Al-Qur'an Surah Fussilat Verse 45

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And We gave Mūsā the book, then it was disputed (as well). But for a word that had already come from your Lord, the matter would have been decided between them. They are in confounding doubt about it.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, We had given Moses the Scripture, but differences arose regarding it. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord,[[ That He will delay their judgment until the Hereafter. ]] their differences would have been settled ˹at once˺. They are truly in alarming doubt about it.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We gave Moses the Scripture, but differences arose concerning it. Were it not for a prior decree from your Lord, it would have been judged between them. Surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.

A. J. Arberry

And We gave Moses the Book; and there was difference concerning it, and but for a Word that preceded from thy Lord, it had been decided between them; and they are in doubt of it disquieting.

Abdul Haleem

We gave the Scripture to Moses but disputes arose about it- if it were not for a decree that had already been issued from your Lord, they would already have been judged- and still they are doubtful and suspicious of it.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly We vouchsafed Unto Musa the Book, and difference arose concerning it; and had not a word gone forth from thy Lord, the affair would have been decreed between them. And verily they are in regard thereto in doubt and dubitating.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We certainly gave Moses the Book aforetime; but disputes arose therein. Had it not been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (their differences) would have been settled between them; but they remained in suspicious disquieting doubt thereon.

Abul Ala Maududi

And in the past We gave Moses the Book and yet it became an object of dispute. If your Lord's decree had not gone forth before, a decisive judgement would have been made among them, once and for all. Surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.

Ahmed Ali

Verily We gave Moses the Book; but they began to differ about it. If the Word of your Lord had not preceded it the matter would have been settled between them. They are still in doubt about it and uneasy.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And We indeed gave the Book to Moosa, so a dispute was created regarding it; and were it not for a Word that had already gone forth from your Lord, the judgement would have been immediately passed upon them; and indeed they are in an intriguing doubt regarding it.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly We gave Moses the Book, but differences arose about it; and were it not for a prior decree of your Lord, judgement would have been made between them, for they are in grave doubt concerning it.

Ali Ünal

Assuredly We granted Moses the Book, and discordant views arose about it (just as your people, O Messenger, say different things concerning the Book We are revealing to you). Had it not been for a decree already issued by your Lord (postponing the final, decisive judgment until an appointed term), it would indeed have been judged between them. They are (nevertheless) in doubting uncertainty about it (about the Qur’an and their attitude to it).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And indeed We gave Moses the Scripture but (when the followers of the Scripture began tampering with it) differences arose about it. Had it not been a word (of promise) already made by your Lord the judgment (between them the disbelievers) would have been passed long ago (by the destruction of those who dispute about the prophecy). And they are in disquieting and grave doubt concerning this (- the fulfillment of the prophecy).

English Literal

And We had given/brought Moses The Book , so it was disputed in it, and where it not for a word (that) proceeded from your Lord, (it) would have been executed between them, and that they truly are in doubtful/suspicious doubt/suspicion from it.

Faridul Haque

And We indeed gave the Book to Moosa, so a dispute was created regarding it; and were it not for a Word that had already gone forth from your Lord, the judgement would have been immediately passed upon them; and indeed they are in an intriguing doubt regarding it.

Hamid S. Aziz

And certainly We gave the Book to Moses, but dispute arose therein. Had not a word already gone forth from your Lord, judgment would certainly have been given ere now between them (the disputers); and lo! They are in hopeless doubt about it.

Hilali & Khan

And indeed We gave Musa (Moses) the Scripture, but dispute arose therein. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, (the torment would have overtaken them) and the matter would have been settled between them. But truly, they are in grave doubt thereto (i.e. about the Quran). [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 15, Page 370]

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if We had made it a Qur’an in a foreign tongue, they would have said: Why have not its messages been made clear? What! a foreign (tongue) and an Arab! Say: It is to those who believe a guidance and a healing, and those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears and it is obscure to them. These are called to from a place afar.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly We gave the Book to Musa, but it has been differed about, and had not a word already gone forth from your Lord, judgment would certainly have been given between them; and most surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We verily gave Moses the Scripture, but there hath been dispute concerning it; and but for a Word that had already gone forth from thy Lord, it would ere now have been judged between them; but lo! they are in hopeless doubt concerning it.

Muhammad Sarwar

We had given the Book to Moses about which people greatly disagreed. Had the word of your Lord not been decreed, He would have certainly settled their differences (there and then). They were greatly suspicious and doubtful about the Book of Moses.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We gave the Book to Moses, but there were disputes about it, and had it not been for a Word that preceded from your Lord (their disputes) would have been decided between them. But they are in disquieting doubt about it.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And indeed We gave Musa the Scripture, but dispute arose therein. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, and the matter would have been settled between them. But truly, they are in grave doubt thereto.

Wahiduddin Khan

We gave Moses the Book, but differences were created concerning it: and had it not been for a word that had already gone forth from your Lord, the matter would have been decided between them; and certainly they are in grave doubt about it.

Talal Itani

We gave Moses the Book, but disputes arose concerning it. Were it not for a prior decree from your Lord, judgment would have been pronounced between them. But they are in perplexing doubt concerning it.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily We gave Moses the Scripture, the Torah, but differences arose concerning it, in terms of [some] affirming the truth [of it] and [others] denying [it], as with the Qur'n; and were it not for a Word that had [already] preceded from your Lord, to defer the reckoning and requital of creatures until the Day of Resurrection, judgement would have been made between them, in this world, concerning that over which they differed; for indeed they, the deniers of it, are in grave doubt concerning it, [doubt] which leads to [utter] uncertainty.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَقَدْ اتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَاخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ

And indeed We gave Musa the Scripture, but dispute arose therein.

means, they disbelieved in him and did not show him any respect.

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُواْ الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ

Therefore be patient as did the Messengers of strong will, (46;35)

وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ

And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord,

i.e., to delay the Reckoning until the Day of Resurrection,

لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ

the matter would have been settled between them.

means, the punishment would have been hastened for them. But they have an appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.

وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ



But truly, they are in grave doubt thereto.

means, their words of disbelief are not due to any wisdom or insight on their part; rather they spoke without any attempt at examining it thoroughly.

This was also the interpretation of Ibn Jarir, and it is a plausible interpretation. And Allah knows best