He conferred upon you a great favor

Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.

[Qur'aan 3:164]

 

 حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق قال،" لقد منّ الله على المؤمنين "، إلى قوله: " لفي ضلال مبين "، أي: لقد منّ الله عليكم، يا أهل الإيمان، إذ بعث فيكم رسولا من أنفسكم يتلو عليكم آياته ويزكيكم فيما أحدثتم وفيما عملتم، ويعلمكم الخير والشر، لتعرفوا الخير فتعملوا به، والشر فتتقوه، ويخبركم برضاه عنكم إذ أطعتموه، لتستكثروا من طاعته، وتجتنبوا ما سخط منكم من معصيته، فتتخلصوا بذلك من نقمته، وتدركوا بذلك ثوابه من جنته وإن كنتم من قبل لفي ضلال مبين "، أي: في عمياء من الجاهلية، لا تعرفون حسنة ولا تستغفرون من سيئة،  صُمٌّ عن الحق، عُمْيٌ عن الهدى.

Allaah conferred a great favor upon you, O people of Faith, when He sent a Messenger from among yourselves reciting to you His Verses and purifying you in regards to your deeds, teaching you that which is good and that which is evil so that you may recognize the good and act according to it and so that you may recognize the evil and be on guard against it and informing you that He is pleased with you when you obey Him so that you may increase in regards to obeying Him and stay away from disobedience which angers Him and so that you may save yourself from His Torment and achieve the rewards He has for you in the form of Paradise even though prior to all of this you were astray, not knowing good and not repenting from your evil deeds, deaf to the truth and blind to guidance.

 

Reference(s):

Tafsir al-Tabari