Surah Al-Ma'idah, Ayah 15
Quran 5:15 · The Table Spread · Madani · Para 6 · Page 110
یٰۤاَهْلَ الْكِتٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُوْلُنَا یُبَیِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِیْرًا مِّمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُوْنَ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَیَعْفُوْا عَنْ كَثِیْرٍ ؕ۬ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ نُوْرٌ وَّكِتٰبٌ مُّبِیْنٌ ۟ۙ
Transliteration
Ya ahla alkitabi qad jaakumrasooluna yubayyinu lakum katheeran mimma kuntumtukhfoona mina alkitabi wayaAAfoo AAan katheerin qad jaakummina Allahi noorun wakitabun mubeen
Saheeh International
O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allāh a light and a clear Book [i.e., the Qur’ān]
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
O People of the Scripture – referring to the Jews who had the Torah and the Christians who had the Gospel – My messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) has come to you to explain much of what you hide from the scripture revealed to you, and to overlook much of that in which there is no benefit besides disgracing you. The Qur’ān has come to you as a Book from Allah, which is a light to guide you and a Book that makes clear all of what people require for their worldly and religious affairs.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) on 5:15–5:16
O People of the Scripture! Now has come to you Our Messenger explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and passing over much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light and a plain Book (15)Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His permission unto light and guides them to a straight path (16)
Explaining the Truth Through the Messenger and the Qur'an
Allah states that He sent His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ with the guidance and the religion of truth to all the people of the earth, the Arabs and non-Arabs, lettered and unlettered. Allah also states that He sent Muhammad ﷺ with clear evidences and the distinction between truth and falsehood. Allah said,
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ
(O People of the Scripture! Now has come to you Our Messenger explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and passing over much.)
So the Prophet ﷺ explained where they altered, distorted, changed and lied about Allah. He also ignored much of what they changed, since it would not bring about any benefit if it was explained. In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said, "He who disbelieves in stoning (the adulterer to death) will have inadvertently disbelieved in the Qur'an, for Allah said,
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ
(O People of the Scripture! Now has come to you Our Messenger explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture) and stoning was among the things that they used to hide." Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih, and they did not record it."
Allah next mentions the Glorious Qur'an that He sent down to His honorable Prophet ﷺ,
قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ - يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ
(Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light and a plain Book. Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His pleasure to ways of peace.) meaning, ways of safety and righteousness,
وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
(and He brings them out of darkness by His permission unto light and guides them to a straight path.) He thus saves them from destruction and explains to them the best, most clear path. Therefore, He protects them from what they fear, and brings about the best of what they long for, all the while ridding them of misguidance and directing them to the best, most righteous state of being.