Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 45 Al-Jathiyah, Ayat 16-18

وَلَقَدۡ اٰتَيۡنَا بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡحُكۡمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقۡنٰهُمۡ مِّنَ الطَّيِّبٰتِ وَفَضَّلۡنٰهُمۡ عَلَى الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿45:16﴾ وَاٰتَيۡنٰهُمۡ بَيِّنٰتٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ​ ۚ فَمَا اخۡتَلَفُوۡۤا اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ ۙ بَغۡيًاۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡ​ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقۡضِىۡ بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ فِيۡمَا كَانُوۡا فِيۡهِ يَخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ‏ ﴿45:17﴾ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنٰكَ عَلٰى شَرِيۡعَةٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ فَاتَّبِعۡهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ اَهۡوَآءَ الَّذِيۡنَ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿45:18﴾

(45:16) Indeed We endowed the Children of Israel with the Book and Wisdom20 and Prophethood, and provided them with good things21 as sustenance, and exalted them above the peoples of the whole world. (45:17) We gave them clear directions in matters pertaining to religion. Yet they differed among themselves (not out of ignorance but) after knowledge had come to them; and they did so out of the desire to commit excesses against one another.22 On the Day of Resurrection Allah will judge among them regarding what they had differed. (45:18) And then We set you, (O Prophet), on a clear high road in religious matters.23 So follow that and do not follow the desires of those who do not know.


Notes

20. Hukm (judgment) implies three things:

(1) Knowledge and understanding of the Book and Religion.

(2) Wisdom to act according to the intention of the Book.

(3) Capability to give right decisions in disputes.

21. It does not mean that they were given preference over all the people of the world forever, rather it means: Allah had chosen the children of Israel from among all the contemporary nations of the world for the service that they should hold fast to the divine Book and should rise as the standard bearers of God worship in the world.

22. For explanation, see (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 213); (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 19) and (E.Ns 22, 23 of Ash-Shura).

23. It means: The mission that had been entrusted to the children of Israel before you has now been entrusted to you. They, in spite of receiving knowledge, created such differences in religion out of selfish motives and stirred up such divisions among themselves that they became disqualified to call the people to God’s way. Now you have been set upon the clear pathway of religion so that you may perform the service which the children of Israel have failed to perform and became disqualified to perform it. (For further explanation, see (Ash-Shura, Ayats 13-15 and E.Ns 20 to 26).