Prophet Moses (PBUH) is mentioned here because the Jews caused arguments and turbulences in the city of Al-Madina against Prophet Mohammad (saws) about lawful and unlawful issues. These ten commandments reputed the claims of Jews and their rabbis who were arguing with the Prophet (saws) at that time. This is why Ka’b Al-Ahbar said that these are the same commandments that were in the Torah.

( ثُمَّ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ) (Then We gave Moses the Scripture): Although the Arabic word (then) is usually used as a conjunction to express a sequence of events and actions, but this does not mean that Allah (swt) gave Prophet Moses the Scripture after He (swt) sent these commandments to Prophet Mohammed (saws). In fact, (then) can be used as well for sequence of information, such as saying: (“I did such and such for you. Then, I did such and such for your father. Then, I did such and such for your grandfather”). So, (then) here indicates the sequence of information, not the sequence of events. The same style is used here, just like when Allah (swt) says:

 وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ

(And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam”; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.) (Al-A’raaf: 11)

We know that Allah (swt)’s commanding to the angels to prostrate to Adam was in the beginning, therefore, He (swt), in this statement, wants to put our state in sequence; He crated us after He formed us and He (swt) formed us after He told the Angels to prostrate to Adam. Hence, the meaning here is that when Allah (swt) sent the ten commandments to Prophet Mohammad (saws): (Then We gave Moses the Scripture), the Scripture was already sent to Prophet Moses (PBUH) before that.

(The Scripture): It is the Torah that was revealed to Prophet Moses (PBUH). All Divine Scriptures and Messages sent to all Prophets, from the time of Prophet Adam (PBUH) until Prophet Mohammad (saws), were Directional Guidance to people. We mentioned before that there are two kinds of Guidance, the first one is Directional Guidance bestowed upon all mankind, so just like Prophet Moses (PBUH) received the Torah, Prophet Jesus (PBUH) the Bible, Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) the Scriptures, and Prophet David (PBUH) the Psalms; these are all Directional Guidance that lead people to the right path. Then, Allah (swt) supports His Prophets (PBUT) with miracles as evidence of the Guidance they were sent with. As for Prophet Mohammad (saws), his miracle was his guidebook itself, which is the Holy Quran. Hence comes this verse after Prophet Moses (PBUH) was mentioned: ( وَهَٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ) (And this [Qur’an] is a Book We have revealed [which is] blessed, so follow it): This is Directional Guidance. As for the Guidance of Support, it is support from Allah (swt) for those who accept Directional Guidance, just like Allah (swt) says:

  وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ

(And those who are guided – He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.) (Muhammad: 17)

( تَمَامًا عَلَى الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ ) (making complete [Our favor] upon the one who did good): The word (complete) includes all attributes of goodness. Some of the Jews who were alive at the time of Prophet Mohammad (saws) and had believed in the Torah before, must now continue their good doing by following what was prophesized in their Scripture, which is the Message of Prophet Mohammad (saws).

( وَتَفْصِيلًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ) (and as a detailed explanation of all things): It reveals all that is suitable for its time. The Torah gave details about everything that suited the period of time in which it was revealed, while the verses of the Holy Quran are suitable for all times. For example, the values mentioned in the Holy Quran, such as honesty, apply to merchants, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, lawyers, judges … and so on; they apply to everyone and at all ages, and so do other behaviours like trustworthiness, faithfulness, morals … etc. The Holy Quran was sent to elevate mankind through the values it teaches, which are mentioned within its blessed verses.

( وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً) (and as guidance and mercy): (Guidance) is anything that leads to the end, and (mercy) includes all elements that are higher the elements of goodness. All Divine Messages are demonstration of Allah’s (swt) Mercy upon His creatures because they guide mankind to the right path which improves their worldly life and lead to better results in the Hereafter represented by entering Paradise as a reward for abiding by Divine Scriptures.

( لَّعَلَّهُم بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ) (that perhaps in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord they would believe): Meeting Allah (swt) should always be in our minds, no matter how long we live or how old we get. The Day of Judgment is mentioned repeatedly in Divine Messages:

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ (7) أُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (8)

((7) Indeed, those who do not expect the meeting with Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein and those who are heedless of Our signs (8) For those their refuge will be the Fire because of what they used to earn.) (Yunus: 7-8)

What we do in this life to prepare for meeting Allah (swt) should be the most important goal in our lives. All the statements of guidance and mercy revealed in the Torah were preparing its followers to the Day they meet Allah (swt). Hence, Allah (swt) says: (that perhaps in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord they would believe), because those who used to argue with the Prophet (saws) were the Jews and polytheists. As for the discussions in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, they were led by Jews who are the real enemy behind every aggression against our nation.