# Does 16:44 mean the Prophet explains the Quran, or that the Quran clarifies earlier scriptures? *'So that you may clarify to people what was revealed to them' (16:44) and the 'light and clear book' of 5:15* - URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/12/ - Date: 2025-10-18 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Br Muhammad MFG | Quranist Only Belief - A Dialogue | MindTrap #82 - Mufti Abu Layth (56:40–1:01:24) - Status: latest answer on its topic; general teaching - Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONzjD7XMDhE&t=3400s - Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/ **Topics:** Tafsir and verse study; Quran-only movement; How to read the Quran **Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth reads 16:44 as showing the Prophet's role in explaining the revelation, as nearly every tafsir does; the guest says the verse is about the Quran clarifying earlier scriptures to the people of the book, and points to 5:15 as naming a single source. ## Longer summary Mufti Abu Layth asks why, if the Prophet's mode of being was not important, the Quran says the reminder was revealed to him so that he may clarify to people what was revealed to them; he is not claiming the Quran is inaccessible, but that it has depths, nuances and perspectives that the Messenger embodied and taught. The guest says the verse is taken out of context: it addresses the people of scripture, who had lost their earlier message, and it is the Quran received by the Prophet that clarifies what was sent to them, as when it corrects the Torah's claim that Aaron built the golden calf; the word is 'dhikr', revelation, not the Quran as such, so the revelation does the clarifying. Mufti accepts that this meaning could be taken by extension but says most if not all mufassirun, and the Arabic itself, read the verse as the Prophet explaining, which shows the Prophet's significance; he only wanted the guest's reflection. The guest then cites 5:15, where a light and a clear book have come from God, as again pointing to the same book and message; Mufti notes that 16:44 says 'people' in general while 5:15 addresses the people of the book, and the guest replies that it is the believers who need the clarification. ## Sources and names cited - Br Muhammad (MFG, MuhammadFromGod channel) - Quran 16:44 (we revealed to you the reminder so that you may clarify to people what was revealed to them): https://quran.com/16/44 - Quran 5:15 (there has come to you from Allah a light and a clear book): https://quran.com/5/15 - Harun (Aaron) - tafsir ## Transcript (machine tier, 56:40–1:01:24) [56:27] that we reveal to you here the reminder or revelation however you want to understand in the Quran so that you may clarify to people what has been revealed to them. Now if every single thing if the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam was his his his mode of being was not as important then why does the Quran highlight that we reveal this reminder to you so that so that you may explain to people what has been revealed to them. [57:02] I mean that's not to say that look that's not to say I'm not trying to make the argument that the Quran is inaccessible but that the Quran does have certain depths and nuances and perspectives that the messenger of Allah with his amazing life and s embodied and taught. So the verse that you're quoting you took the verse out of context because God streets with the uh scriptures [57:36] who is the prophet. Okay. So to to show to it's not out of context. It is out of context because it's not talking about it's talking about the so what who is no so who is the is it not the prophet it is about the prophet but God has given so what is revealed what so for example there was and records that were sent before the Quran and these individuals have lost the message [58:13] so the Quran Right? The Quran which the prophet has received the it's clarifying to the people what has been sent to them. So for example in the Torah they claim that Aaron was the one who built the golden calf. But the Quran is clarifying to the people what was sent to them. Why do you need it? But why does it say you need to No. Why do you He's the messenger. He's the messenger. [58:39] He's the one reciting it. He's the one who But that's not what it says though. I accept that by extension you could take that meaning. So who given what was he given the vicar the it's not saying Quran it's saying vicar okay which is revelation in this whether you want to say look it's the reminder so the revelation revelation so the revelation is doing the that's why god clearly states in the same chapter in chapter Sure, that's fine. [59:16] Look, I don't want to, like I said, look, the main point is to get your reflection on these verses. Most if not all of the mufas generally. Now, I know the muasar are not uh an authority in that case because they're part of the Islamic tradition, but they will all highlight for the Arabic and this is for the Arabic because somebody mentioned about the Arabic in the comments as well, right? that this verse clearly is speaking that the prophet explains and thereby does highlight that the prophet's significance in explaining the message every single tap will highlight that. [59:50] Now I I just wanted to see your reflection on it which is saying look fine you know you don't feel that that's you feel that here it it means that the prophet explaining the Quran as in just reciting the Quran. Okay. Can I show you something as well in the Quran in chapter verse uh chapter 5 verse 15? Okay. [1:00:33] So the Quran is the this is what's very clear in the Quran. Again it's pointing back to the same book and the message. I tell you why it's different here because that verse it says linas for people mankind. This one is speaking about oh the first one is for mankind. So it's perfect. So who are the first one? You said it perfectly. It's exactly what I said at the beginning. It said because the argument is perfect. [1:01:00] No, but you kind of trapped yourself because the Quran needs to be the Quran, it's a mind trap. The Quran needs to to the believers. They need to do the Quran is believers. The believers are the ones who need the clarifications. They have other books as well that needs but that one says look L says people. [1:01:23] But anyway, we got your reflection on it which was what we wanted. Speaking about can I ask just about this verse so we don't lose the uh right because look what I want to do is from here now moving on from revelation I want to take it to the understanding of Islam without the sunnah but look just this point where you mentioned that ## Cite Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment ONzjD7XMDhE/s/12. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/12/ Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.