The Holy Quran 4:153 — Surah An-Nisa

Arabic text

يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا

Translation

The Ahlul Kitaab (Jews) ask you (O Muhammad ﷺ) to reveal to them (to bring for them) a Book from the heavens (all at once as the Torah was revealed to Moosa). Indeed they have asked even greater things of Moosa. (Among the things they asked Moosa was that) They said (to him), "Show Allaah to us before our eyes!" So a bolt of lightning seized them (70,000 of them) because of their wrongdoing (their insolence). They then took to (the worship of) the calf after the clear signs (of Towheed) had come to them. (However,) We forgave them for all of this (instead of destroying them all) and granted Moosa clear authority (over them, because of which he could order the execution of those who worshipped the calf).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The insolent demand of the Jews: some leaders of the Jews came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “If you are a true prophet, then bring down from the sky, all at once, a complete, ready-written book, as Musa ﵇ brought the Torah.” On this occasion this verse was revealed, and throughout this ruku' (section of the Quran)

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