(15, 16) “O People of the Scripture, Our Messenger has indeed come to you, making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book, by which Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace, brings them out of darkness into light by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.”

After mentioning the covenant that Allah took from the People of the Scripture—the Jews and the Christians—and that all but a few of them broke it, He commanded them all to believe in Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. He presented them with a conclusive proof establishing the truth of his prophethood: he disclosed much of what they had concealed from the people, even from the common folk of their own religion. They were regarded as the authorities in matters of knowledge, and at that time no one possessed such knowledge except them; thus, anyone seeking it had no means of obtaining it other than through them. Therefore, the Messenger’s bringing this magnificent Quran—which disclosed what they had been concealing among themselves—even though he was unlettered and could neither read nor write, is among the clearest proofs conclusively establishing his messengership. Examples include the description of Muhammad found in their scriptures, the glad tidings of his coming contained in them, and his disclosure of the verse prescribing stoning, among other matters.

“And overlooking much”—that is, he leaves undisclosed whatever wisdom does not require him to disclose.

“There has come to you from Allah a light”—namely, the Quran, by which illumination is sought amid the darkness of ignorance and the blindness of error.

“And a clear Book,” which clarifies everything people need in matters of their religion and worldly lives: knowledge of Allah, His names, His attributes, and His actions, as well as knowledge of His revealed laws and His judgments of recompense.

He then stated who is guided by this Quran and what must come from the servant for that guidance to be attained. He said: “By which Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace.” That is, by it He guides those who strive earnestly to attain Allah’s pleasure and whose intentions become sincere, leading them to the ways of peace—the ways that save those who follow them from punishment and bring them to the Abode of Peace. These consist of knowing the truth and acting upon it, both generally and in detail.

“And brings them out of” the darkness of disbelief, religious innovation, disobedience, ignorance, and heedlessness, into the light of faith, the sunnah, obedience, knowledge, and remembrance. All this guidance occurs by Allah’s permission: whatever He wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass. “And He guides them to a straight path.”