Surah Al Isra Tafseer

Those Who were given Knowledge before truly admit the Qur'an

Allah says to His Prophet Muhammad:

قُلْ

Say,

O Muhammad to these disbelievers concerning what you have brought to them of this Glorious Qur'an:

امِنُواْ بِهِ أَوْ لَا تُوْمِنُواْ

"Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe (in it).

meaning, it is all the same whether you believe in it or not, for it is true in and of itself. It was revealed by Allah, Who mentioned it previously in the Books that He revealed to other Messengers.

Hence He says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ

Verily, those who were given knowledge before it,

meaning righteous people among the People of the Book, who adhered to their Books and appreciated them without distorting them.

إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ

when it is recited to them,

means, when this Qur'an is recited to them,

يَخِرُّونَ لِلَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا

fall down on their chins (faces) in humble prostration.

means, to Allah, in gratitude for the blessing He has bestowed on them by considering them fit to live until they met this Messenger to whom this Book was revealed.

Hence