Quranic theme
Evidence
التبيان
11 verses
When the jinn laboured in demeaning servitude, they only recognized that Prophet Solomon had passed away when an earth creature ate through his wooden staff, causing his lifeless body to collapse (34:14). This physical evidence shattered their assumption that they possessed knowledge of the hidden unseen; had they known the truth, they would not have continued their exhausting work. Revelation functions similarly, acting as a clarifying force that strips away assumptions, hidden motives, and human disputes by bringing the exact reality of a situation into the open.
Why is textual evidence necessary?
Scripture is sent down specifically to end human speculation. The text establishes that all prior messengers were ordinary men entrusted with revelation, bringing clear signs and earlier scriptures, and directs those who do not know to ask those who possess this knowledge (16:43-44). The Quran addresses the Prophet directly, stating that this message was sent to him to explain to people exactly what was originally intended for them, prompting them to reflect. It emphasizes that scripture arrives "only to make clear to them what they differ about" (16:64). Rather than leaving generations to argue indefinitely over faith and practice, this divine explanation serves as both guidance and mercy, intended to force disbelievers to eventually realize that their fabricated claims were false (16:39).
How are legal boundaries explained?
The text moves from theological disputes to the strict definition of daily limits. On the matter of dietary laws, it rebukes those who hesitate, noting that God has already fully explained what He has forbidden, making exceptions only for those forced by extreme hunger (6:119). Those who ignore these settled parameters end up leading others astray based on personal desires rather than actual knowledge. This demand for exactness extends to family law. When detailing the severe rules of a second divorce—stipulating that the original couple cannot reunite unless the woman marries and is divorced by an entirely different husband—the text cements these as divine bounds. These complex realities are made explicitly clear "for those who know" (2:230).
Can human resistance obscure the truth?
Even when truth is laid bare, people often struggle to accept it. During a military campaign, when the Prophet ventured from his home for a true purpose, a faction of believers resented the decision. They argued vehemently about the truth after it had been made perfectly clear to them, reacting with such fear it was as if they were being marched toward a death they could see with their own eyes (8:5-6). Humans also try to bury their personal flaws, yet evidence forces them to the surface. If God were to heavily press people for their wealth, their inherent stinginess would cause them to resist grudgingly, allowing God to bring their deeply held ill-will firmly to light (47:37). People may use oaths to deceive each other for worldly advantage, acting like a woman who painstakingly spins thread only to unravel it simply because one faction is more numerous than another (16:92). God tests humanity with these temporary illusions, but on the Day of Resurrection, He will directly make clear every single thing over which they differed.
Verses
All 11 verses, in mushaf order.
فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُۥ ۗ فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يَتَرَاجَعَآ إِن ظَنَّآ أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ يُبَيِّنُهَا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
If a husband re-divorces his wife after the second divorce, she will not be lawful for him until she has taken another husband; if that one divorces her, there will be no blame if she and the first husband return to one another, provided they feel that they can keep within the bounds set by God. These are God’s bounds, which He makes clear for those who know.
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تَأْكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مَا ٱضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَآئِهِم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
Why should you not eat such animals when God has already fully explained what He has forbidden you, except when forced by hunger? But many lead others astray by their desires, without any true knowledge: your Lord knows best who oversteps the limit.
كَمَآ أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَيْتِكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَـٰرِهُونَ
For it was your Lord who made you [Prophet] venture from your home for a true purpose––though a group of the believers disliked it
يُجَـٰدِلُونَكَ فِى ٱلْحَقِّ بَعْدَ مَا تَبَيَّنَ كَأَنَّمَا يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْتِ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ
and argued with you about the truth after it had been made clear, as if they were being driven towards a death they could see with their own eyes.
لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ كَـٰذِبِينَ
in order to make clear for them what they have differed about and so that the disbelievers may realize that what they said was false.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
[Prophet], all the messengers We sent before you were simply men to whom We had given the Revelation: you [people] can ask those who have knowledge if you do not know.
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
We sent them with clear signs and scriptures. We have sent down the message to you too [Prophet], so that you can explain to people what was sent for them, so that they may reflect.
وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۙ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
We have sent down the Scripture to you only to make clear to them what they differ about, and as guidance and mercy to those who believe.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّتِى نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَـٰثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِىَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ ۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Do not use your oaths to deceive each other- like a woman who unravels the thread she has firmly spun- just because one party may be more numerous than another. God tests you with this, and on the Day of the Resurrection He will make clear to you those things you differed about.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ ٱلْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا۟ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ
Then, when We decreed Solomon’s death, nothing showed the jinn he was dead, but a creature of the earth eating at his stick: when he fell down they realized- if they had known what was hidden they would not have continued their demeaning labour.
إِن يَسْـَٔلْكُمُوهَا فَيُحْفِكُمْ تَبْخَلُوا۟ وَيُخْرِجْ أَضْغَـٰنَكُمْ
you would be grudging if He were to ask you and press you for them, and He would bring your ill-will to light-