“Verily We bestowed the Book upon Moses. So entertain no doubt if (the Prophet Muhammad) received the same.” (Al Quran – 32:23)
This message, although apparently addressed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), is meant to be directed to those who had doubts about his being God’s Messenger and the recipient of His Book.
The Makkan unbelievers flatly denied that any Scripture had been granted by God to the Prophet. Rather, they accused him of having forged something which he subsequently ascribed to God. This is clearly refuted in the opening verses of the surah.
Here, a further answer to this objection is provided. The unbelievers had expressed astonishment at the very idea that God revealed any Book to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), dismissing such a notion as patently impossible. They wanted that all others should either deny this or at least consider it a doubtful proposition. However, the fact is that there was nothing unusual about God’s revelation of a heavenly Book to His Prophets. This was, after all, not the first instance of a Book being revealed. Many Prophets had received Scriptures in the past, the best known example being the grant of Torah to Moses. Hence, if a Scripture of the same kind was made available to the people of Arabia through the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), what was there that was so novel or weird about this to give rise to doubt and scepticism?