran text: Tanzil Project (Tanzil Quran Text, Uthmani v1.1, CC BY 3.0). The translation and tafsir are quoted word for word, unchanged, from the Noble Quran Encyclopedia, QuranEnc.com, each credited to its source. Details on our sources page. These texts are quoted exactly as published; no answer is written by AI. Quran Chat does not issue fatwas.