(164) “Allah has indeed bestowed a great favor upon the believers by sending them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting His verses to them, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, though before that they were clearly astray.”

This favor that Allah bestowed upon His servants is the greatest of blessings—indeed, the foundation of them all. It is His favor upon them through this noble Messenger, by whom Allah rescued them from error and protected them from destruction. He therefore says: “Allah has indeed bestowed a great favor upon the believers by sending them a Messenger from among themselves.” They knew his lineage, circumstances, and language, for he was from their own people and tribe. He sincerely sought their welfare and was compassionate toward them. He recited Allah’s verses to them and taught them their wording and meanings.

“And purifying them” of polytheism, sins, vices, and all other forms of bad character.

“And teaching them the Book”: this may mean the Book in its generic sense, namely the Quran; on this interpretation, “reciting His signs to them” refers to the signs in creation. Alternatively, “the Book” here may mean writing. He thus bestowed upon them the favor of teaching them the Book and the art of writing, by which knowledge is acquired and preserved. “And wisdom” means the sunnah, which is the Quran’s counterpart; or it means putting things in their proper places and understanding the inner wisdoms of the Sharia.

He thus combined for them instruction in the rulings, the means by which those rulings are implemented, and the means by which their benefits and fruits are understood. Through these momentous gifts, they surpassed all creation and became godly scholars. “Though before” this Messenger was sent, “they were clearly astray.” They did not know the path leading to their Lord or what would purify and cleanse their souls. Rather, they did whatever their ignorance made appealing to them, even if ⦗156⦘ it contradicted the reason of all mankind.