Tafsir of Al-Waqi'ah 56:78

(In a hidden book)

This is another description of the Qur’an; that is, it exists in a book protected from any but those drawn near among the angels (peace be upon them), for none other than them may perceive it. Thus, what is intended by it is the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), as has been narrated from al-Rabi' ibn Anas and others.

It has also been said: It means in a book protected from alteration and change, which is the Mus'haf (the written volume) in the hands of the Muslims; and this entails the foretelling of the unseen, for at that time there were such volumes.

'Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn Jarir recorded from 'Ikrimah that he said: "In a book," meaning the Torah and the Gospel. This was recounted in al-Bahr, then it stated: It is as if it meant: "It is mentioned in a hidden book [honoring] its nobility and honor," thus the meaning is based on citing the revealed books as evidence.

The apparent meaning, according to this view, is that "the book" is intended as a generic category so that the Torah and the Gospel may be included, though describing that as "hidden" is obscure. Perhaps it is intended to mean "of glorious status and great worth," for concealment is like a necessity for that which is glorious. It is permissible to intend this metaphorical meaning for the other interpretations as well.

It has been said: The "hidden book" is the heart of the believer, and you know how that stands.

It has been said: What is intended by its existence in a hidden book is that it is preserved from change and alteration, nothing more, as the Almighty said: “And indeed, We are its guardians.” The reliance is upon what has preceded.

It is permissible for the prepositional phrase to be connected to "noble" (karim), just as one says, "Zayd is noble in himself," and the meaning would be: "It is noble in the Preserved Tablet, even if it is not noble in the estimation of the disbelievers." Being an attribute is more eloquent, as is not hidden.