Quran Universe
2:53

وَإِذۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ

Waith atayna moosa alkitaba waalfurqana laAAallakum tahtadoona

And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.

Word by word
  1. وَإِذۡAnd when
  2. ءَاتَيۡنَاWe gave
  3. مُوسَىMusa
  4. ٱلۡكِتَٰبَthe Book
  5. وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانَand the Criterion
  6. لَعَلَّكُمۡperhaps you
  7. تَهۡتَدُونَ(would be) guided
Al-Baqarah · 2:53Madinah

A Book and a criterion to tell right from wrong.

What Musa was given after the sea

The gift
Musaafter the crossing
given
the Scripturethe Tawrah
the criteriontruth from falsehood
How to decide
whatever feels rightmy mood decides
a criterion from Allaha clear line

After the sea, Musa was given the Tawrah and the furqan. Ibn Kathir says the furqan is that which separates truth from falsehood, guidance from deviation. It was given so that they might be guided.

A deal that looks fine but feels off. A friend's request that is half right. Your feelings change by the hour. Revelation gives you a fixed line to measure against when your own sense is foggy.

I will know what is right by how it feels.

Allah gave a criterion so I do not have to guess what is right.

Try this

Facing a choice today, look up what the Quran or Sunnah says before deciding.

Related28:43
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 2:51)

And (remember) when We appointed for Musa (Moses) forty nights, and (in his absence) you took the calf (for worship), and you were Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers)(51)Then after that We forgave you so that you might be grateful (52)And (remember) when We gave Musa the Scripture (the Tawrah)) and the criterion (of right and wrong) so that you may be guided aright (53)

The Children of Israel worshipped the Calf

Allah then said, "Remember My favor on you when I forgave you for worshipping the calf." This happened after Musa went to the meeting place with his Lord at the end of that period which was forty days. These forty days were mentioned in Surat Al-A'raf, when Allah said,

وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ

(And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more))(7:142).

It was said that these days were during the month of Dhul-Qa'dah plus the first ten days in Dhul-Hijjah, after the Children of Israel were delivered from Fir'awn and they safely crossed the sea. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ 

(And (remember) when We gave Musa the Scripture) means, the Tawrah,

وَالْفُرْقَانَ 

(And the criterion) that is that which differentiates between truth and falsehood, guidance and deviation.

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

(So that you may be guided aright), after escaping the sea, as another Ayah in Surat Al-A'raf clearly stated,

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الْأُولَىٰ بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

(And indeed We gave Musa ـ after We had destroyed the generations of old ـ the Scripture (the Tawrah) as an enlightenment for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy, that they might remember (or receive admonition))(28:43).