Al-Baqarah: (53) And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture...

Exegesis of Verse 53

Know that this is the fourth favor mentioned.

The term al-Furqān (the Criterion) may refer to:

1. The Tawrāh (Torah) itself.
2. Something included within the Tawrāh.
3. Something external to the Tawrāh.

These are the three possible interpretations.

Argument for the First Interpretation (The Tawrāh itself): The Tawrāh has two attributes: being a revealed Book, and being a Furqān that distinguishes between truth and falsehood. This is like saying, "I saw the rain and the lion," meaning a man possessing both generosity and bravery. A similar example is His saying: {And We certainly gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion (al-Furqān), and a light and a reminder} (Al-Anbiyā’: 48).

Argument for the Second Interpretation (Something within the Tawrāh): The Furqān here means the exposition of the religion found within the Tawrāh. When it clarifies matters, the truth becomes distinct from falsehood. Thus, al-Furqān refers to some specific parts of the Tawrāh, namely the exposition of the principles and branches of the religion.

Arguments for the Third Interpretation (Something external to the Tawrāh): There are several viewpoints here:

1. The Miracles: Al-Furqān refers to the Hand, the Staff, and the other signs given to Moses (peace be upon him). They were named al-Furqān because they separated truth from falsehood.
2. Victory and Deliverance: Al-Furqān refers to the victory and relief God granted the Children of Israel over Pharaoh's people. This is supported by the verse: {And [recall] the Day of the Criterion (Yawm al-Furqān), the day the two armies met} (Al-Anfāl: 41), which refers to the victory granted on the Day of Badr. Before victory appears, each opponent expects to prevail. When victory manifests, the superior is distinguished from the inferior, and true hope is separated from false hope.
3. The Splitting of the Sea: Qutrub stated that al-Furqān is the splitting of the sea for Moses (peace be upon him).

Addressing Objections to the Third Interpretation (Splitting of the Sea):

• Objection 1: This event is already mentioned in His saying: {And [recall] when We split the sea for you} (Al-Baqarah: 50).
  • Answer: God did not specify in {We split the sea for you} that this was for Moses. In this verse, that specificity is explicitly stated.
• Objection 2: The subsequent phrase {that you may be guided} (لعلكم تهتدون) is only appropriate for a Book, as guidance is typically mentioned after revelation.
  • Answer: The splitting of the sea was a sign (dalīl). Perhaps the meaning is that when We gave Moses the Furqān of the sea, they used it as evidence for the existence of the Creator and the truthfulness of Moses—and that is guidance. Furthermore, al-hudā (guidance) can sometimes mean success and salvation, just as it means demonstration. Thus, it is as if God stated that He gave them the Book as a blessing in religion, and the Furqān (the splitting of the sea) that brought about their salvation from the enemy was an immediate blessing.

Other Misinterpretations:

Some people mistakenly thought al-Furqān here is the Qur'an, revealed to Moses, which is false. Al-Furqān is anything that distinguishes truth from falsehood; every such proof is included, so there is no reason to restrict this term only to the Qur'an.

Others suggested the meaning is: {And when We gave Moses the Scripture} (i.e., the Tawrāh), and We gave Muhammad (PBUH) the Furqān so that you, O People of the Scripture, might be guided by it. This view was favored by grammarians like Al-Farrā’, Tha‘lab, and Qutrub, but this is an extreme forcing of the meaning without any necessity.

Regarding His saying: {that you may be guided}

The interpretation of la‘alla (that perhaps/so that) and al-ihtidā’ (guidance) has already been discussed.

The Mu‘tazilah used this verse to argue that God intended guidance for everyone, which refutes those who claim God intended disbelief for the disbeliever.

Furthermore, if, according to them, God creates the guidance for those who are guided and the misguidance for those who are misguided, what is the purpose of sending down the Book and the Furqān and then saying, {that you may be guided}? It is known that if guidance is created by God, sending down books has no effect on it. If He created guidance, guidance would occur even if no book were sent. Even if a thousand books were sent instead of one, guidance would not occur if He did not create it. How then can it be permissible to say, "We sent down the Book so that you may be guided"? Know that this argument has been repeated countless times, along with the response. And God knows best.

< { And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by your taking of the calf. So repent to your Creator and kill yourselves. That is best for you with your Creator." Then He accepted your repentance. Indeed, He is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful. } >