Surah Al Isra Tafseer

The Revelation of the Qur'an in Stages

Allah tells:

وَبِالْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَاهُ

And with truth We have sent it down,

Allah tells us that His Book, the Glorious Qur'an, has been sent with truth, i.e., it contains the truth, as Allah says:

لَّـكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَأ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ وَالْمَلَـيِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ

But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you; He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness. (4:166)

meaning, it contains the knowledge which Allah wanted to teach to you, with His rulings, commands and prohibitions.

وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ

and with truth it has descended.

means, "It has been sent down to you, O Muhammad, preserved and protected, not contaminated or mixed with anything else, with nothing added or taken away. It has come to you with the truth, brought down by one mighty in power, trustworthy and strong, one who is obeyed by the higher group (angels).'

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ

And We have sent you, (O Muhammad),

إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

as nothing but a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.

a bearer of glad tidings for the believers who obey you and a warner to the disbelievers who disobey you