Moses brought as a light and guidance for mankind, which you make into separate sheets, displaying some and concealing much? And you were taught what neither you nor your forefathers knew.’” Since this address encompasses both those among the People of the Book who acknowledge Moses’ prophethood and those among the polytheists who deny it, He mentions this in His words:

“Say, ‘Who sent down the Book which Moses brought?’”

He has explained the demonstrations establishing Moses’ truthfulness in several places.

According to the reading “they display them,” as recited by Ibn Kathīr and Abū ‘Amr, the passage is understood as addressing the polytheists, and His words:

“And you were taught what you did not know”

are understood as an argument against the polytheists based on what Muhammad brought. Thus, the proof against the former is Moses’ prophethood, and against the latter, Muhammad’s prophethood. Each has supporting demonstrations, some of which have been explained elsewhere.

According to the majority reading, with the second-person prefix t-, the address is directed to the People of the Book. His words:

“And you were taught what you did not know”

explain what the prophets brought that they had denied. The prophets thus taught them what they had neither accepted nor known. He therefore argued from both what they knew of the accounts of the prophets and what they did not know.

He, Glorified is He, has recounted the story of Moses and displayed his demonstrations and signs, which are among the clearest demonstrations and proofs. Even the magicians whom Pharaoh assembled acknowledged them—and that alone is enough. Then, when Allah made Moses’ truthfulness manifest, and he brought signs that were known with inescapable certainty to be from Allah, and his staff swallowed the ropes and staffs that had been brought