Quran Universe
5:15

يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمۡ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا كُنتُمۡ تُخۡفُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖۚ قَدۡ جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٞ وَكِتَٰبٞ مُّبِينٞ

Ya ahla alkitabi qad jaakum rasooluna yubayyinu lakum katheeran mimma kuntum tukhfoona mina alkitabi wayaAAfoo AAan katheerin qad jaakum mina Allahi noorun wakitabun mubeenun

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 Allah a light and a clear Book.

Word by word
  1. يَـٰٓأَهۡلَO People
  2. ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ(of) the Book
  3. قَدۡSurely
  4. جَآءَكُمۡhas come to you
  5. رَسُولُنَاOur Messenger
  6. يُبَيِّنُmaking clear
  7. لَكُمۡto you
  8. كَثِيرٗاmuch
  9. مِّمَّاof what
  10. كُنتُمۡyou used to
  11. تُخۡفُونَconceal
  12. مِنَof
  13. ٱلۡكِتَٰبِthe Scripture
  14. وَيَعۡفُواْand overlooking
  15. عَنof
  16. كَثِيرٖۚmuch
  17. قَدۡSurely
  18. جَآءَكُمhas come to you
  19. مِّنَfrom
  20. ٱللَّهِAllah
  21. نُورٞa light
  22. وَكِتَٰبٞand a Book
  23. مُّبِينٞclear
Al-Ma'idah · 5:15Madinah

He made much clear, and let much pass.

A light and a clear Book, delivered with restraint

What the Messenger ﷺ did
made clearwhat was hidden
overlooked muchno benefit in exposing it
brought
a lightand a clear Book
How truth is told
expose everythingevery error, every time
clear what matterspass over the rest

Ibn Kathir explains that the Prophet ﷺ made clear what had been hidden or changed, and passed over much of it, since explaining it would bring no benefit. With him came a light and a clear Book for all people.

Your friend's story has a few errors. Your coworker's report has small mistakes. You want to correct every one in front of everyone. The verse shows another way: say what matters, and let the rest go.

Being truthful means pointing out every mistake I see.

Truth is clarity on what matters, with mercy on what does not.

Try this

Next time you notice a small mistake in someone today, let it pass without comment.

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

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.