Quran Universe
21:48

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ وَضِيَآءٗ وَذِكۡرٗا لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ

Walaqad atayna moosa waharoona alfurqana wadiyaan wathikran lilmuttaqeena

And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous

Word by word
  1. وَلَقَدۡAnd verily
  2. ءَاتَيۡنَاWe gave
  3. مُوسَىٰMusa
  4. وَهَٰرُونَand Harun
  5. ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَthe Criterion
  6. وَضِيَآءٗand a light
  7. وَذِكۡرٗاand a Reminder
  8. لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَfor the righteous
Al-Anbya · 21:48Makkah

Musa and Harun were given the Criterion, a light and a reminder.

Scripture that separates truth from falsehood

What was given
Musa, Harun
received
the Criteriontruth from falsehood
light
a reminderfor the God-fearing
What scripture does
a rulebookjust do and don't
a lightfills the heart, shows the way

The tafsir notes Allah often mentions Musa and Muhammad ﷺ together, and their Books together. Qatadah said the Criterion was the Tawrah, how Allah differentiated between truth and falsehood. The heavenly Books also bring what fills the heart with light, guidance, and repentance.

You face a choice at work where everyone says it's fine, and you're not sure. Guidance is a criterion: it helps you tell right from wrong when the crowd blurs it. And it lights you from inside.

Scripture is a list of rules to follow.

Scripture is a light that helps me see what is true when things blur.

Try this

Bring one unclear choice to the Quran today. Look up what it says about it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And indeed We granted to Musa and Harun the criterion, and a shining light and a Reminder for those who have Taqwa (48)Those who fear their Lord in the unseen, and they are afraid of the Hour (49)And this is a blessed Reminder which We have sent down; will you then deny it (50)

The Revelation of the Tawrah and the Qur'an

We have already noted that Allah often mentions Musa and Muhammad together – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both – and He often mentions their Books together as well. He says:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ

(And indeed We granted to Musa and Harun the criterion) Mujahid said, "This means the Scripture." Abu Salih said: "The Tawrah." Qatadah said: "The Tawrah, what it permits and it forbids, and how Allah differentiated between truth and falsehood." In conclusion, we may say that the heavenly Books included the distinction between truth and falsehood, guidance and misguidance, transgression and the right way, lawful and unlawful, and that which will fill the heart with light, guidance, fear of Allah and repentance. So Allah says:

الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَاءً وَذِكْرًا لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

(the criterion, and a shining light and a Reminder for those who have Taqwa.) meaning, a reminder and exhortation for them. Then He describes them as:

الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ

(Those who fear their Lord in the unseen.) This is like the Ayah:

مَّنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ

(Who feared the Most Gracious in the unseen and came with a repenting heart.)(50:33)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

(Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.)(67:12)

وَهُم مِّنَ السَّاعَةِ مُشْفِقُونَ

(and they are afraid of the Hour.) means, they fear it. Then Allah says:

وَهَٰذَا ذِكْرٌ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ

(And this is a blessed Reminder which We have sent down;) means, the Magnificent Qur'an, which falsehood cannot approach, from before it or behind it, revealed by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.

 أَفَأَنتُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ

(will you then deny it?) means, will you deny it when it is the utmost in clarity and truth?