Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:163

"Indeed, We have revealed to you, as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him."

This is a response to the People of the Scripture regarding their request that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) bring down a book from the sky. It is an argument against them, establishing that his status regarding revelation is the same as that of the other prophets, upon whom be peace and blessings, whose prophethood is not doubted. It has also been said: It is a justification for His saying, "But those firm in knowledge..."

Ibn Ishaq and others narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "Sakin and 'Adi bin Zayd said: 'O Muhammad, we do not know that Allah Almighty has sent down anything to any human being after Moses.' So, Allah Almighty revealed this verse."

The Kaf (in Kama) is in the accusative position, acting as a descriptor for an omitted verbal noun (masdar); that is, "a revelation like our revelation to Noah," or it is a state (hal) of that estimated verbal noun, defined as is the view of Sibawayh—meaning, "We have revealed the revelation, resembling our revelation, etc." In both interpretations, Ma functions as a verbal noun.

Abu al-Baqa' permitted that Ma be a relative pronoun (mawṣūlah), in which case the Kaf would be an object (maf'ūl bihi); that is, "We have revealed to you like that which We revealed to Noah of monotheism and other things," though this is not favored. The phrase "after him" relates to "We revealed." They did not permit it to be a state of "the prophets" because temporal adverbs cannot be states of physical bodies.

He, the Almighty, began with Noah, upon him be peace, as a threat to them, for he was the first prophet whose people were punished. It is also said: It is because he was the first through whom Allah Almighty legislated laws and rulings; this is countered by negation. It is also said: Because of his similarity to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the universality of his call to all people of the earth. This is not free from scrutiny, as the universality of his call was incidental, not intentional, and the universality of the Furqan—according to the opinion that holds it—is not, as will be clarified, God willing, definitively indicative of that, as is not hidden.

"And We revealed to Abraham..." (This is a conjunction to "We revealed to Noah," included with it in the ruling of the comparison; i.e., "as We revealed to Abraham.")

"...and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Descendants (al-Asbat)." The Asbat are the children of Jacob, upon him be peace, according to the well-known opinion. Many have said that al-Asbat among the children of Isaac are like the Qaba'il (tribes) among the children of Ishmael. Several messengers were sent from among them, so it is possible that the Almighty intended by revealing to them the prophets among them, just as you might say, "I sent to the Banu Tamim," while meaning "I sent to their leaders." It is not correct that the Asbat who were the brothers of Joseph, upon him be peace, were prophets; rather, what is authentic according to me—and regarding which al-Jalal al-Suyuti wrote a treatise to the contrary—is otherwise.

"...and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon." They are mentioned alongside their appearance in the chain of prophets to honor them and demonstrate their superiority, following the known convention of mentioning the specific after the general in such contexts. The repetition of the verb is for further affirmation of the revelation and to alert that they are a special group independent in a specific type of revelation. He began by mentioning Abraham after the repetition for his additional honor, and because he is the third father of the prophets, upon them be peace and blessings, as stated by al-Ajhuri and others. He placed Jesus, upon him be peace, before those after him to confirm his prophethood and put an end to what the Jews perceived regarding him. It is also said: So that the commencement might be with one of the Ulul-'Azm (those of determination) after the form of the conjoined nouns changed from singular to plural. All these names, according to what Abu al-Baqa' mentioned, are foreign, except for al-Asbat, regarding which there is a known dispute. Regarding "Jonah" (Yunus), there are dialects; the most eloquent is the damma on the Nun without a Hamza, though it is permissible to open (fatha) or break (kasra) it with or without the Hamza.

"...and We gave David the Psalms (Zabur)." This is a conjunction to "We revealed," included in its ruling, because the giving of the Psalms is a type of revelation; i.e., "and as We gave David the Psalms." Choosing this over "We revealed to David" is for the realization of analogy in a specific matter, which is the giving of a book, after its realization in general revelation. Zabur, with a fatha on the Za', is according to the majority, and it is a Fa'ul in the sense of Maf'ul (passive participle), like Halub (milked) and Rakub (ridden), as established by Abu al-Baqa'.

Hamza and Khalaf read Zubur with a damma on the Za' wherever it occurs, which is the plural of Zabr (with a kasra followed by a sukun), meaning "written," i.e., recorded, or Zabr (with a fatha and sukun), like Fals and Fulus. It is said it is a verbal noun like Qu'ud and Julus. It is also said it is the plural of Zabur with the letters deleted. In any case, it was made a name for the book revealed to David, upon him be peace. Its revelation was in stages, and through that, the binding proof is attained. It contained, as al-Qurtubi said, one hundred and fifty surahs, in which there was no legal ruling, but rather wisdom, exhortations, praise, glorification, and commendation of Allah Almighty.