Transliteration:( Wa laqad aatainaa Moosal hudaa wa awrasnaa Baneee Israaa 'eelal Kitaab )
"And indeed, We bestowed guidance [136] upon Musa and made the Children of Israel the inheritors [137] of the Book."
The term “guidance” here refers primarily to:
The Torah, a complete manual of divine commandments;
The miracles given to Musa (peace be upon him), which were signs of Allah’s power;
And most aptly, Musa himself being appointed as a guide, leading people toward truth.
This reveals that:
Prophets receive direct guidance from Allah, just like the sun receives light directly from Allah and then shines on others.
Even before formal revelation, Prophets are divinely protected and remain upon a natural, innate guidance (fitrah). During his early life in Pharaoh’s palace, Musa (peace be upon him) upheld righteous conduct.
The Children of Israel were made inheritors of the divine scripture — either:
Specifically referring to the Torah, or
Including other divinely revealed texts given through the Prophets who followed.
This establishes two key points:
True inheritance of the Prophets is knowledge, not wealth. The Ulama (Islamic scholars) are known as the heirs of the Prophets, as they inherit and transmit divine teachings.
The legacy of Prophethood continues through those who seek and embody religious knowledge, not through material inheritance.
Thus, this verse honors both the lineage of guidance and those who preserve it across generations.
The tafsir of Surah Muminun verse 53 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Muminun ayat 51 which provides the complete commentary from verse 51 through 56.
(40:53) We surely guided Moses[69] and made the Children of Israel the heirs of the Book
69. That is, We did not just leave Moses alone when We sent him against Pharaoh, but We gave him guidance at every step till success. This contains a subtle allusion to the effect: O Muhammad, We shall help you too in the same manner. We have neither left you alone after raising you as a Prophet in the city of Makkah and the tribe of Quraish so that these wicked people may treat you as they like, but We Ourselves are with you and are giving you guidance at every step.
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