﴿ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ فَٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۗ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌۭ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍۢ ﴾

“Thus, too, have We vouchsafed revelation unto Moses aforetime, and thereupon disputes arose about it. And [then, as now,] had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, all would indeed have been decided between them [from the outset]. As it is, behold, they [who will not believe in this divine writ] are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about what it portends.”

(And We verily gave Moses the Scripture) i.e. the Torah, (but there hath been dispute concerning it) concerning the Scripture of Moses; some believed in it while others rejected it; (and but for a Word) to postpone the chastisement of this nation (that had already gone forth from your Lord, it would ere now have been judged between them) the Jews, Christians and idolaters would have been destroyed; it is also said that this means: they would have already been punished for disbelieving, just as were destroyed before them the people who disbelieved their messengers; (but lo! They) the Jews, Christians and idolaters (are in hopeless doubt concerning it) are in manifest doubt concerning the Qur'an; it is also said: concerning the Scripture of Moses.