ayah_text: They said, "Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten punishment against us or that he will transgress."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَن يَطْغَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## Musa's fear of Fir\`awn and Allah's strengthening Him

Allah, the Exalted, informs that Musa and Harun pleaded to Allah, expressing their grievance to him:

إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَن يَطْغَى

(Verily, we fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest he should transgress.) They meant that Fir\`awn might seize them unexpectedly with a punishment, or transgress against them by tormenting them, when they actually did not deserve it. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn \`Abbas that he said that transgress here means, "To exceed the bounds."

قَالَ لاَ تَخَافَآ إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَى

(He (Allah) said: "Fear not, verily, I am with you both, hearing and seeing.") meaning; "Do not fear him (Fir\`awn), for verily, I am with you and I hear your speech and his speech as well. I see your place and I see his place as well. Nothing is hidden from Me of your affair. Know that his forehead is in My Hand, and he does not speak, breathe, or use any force, except by My leave and after My command. I am with you by My protection, My help and My support."

فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولاَ إِنَّا رَسُولاَ رَبِّكَ

(So go you both to him, and say: "Verily, we are both Messengers of your Lord...")

## Musa admonishes Fir\`awn

Concerning his statement,

قَدْ جِئْنَـكَ بِـَايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ

(indeed, We have come with a sign from your Lord!) meaning with evidence and a miracle from your Lord.

وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى

(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance!) meaning, \`peace be upon you if you follow the guidance.' Because of this, when the Messenger of Allah wrote a letter to Heraclius, the emperor of Rome, beginning with,

«بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ، سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدى، أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَأَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْن»

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius the emperor of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Thus, to proceed: Verily, I invite you with the invitation of Islam. So accept Islam and you will be safe, and Allah will give you a double reward.) Due to this, Musa and Harun said to Fir\`awn,

فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولاَ إِنَّا رَسُولاَ رَبِّكَ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ وَلاَ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ قَدْ جِئْنَـكَ بِـَايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَالسَّلَـمُ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى \- إِنَّا قَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْنَآ أَنَّ الْعَذَابَ عَلَى مَن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! Truly, it has been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies, and turns away.) In His flawless revelation, Allah has revealed to us that torment is prepared exclusively for those who reject the signs of Allah and turn away from His obedience. As Allah says,

فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَى \- وَءاثَرَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا \- فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِىَ الْمَأْوَى

(Then for him who transgressed all bounds, and preferred the life of this world, Verily, his abode will be Hellfire.) 79:37-39 Allah, the Exalted, also says,

فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَاراً تَلَظَّى \- لاَ يَصْلَـهَآ إِلاَّ الاٌّشْقَى \- الَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(Therefore I have warned you of a blazing Fire. None shall enter it save the most wretched. Who denies and turns away.) 92:14-16 Allah also says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى \- وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he belied and turned away.) 75:31-32 This means that he denied with his heart and turned away by his actions.


ayah_text: Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ ۖ إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ

ayah_translator: Saheeh International

ayah_language: English

ayah_tafsir: MISSING

surah_name_english: Ta-Ha

surah_name_arab: طه

surah_revelation_place: Mecca

surah_meaning: Ta-Ha

surah_type: meccan

tafsir_language: English

tafsir_author: Hafiz Ibn Kathir

tafsir_name: Tafsir Ibn Kathir


ayah_text: So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance.

ayah_text_ar: فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولَآ إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّكَ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَا تُعَذِّبْهُمْ ۖ قَدْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُ عَلَىٰ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ


ayah_text: Indeed, it has been revealed to us that the punishment will be upon whoever denies and turns away.' "

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّا قَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْنَآ أَنَّ ٱلْعَذَابَ عَلَىٰ مَن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ


ayah_text: Pharaoh said, "So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?"

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يَـٰمُوسَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Conversation between Musa and Fir\`awn

Allah, the Exalted, informs about Fir\`awn that he said to Musa, in his rejection of the existence of a Supreme Maker and Creator, Who is the God of everything and his own Lord and Owner:

فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يمُوسَى

(Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two) meaning "Who is the one who called you forth and sent you For verily, I do not know him and I have not given you any god other than myself."

قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى

((Musa) said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.") \`Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn \`Abbas said, "He is saying that He created a mate for everything." Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn \`Abbas said, "He made the man a man, and the donkey a donkey and the sheep a sheep." Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported from Mujahid that he said, "He gave everything its form." Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said, "He fashioned the creation of every moving creature." Sa\`id bin Jubayr said concerning His statement,

أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى

((Who) gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) "He gave each of His creatures what is suitable for its creation." Therefore, He did not give man the form of a wild beast, nor did He give wild beasts the form of the dog. Likewise, the dog's form is not like the sheep's. He also gave creature a suitable spouse, and He influenced everything towards that mate. There is no species of creation that is exactly like another species. They are different in their actions, their forms, their sustenance and their mating. Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said that this statement, "He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright," is similar to Allah's statement,

وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى

(And Who has measured; and then guided.) 87:3 This means He measured out an ordained amount (of sustenance, actions, etc.) and then guided His creatures to it. He wrote the deeds, the appointed times of death and the provisions. Then, the creatures traverse upon that and they are not able to avoid it, nor are they able to abandon it. In this Ayah Musa is saying that our Lord is the One Who created the creation, measured out its ordainment and compelled the creatures to that which He wanted.

قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ الْقُرُونِ الاٍّولَى

((Fir\`awn) said: "What about the generations of old") The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir\`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir\`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him." Musa said to him, in response to this, that if they did not worship Allah, then Allah knows precisely what happened to them and He will give them just recompense for their deeds, as is written in Allah's Book (of decrees). This Book is called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) and it is the Book of Deeds.

لاَّ يَضِلُّ رَبِّى وَلاَ يَنسَى

(My Lord neither errs nor forgets.) This means that nothing eludes Him and He does not miss anything, whether it is small or great. He does not forget anything and His Most Exalted knowledge is described as encompassing everything. Blessed be He, the Exalted, the Most Holy and free of any imperfections. The knowledge that creatures have has two deficiencies. The first is that it does not completely encompass anything, and the second is that the creature is prone to forget after knowing. Therefore, Allah has declared Himself above such deficiencies.


ayah_text: He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided it."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ


ayah_text: Pharaoh said, "Then what is the case of the former generations?"

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ ٱلْقُرُونِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ


ayah_text: Moses said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى فِى كِتَـٰبٍ ۖ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّى وَلَا يَنسَى


ayah_text: It is He who has made for you the earth as a bed spread out and inserted therein for you roadways and sent down from the sky, rain and produced thereby categories of various plants.

ayah_text_ar: ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًا مِّن نَّبَاتٍ شَتَّىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Completion of Musa's Reply to Fir\`awn

This is from the completion of Musa's speech concerning the description of His Lord when Fir\`awn asked him about Him. He (Musa) said,

الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى

(He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) Then, Fir\`awn attempted to present some argumentative rebuttal during Musa's reply. Yet, Musa continued by saying, "He is the One Who made the earth as a bed for you." Some recited the word as Mihadan and others recited it as Mahdan, which means \`a place of rest that you settle down upon.' It also may mean \`that which you stand upon, sleep upon or travel upon its back.'

وَسَلَكَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلاً

(and has opened ways for you therein.) This means, \`He made roads for you to walk upon their shoulders.' This is just as He, the Exalted, said,

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجاً سُبُلاً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ

(And placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided.) 21:31

وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجاً مِّن نَّبَـتٍ شَتَّى

(and has sent down water from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.) referring to the various species of plants, such as vegetation and fruits. Some are sour, some are sweet, some are bitter and there are other kinds as well.

كُلُواْ وَارْعَوْا أَنْعَـمَكُمْ

(Eat and pasture your cattle (therein);) meaning, \`something that is food for you and a palatable fruit for you, and something that is for your cattle as fodder for them, both green and dry.'

إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لأيَـتٍ

(Verily, in this are Ayat.) This means proofs, signs and evidences.

لاٌّوْلِى النُّهَى

(for men of understanding.) meaning those who possess correct and upright intelligence realizing that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and there is no true Lord other than Him.

مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى

(Thereof We created you, and into it we shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) meaning, \`the earth is your beginning. For your father, Adam, was created with dirt from the surface of the earth. You also will be returned to the earth. This means that you will become dirt when you die and decay.' The statement, "And from it We shall bring you out once again," means,

يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

(On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer with His praise and obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while!) 17:52 This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

قَالَ فِيهَا تَحْيَوْنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنْهَا تُخْرَجُونَ

(He said: "Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out.") 7:25

## Musa showed Fir\`awn all of the Signs but He did not believe Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَـهُ ءَايَـتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَى

(And indeed We showed him (Fir\`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.) This means that the proofs, signs and evi- dences were establi- shed against Fir\`awn and he saw them with his own eyes, but he still denied and rejec- ted them due to his disbelief, abstinence and transgression. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,

وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً

(And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.) 27:14


ayah_text: Eat therefrom and pasture your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for those of intelligence.

ayah_text_ar: كُلُوا۟ وَٱرْعَوْا۟ أَنْعَـٰمَكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلنُّهَىٰ


ayah_text: From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time.

ayah_text_ar: ۞ مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ


ayah_text: And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ


ayah_text: He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتُخْرِجَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِنَا بِسِحْرِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## Fir\`awn describes Musa's Proofs as being Magic and Their Agreement to hold a Contest

Allah, the Exalted, informs of what Fir\`awn said to Musa when he showed him the great proof. This great sign to Fir\`awn was Musa casting down his stick which became a huge snake, and his pulling his hand out from under his arm while it was glowing white without any illness. At this, Fir\`awn said, "This is magic that you have brought to us to bewitch us and conquer the people, so that they will follow you. Then you will outnumber us." Fir\`awn then said, "Your plan will not work. We have magic just like yours, so do not let yourself be deceived by that what you are doing."

فَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ مَوْعِداً

(so appoint a meeting between us and you,) Meaning, \`a day that we can come together to present some of our magic to confront yours. It will be at a specified place and time.' With this, Musa said to them,

مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ

(Your appointed meeting is the day of festival,) That was the day of their celebration and their New Year's festivity. It was a holiday for them when they took vacation from their work and came together for a large gathering. This day was selected so that all of the people could witness the power of Allah to do whatever He wills. They would see the miracles of the prophets and the futility of magic to contest the supernatural prophetic powers. This is why Musa said,

وَأَن يُحْشَرَ النَّاسُ

(and let the people assemble) meaning all of them.

ضُحًى

(when the sun has risen (forenoon).) meaning in the morning, just before noon. In this way the contest will be most visible, well lit, apparent and obvious in plain view. This is the way of the Prophets. Their work is always clear and apparent. It is never something hidden, or something for sale. This is why he did not say that the meeting should be at night, but rather, it was to be held during the bright part of the day. Ibn \`Abbas said, "The day of their festivity was the day of \`Ashura'." As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said, "It was the day of their great celebration." Sa\`id bin Jubayr said, "It was the day of their great bazzar." These statements are not contradictory. I say that Allah destroyed Fir\`awn and his armies on a day similar to this, just as is confirmed in the Sahih. \`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "It was a flat place where all of the people were on the same level, having an equal view of the event. There was nothing there that would obstruct the view so that some people could see what others did not."


ayah_text: Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned."

ayah_text_ar: فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحْرٍ مِّثْلِهِۦ فَٱجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّا نُخْلِفُهُۥ نَحْنُ وَلَآ أَنتَ مَكَانًا سُوًى


ayah_text: Moses said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ ٱلزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحْشَرَ ٱلنَّاسُ ضُحًى


ayah_text: So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came to Moses.

ayah_text_ar: فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فَجَمَعَ كَيْدَهُۥ ثُمَّ أَتَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Meeting of the Two Parties, Musa's Propagation of the Message and the Magicians

Allah, the Exalted informs that when Fir\`awn and Musa agreed to an appointed meeting at a specified place and time, Fir\`awn began to gather some magicians from the cities of his kingdom. Every person who had any affiliation with magic at that time was summoned, and magic was very widespread and in demand at that time. This is as Allah says,

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِى بِكُلِّ سَـحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ

(And Fir\`awn said: "Bring me every well-versed sorcerer.") 10:79 Then, the day came. It was the day when all of the people gathered, which was well-known, being the day of the festival. Fir\`awn was there sitting upon his throne surrounded by the elite officials of his kingdom. The subjects were all standing on his right and his left. Then, Musa came forward leaning upon his stick accompanied by his brother Harun. The magicians were standing in front of Fir\`awn in rows and he was prodding them, inciting them and encouraging them to do their best on this day. They wanted to please him and he was promising them and inspiring them. They said,

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالُواْ لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَإِنَّ لَنَا لاّجْراً إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَـلِبِينَ \- قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَّمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

(Will there surely be a reward for us if we are the winners He (Fir\`awn) said: "Yes, and you shall then verily be of those brought near (to myself).") 26:41-42

قَالَ لَهُمْ مُّوسَى وَيْلَكُمْ لاَ تَفْتَرُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً

(Musa said to them: "Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah...") This means, "Do not make an illusion before the people of something that is not real, making it appear as if it were a creature, when it is not really a creature. If you do this, then you would be lying on Allah."

فَيُسْحِتَكُم بِعَذَابٍ

(lest He (Allah) should destroy you completely by a torment.) This means, \`He will destroy you with a destructive punishment that will not spare anything, or anyone.'

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَىفَتَنَـزَعُواْ أَمْرَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ

("...And surely, he who invents a lie will fail miserably." Then they debated one with another what they must do,) It has been said that this means that they argued among themselves. So one of them said, "This is not the speech of a magician, but it is the speech of a Prophet." Another said, "No, he is only a magician." There are other opinions that have been mentioned about what they discussed. And Allah knows best. Allah's statement,

وَأَسَرُّواْ النَّجْوَى

(and they kept their talk secret.) means, they held secret counsel among themselves about this matter.

قَالُواْ إِنْ هَـذَنِ لَسَاحِرَنِ

(They said: "Verily, these are two Hadhan magicians...") This is a way of speaking with some of the Arabs and this Ayah has been recited according to the grammar of their dialect. There are also others who recite it as, (إِنَّ هَذَيْنِ لَسَاحِرَانِ) Which carries the same meaning, "Verily, these are two Hadhayn magicians." This is the popular style of language in Arabic grammar. The grammarians have extensive discussions in reply to the first recitation and its grammatical explanation, but this is not the place for such a discussion. The main point is that the magicians said among themselves, "You all know that this man and his brother (Musa and Harun) are two knowledgeable magicians who are quite aware of the skill of magic. They want to defeat you and your people today and conquer the people, causing the masses to follow them. They want to fight against Fir\`awn and his armies, and they are seeking victory over him. And their ultimate goal is to expel you from your land." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلَى

(and to take you away from your exemplary way.) This means, \`they want to expose this way (of yours) openly, which is magic.' For verily, they were considered great because of their magic. They had wealth and sustenance because of this magic. They were actually saying, "If these two (Musa and Harun) are victorious, they will destroy you and expel you from your land. In doing so, they will be the first individuals to do so, and they will be given great power of leadership without you." Ibn \`Abbas mentioned concerning Allah's statement,

وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلَى

(and to take you away from your exemplary way. ) "This means their kingdom, which they were in, and their livelihood." \`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd said, "This superior way means that which they were upon."

فَأَجْمِعُواْ كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُواْ صَفّاً

(So devise your plot, and assemble in line.) This means, "All of you come together in one row, and throw that which is in your hands at one time in order to dazzle the eyes (of the people) and defeat this man and his brother."

وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَى

(And whoever overcomes this day will be indeed successful.) meaning "Between you and us. As for us (the magicians), we have been promised to be given an abundance of power and sovereignty. And in reference to him (Musa), He will gain great leadership."


ayah_text: Moses said to the magicians summoned by Pharaoh, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents such falsehood."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ وَيْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَيُسْحِتَكُم بِعَذَابٍ ۖ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ


ayah_text: So they disputed over their affair among themselves and concealed their private conversation.

ayah_text_ar: فَتَنَـٰزَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَهُم بَيْنَهُمْ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّجْوَىٰ


ayah_text: They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way.

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَٰنِ لَسَـٰحِرَٰنِ يُرِيدَانِ أَن يُخْرِجَاكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ ٱلْمُثْلَىٰ


ayah_text: So resolve upon your plan and then come forward in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes."

ayah_text_ar: فَأَجْمِعُوا۟ كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ٱئْتُوا۟ صَفًّا ۚ وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مَنِ ٱسْتَعْلَىٰ


ayah_text: They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Competition, Musa's Victory, and the Magician's Faith

Allah, the Exalted, informs about the magicians when they met Musa, that they said to Musa,

إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ

("Either you throw first...") meaning, "you go first."

وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىقَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُواْ

("...or we be the first to throw" (Musa) said: "Nay, throw you (first)!") This means, \`you magicians should go first so that we can see what magic you are going to perform and so that the true state of their affair will become obvious to the people.'

فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى

(Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast.) In another Ayah it says that when they threw,

وَقَالُواْ بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَونَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَـلِبُونَ

(Then said: "By the might of Fir\`awn, it is we who will certainly win!") 26:44 And Allah, the Exalted, says,

سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَآءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ

(They bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic.) 7:116 Here, He says in this Surah,

فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى

(Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast.) They were a large numbered group and each one of them threw a stick and a rope until the valley became full of snakes piled on top of each other. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى

(So Musa conceived fear in himself.) This means that he feared for the people that they would be tested and deceived by their magic before he could even have a chance to throw what was in his right hand. Thus, Allah revealed to him at the right moment, to throw what was in his right hand, which was the stick. When he did so, it swallowed what they had made. It became a huge, monstrous creature with legs, a neck, a head and fangs. It went after these ropes and sticks until none of them remained, except that it was devoured and swallowed by this beast. At the same time, the magicians and all of the people were watching with their own eyes, seeing this amazing event in broad daylight. Thus, the miracle was performed and the evidence was clear. The truth prevailed and the magic was proven to be falsehood. This is why Allah said,

إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى

(That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.) So when the magicians saw the event and witnessed it with their own eyes, while they were knowledgeable of the various tricks and methods in the sciences of magic, they knew with conviction that what Musa had done was not magic or illusionary tricks. They recognized that it was the truth without any doubt. They knew that no one had any power to do this except for One Who says for a thing "Be," and it is. Therefore, when this happened, they fell down into prostration to Allah. They said, "We believe in the Lord of all that exists, the Lord of Musa and Harun!" This is why Ibn \`Abbas and \`Ubayd bin \`Umayr both said, "At the beginning of the day they were magicians and at the end of the day they were outstanding witnesses of faith." l

## The Number of Magicians

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn \`Abbas said, "The magicians were seventy men who were magicians in the morning, but witnesses of faith by the time evening came." Ibn Abi Hatim also reported that Al-Awza'i said, "When the magicians fell down in prostration, Paradise was raised up before them until they were looking at it." It is reported from Sa\`id bin Jubayr that he said concerning Allah's statement,

فَأُلْقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّداً

(So the magicians fell down prostrate.) "They saw their places (in Paradise) made clear before them while they were in their prostration." \`Ikrimah and Al-Qasim bin Abi Bizzah both said the same.


ayah_text: He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving like snakes.

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ


ayah_text: And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses.

ayah_text_ar: فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِۦ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ


ayah_text: Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior.

ayah_text_ar: قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ


ayah_text: And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."

ayah_text_ar: وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا۟ كَيْدُ سَـٰحِرٍ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ


ayah_text: So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."

ayah_text_ar: فَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَـٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ


ayah_text: Pharaoh said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in giving punishment and more enduring."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَـٰفٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## Fir\`awn's turning against the Magicians, His threatening Them and Their Reply

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Fir\`awn's disbelief, obstinance, transgression and haughtiness against the truth in favor of falsehood. When he saw what he saw of the magnificent miracle and the great sign, and he saw those whose help he sought accept faith in the presence of all of the people, and he was absolutely defeated, he began to behave arrogantly and cast accusations. He resorted to using his esteemed honor and might against the magicians. He warned them and threatened them saying,

ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُ

(Believe you in him (Musa)) This means, "Do you have faith in him"

قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ

(before I give you permission) meaning, "I have not commanded you to do so, by which you have rebelled against me." Then he said a statement that he, the magicians and all creatures knew was a forgery and an utter lie.

إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ

(Verily, he is your chief who has taught you magic.) meaning "You all only took your magic from Musa and you have made an agreement with him against me and my subjects, that you would help him be victorious." Allah says in another Ayah,

إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُواْ مِنْهَآ أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city to drive out its people, but you shall come to know.) 7:123 Then he began threatening them. He said to them,

فَلأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِّنْ خِلاَفٍ وَلأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ

(So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of date palms,) meaning, "I will certainly make an example of you, I will kill you in a public execution." Ibn \`Abbas said, "Thus, he was the first person to ever do this (public execution, crucifixion)." This was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَاباً وَأَبْقَى

(And you shall surely know which of us can give the severe and more lasting torment.) This means, "You say that my people and I are astray and that you (magicians), Musa and his people are following correct guidance, but you will come to know who will be punished and remain punished." So when he attacked with this and threatened them, their souls eased them because of their belief in Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. They exclaimed,

قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَـتِ

(They said: "We prefer you not over what have come to us of the clear signs...") meaning, "We do not chose you over the guidance and conviction that we have received. "

وَالَّذِى فَطَرَنَا

(and to Him (Allah) Who created us.) It could be that they were swearing, "By He Who has created us." It also could be connected in meaning to the clear signs mentioned before it. In this case it would mean, "We do not prefer you over our Originator and Creator, Who produced us from a beginning that was nothing. He created us from clay (or mud). Therefore, He alone deserves worship and humility and you do not (Fir\`awn)!"

فَاقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ

(So decree whatever you desire to decree,) "Do whatever you wish and whatever your hands are able to achieve."

إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَـذِهِ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَآ

(for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the world.) meaning, "You only have power in this world and it is a world that will come to an end. Verily, we are hoping in the eternal abode."

إِنَّآ آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـيَـنَا

(Verily, we have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults,) "Whatever evils that we did." It specifically means, \`which we were forced to do of magic, in order to oppose the sign of Allah and the miracle of His Prophet.' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn \`Abbas said concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ

(and the magic to which you compelled us.) "Fir\`awn took forty boys from the Children of Israel and commanded that they be taught magic at Al-Farama. He said, \`Teach them knowledge that no one in the land knows."' Ibn \`Abbas then said, "They were of those who believed in Musa and they were of those who said,

آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـيَـنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ

(We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us.)" \`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said the same. Allah's statement,

وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى

(And Allah is better as regards reward in comparison to your reward, and more lasting.) means, "He is better for us than you."

وَأَبْقَى

(and more lasting.) More lasting in reward than what you pro- mised us and made us aspire to. It is apparent that Fir\`awn (may Allah curse him) was bent upon their punishment, and that what he did to them was a mercy from Allah for them. This is why Ibn \`Abbas and others of the Salaf said, "They woke up in that morning as magicians, but they became witnesses of faith by the evening. "


ayah_text: They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and over He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنَا ۖ فَٱقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَآ


ayah_text: Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us to do of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring."

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحْرِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ


ayah_text: Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live.

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَأْتِ رَبَّهُۥ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Magicians admonish Fir\`awn

The clear intent of this is to be a completion of what the magicians admonished Fir\`awn with. They warned him of the vengeance of Allah and His eternal and everlasting punishment. They also encouraged him to seek Allah's eternal and endless reward. They said,

إِنَّهُ مَن يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِماً

(Verily, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal,) This means, whoever meets Allah on the Day of Judgment while being a criminal.

فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَى

(then surely, for him is Hell, wherein he will neither die nor live.) This is similar to Allah's statement,

لاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُواْ وَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى كُلَّ كَفُورٍ

(Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!) 35:36 Allah also said,

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الاٌّشْقَى \- الَّذِى يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَى \- ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا

(But it will be avoided by the wretched, who will enter the great Fire. There he will neither die nor live.) 87:11-13

وَنَادَوْاْ يمَـلِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ مَّـكِثُونَ

(And they will cry: "O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord made an end of us." He will say: "Verily, you shall abide forever.") 43:77 Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that Abu Sa\`id Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«أَمَّا أَهْلُ النَّارِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهَا، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَمُوتُونَ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَوْنَ، وَلكِنْ أُنَاسٌ تُصِيبُهُمُ النَّارُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ فَتُمِيتُهُمْ إِمَاتَةً حَتَّى إِذَا صَارُوا فَحْمًا أُذِنَ فِي الشَّفَاعَةِ فَجِيءَ بِهِمْ ضَبَائِرَ ضَبَائِرَ، فَبُثُّوا عَلَى أَنْهَارِ الْجَنَّةِ، فَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَيَنْبُتُونَ نَبَاتَ الْحِبَّةِ تَكُونُ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْل»

(The dwellers of Hellfire, who are those who deserve it, they will not die in it, nor will they be living. Rather, they will be a people who will be punished by the Fire due to their sins. It will be gradually killing them and devouring them until they become burnt coals. Then, intercession will be allowed and they will be brought (out of Hell) group by group and they will be spread on the rivers of Paradise. It will then be said, "O people of Paradise, pour (water) over them." Then, they will start to grow like the growing of a seed on the muddy banks of a flowing river.) A man among the people said, "It is as if the Messenger of Allah lived in the desert." This is how Muslim recorded this narration in his Sahih. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِناً قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّـلِحَـتِ

(But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer, and has done righteous good deeds,) whoever meets his Lord on the Day of Judgment as a believer in his heart, then verily, his intentions in his heart will be affirmed to be true by his statements and deeds.

فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَـتُ الْعُلَى

(for such are the high ranks,) Paradise, which has the highest levels, the most tranquil rooms and the nicest homes. Imam Ahmad reported from \`Ubadah bin As-Samit that the Prophet said,

«الْجَنَّةُ مِائَةُ دَرَجَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَالْفِرْدَوْسُ أَعْلَاهَا دَرَجَةً، وَمِنْهَا تَخْرُجُ الْأَنْهَارُ الْأَرْبَعَةُ، وَالْعَرْشُ فَوْقَهَا، فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْس»

(Paradise has one hundred levels and between each level is a distance like the distance between the sky and the earth. Al-Firdaws is the name of the highest of its levels. From it springs the four rivers and the Throne is above it. Therefore, when you ask Allah, then ask Him for Al-Firdaws.) This narration was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi. In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

«إِنَّ أَهْلَ عِلِّيِّينَ لَيَرَوْنَ مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الْغَابِرَ فِي أُفُقِ السَّمَاءِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ تِلْكَ مَنَازِلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَالَ: بَلى، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ رِجَالٌ آمَنُوا بِاللهِ وَصَدَّقُوا الْمُرْسَلِين»

(Verily, the people of the \`Illiyyin will see those who are above them just as you see the fading star in the horizon of the sky, due to the different status of virtue between them. ) The people said, "O Messenger of Allah, these are the dwellings of the Prophets." He replied, (Of course. And I swear by the One Whom my soul is in His Hand, (it is for) men who had faith in Allah and they believed the Messengers.) In the Sunan collections this narration is mentioned with the additional wording,

«وَإِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ لَمِنْهُمْ وَأَنْعَمَا»

(And verily Abu Bakr and \`Umar are of them and they will be most favored.) His saying,

جَنَّـتِ عَدْنٍ

(Adn Gardens,) meaning established as a residence. It is merely used here in reference to the high ranks mentioned previously.

تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَارُ خَـالِدِينَ فِيهَا

(under which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever,) meaning that they will abide in it for eternity.

وَذلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَن تَزَكَّى

(and such is the reward of those who purify themselves.) One who purifies himself from dirt, filth and associating partners with Allah. This is the person who worships Allah alone, without ascribing partners to Him, and he follows the Messengers in the good they came with all that they claim.


ayah_text: But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees in position:

ayah_text_ar: وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ


ayah_text: Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.

ayah_text_ar: جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ


ayah_text: And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken by Pharaoh nor be afraid of drowning."

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Children of Israel leave Egypt

Allah, the Exalted, informs that He commanded Musa to journey at night with the Children of Israel, when Fir\`awn refused to release them and send them with Musa. He was to take them away from Fir\`awn's captivity. Allah expounds upon this in Surahs other than this noble Surah. Musa left with the Children of Israel, and when the people of Egypt awoke in the morning they found that not a single one of them remained in Egypt. Fir\`awn became extremely furious. He sent callers into all of the cities to gather together his army from all of his lands and provinces. He said to them,

إِنَّ هَـؤُلاءِ لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ \- وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَآئِظُونَ

(Verily, these indeed are but a small band. And verily, they have done what has enraged us.) 26:54-55 Then when he gathered his army and organized his troops, he set out after them and they followed them at dawn when the sun began to rise.

فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَا الْجَمْعَانِ

(And when the two hosts saw each other) 26:61 This means that each person of the two parties was looking at the other party.

فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَا الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَـبُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ \- قَالَ كَلاَّ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ

(The companions of Musa said: "We are sure to be overtaken." (Musa) said: "Nay, verily, with me is my Lord. He will guide me.") 26:61-62 Musa stopped with the Children of Israel and the sea was in front of them and Fir\`awn was behind them. Then, at that moment, Allah revealed to Musa,

فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقاً فِى الْبَحْرِ يَبَساً

(And strike a dry path for them in the sea.) So Musa struck the sea with his stick and he said, "Split for me, by the leave of Allah." Thus, it split, and each separate part of the water became like a huge mountain. Then, Allah sent a wind to the land of the sea and it burned the soil until it became dry like the ground that is on land. For this reason Allah said,

فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقاً فِى الْبَحْرِ يَبَساً لاَّ تَخَافُ دَرَكاً

(and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken...) This means being caught by Fir\`awn.

وَلاَ تَخْشَى

(nor being afraid.) meaning, "Do not be afraid of the sea drowning your people." Then, Allah, the Exalted, said,

فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِ فَغَشِيَهُمْ مِّنَ الْيَمِّ

(Then Fir\`awn pursued them with his hosts, but the sea Al-Yamm completely overwhelmed them) Al-Yamm means the sea.

مَا غَشِيَهُمْ

(and covered them up. ) meaning, covered them up with a thing that was well-familiar to them in such a situa- tion, as Allah states;

وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَى \- فَغَشَّـهَا مَا غَشَّى

(And He destroyed the overthrown cities. So there covered them that which did cover.) 53:53-54 As Fir\`awn pursued them into the sea, misled his people and did not lead them to the path of correct guidance, likewise, he will go ahead of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and will lead them in to the Hellfire. And evil indeed is the place to which they are led.

يبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَـكُمْ مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَـكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الاٌّيْمَنَ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى


ayah_text: So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, and there covered them from the sea that which covered them,

ayah_text_ar: فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ


ayah_text: And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide them.

ayah_text_ar: وَأَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ


ayah_text: O Children of Israel, We delivered you from your enemy, and We made an appointment with you at the right side of the mount, and We sent down to you manna and quails,

ayah_text_ar: يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَـٰكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَٰعَدْنَـٰكُمْ جَانِبَ ٱلطُّورِ ٱلْأَيْمَنَ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## A Reminder for the Children of Israel of

Allah's Favors upon Them Allah reminds of His tremendous favors upon the Children of Israel and His numerous blessings. He saved them from their enemy, Fir\`awn, and He relieved their eyes by drowning him and his hosts all at one time while they watched. Allah said,

وَأَغْرَقْنَا ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ

(And We drowned Fir\`awn people while you were looking.) 2:50 Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn \`Abbas said, "When the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah, he found the Jews fasting the day of \`Ashura'. Therefore he asked them about it and they said, \`This is the day that Allah gave Musa victory over Fir\`awn.' Then, the Prophet said,

«نَحْنُ أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى فَصُومُوه»

(We have more right to Musa (than them), so fast it.) Muslim also recorded this narration in his Sahih. Then, Allah made a covenant with Musa and the Children of Israel on the right side of the Mountain, after the destruction of Fir\`awn. This is the Mountain upon which Allah spoke to Musa and He told Musa's people to look at it when they requested to see Allah. It is also the same Mountain upon which Musa was given the Tawrah, while at the same time the Children of Israel began worshipping the (statue of a) calf, as Allah relates in the forth coming Ayat. The manna and quails have previously been discussed in Surah Al-Baqarah and other Surahs. Manna was a sweet substance that descended upon them from the sky and the quail Salwa was a type of bird that would fall down to them. They would fill every pot with them as ample provisions until the following day. This was a kindness and a mercy from Allah upon them. It was a manifestation of Allah's good treatment of them. For this reason Allah says,

كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ وَلاَ تَطْغَوْاْ فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى

(Eat of the Tayyibat wherewith We have provided you, and commit no transgression or oppression therein, lest My anger should justly descend on you.) This means, "Eat from this sustenance which I have provided for you, and do not transgress against My sustenance by taking it without necessity or you will be opposing what I have commanded you."

فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى

(lest My anger should justly descend on you.) This means, "I will become angry with you."

وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِى فَقَدْ هَوَى

(And he on whom My anger descends, he is indeed perished.) \`Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn \`Abbas said, "This means that he will indeed be made miserable." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً

(And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds,) meaning, "Whoever turns to Me in repentance, then I will accept his repentance regardless of whatever sin he did." Allah, the Exalted, even accepts the repentance of the Children of Israel who worshipped the calf. Concerning Allah's statement,

تَابَ

(who repents,) This means to turn away from what one was involved in of disbelief, associating partners with Allah, disobedience of Allah or hypocrisy. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَآمَنَ

(and believes) This means the person's belief in his heart.

وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً

(and does righteous deeds,) his action with his bodily limbs. Concerning Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

(and then Ihtada.) \`Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn \`Abbas said, "This means that he then does not doubt." Qatadah said,

ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

(and then Ihtada.) "This means he adheres to Islam until he dies." We see here that there is a specific order in which these things are presented. This is similar to Allah's saying,

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

(Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience and recommended one another to pity and compassion.) 90:17


ayah_text: Saying, "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you and do not transgress or oppress others therein, lest My anger should descend upon you. And he upon whom My anger descends has certainly fallen."

ayah_text_ar: كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا۟ فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى ۖ وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِى فَقَدْ هَوَىٰ


ayah_text: But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا ثُمَّ ٱهْتَدَىٰ


ayah_text: Allah said, "And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?"

ayah_text_ar: ۞ وَمَآ أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَوْمِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ

ayah_tafsir:
## Musa goes to the Appointment with Allah and the Children of Israel succumb to worship the Calf

Allah relates what happened when Musa traveled with the Children of Israel after Fir\`awn's destruction.

فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُواْ يَمُوسَى اجْعَلْ لَّنَآ إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ

إِنَّ هَـؤُلآء مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ-

(And they came upon a people devoted to some of idols. They said: "O Musa! Make for us god as they have gods." He said: "Verily, you are a people who know not. Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in. And all that they are doing is in vain.") 7:138-139 Then, Allah made a covenant with Musa of thirty nights after which He added to them ten more nights. Thus, they were forty nights in all. The covenant was that he was to fast these number of days, during both the day and night. Thus, Musa made haste to go to the Mountain and he left his brother, Harun, in charge over the Children of Israel. This is why Allah says,

وَمَآ أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَومِكَ يمُوسَى

قَالَ هُمْ أُوْلآء عَلَى أَثَرِى

("And what made you hasten from your people, O Musa" He said: "They are close on my footsteps.") These means that they have arrived and are settled near the Mountain.

وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَى

(and I hastened to You, O my Lord, that You might be pleased.) meaning, "So You will be more pleased with me."

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِىُّ

((Allah) said: "Verily, We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray.") Allah informs His Prophet, Musa, of what happened to the Children of Israel after he left them, and their deification of the calf that As-Samiri had made for them. During this time period, Allah wrote for Musa the Tablets, which contained the Tawrah. Allah said,

وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مَّوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلاً لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُواْ بِأَحْسَنِهَا سَأُوْرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَـسِقِينَ

(And We wrote for him on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation for all things (and said): "Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin your people to take the better therein. I shall show you the home of evildoers.") 7:145 This means, "I will show you the final outcome of what will happen to those who abandon My obedience and oppose My command." Concerning Allah's statement,

فَرَجَعَ مُوسَى إِلَى قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَـنَ أَسِفاً

(Then Musa returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow Asif.) This means that after Allah informed him of what they were doing, he became extremely angry and upset with them. He was very worried for them. During this time he received the Tawrah, which contained their Shari\`ah (Law), this was a great honor for them. For they were a people who used to worship other than Allah. Every person with sound reason and good sense could see that what they were doing was false and foolish. This is why Allah said that he (Musa) returned to them in a state of anger and sorrow. The word for sorrow used here is Asif, which is used to emphasize to the severity of his anger. Mujahid said, "In a state of anger and sorrow means worried." Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "Asif here means in a state of sadness because of what his people had done after him."

قَالَ يَقَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْداً حَسَناً

(He (Musa) said: "O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise...") This means, "Did He not promise you in that which I have spoken to you, every good in this life and in the Hereafter, and the good end in the final outcome of things You have already witnessed how He helped you defeat your enemy (Fir\`awn) and He made you victorious over him and He blessed you with other bounties as well through His help."

أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ

(Did then the promise seem to you long in coming) meaning, \`in waiting for what Allah had promised you and forgetting His previous favors and the covenant that He made with you before.'

أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

(Or did you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, ) The word \`Or' here means \`Nay, but.' It is used here to separate between a previous item and a coming item. It is as if it is saying, "Nay, but you want to make permissible the anger of your Lord upon you by what you have done. Therefore, you have broken your promise to me." The Children of Israel said in reply to Musa's blame and rebuke,

مَآ أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا

(We broke not our promise to you of our own will,) Meaning by our power and our choice. Then, they began making lame excuses and they told him how they got rid of that which they were carrying of Coptic jewelry that they had borrowed from them (the Egyptian Copts) when they left Egypt. Therefore they cast it, meaning that they threw it away. Thus, it became a calf that made a moaning sound that would gradually rise in pitch. This calf was an ordeal, a hindrance and test. This is why Allah said,

فَكَذَلِكَ أَلْقَى السَّامِرِىُّفَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلاً جَسَداً لَّهُ خُوَارٌ

("...that was what As-Samiri suggested." Then he took out (of the fire) for them (a statue of) a calf which was mooing.) Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn \`Abbas said,

هَـذَآ إِلَـهُكُمْ وَإِلَـهُ مُوسَى

(This is your god, and the god of Musa.) "So they became religiously devoted to it (the calf) and they loved it with a love that they had never loved anything else with before. " Allah then says,

فَنَسِىَ

(but he had forgotten.) This means that he abandoned what he was following of the religion of Islam. This is referring to As-Samiri. Allah says in refuting them and rebuking them, and also explaining to them their folly and foolishness in that which they had done,

أَفَلاَ يَرَوْنَ أَلاَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاً وَلاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرّاً وَلاَ نَفْعاً

(Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good) This is about the calf. \`Do they not see that it does not respond to them when they ask it and when they speak to it'

وَلاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرّاً وَلاَ نَفْعاً

(and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good) Meaning in their worldly affairs and matters of the Hereafter. Ibn \`Abbas said, "Nay, by Allah, the moaning sound of the calf was nothing but wind that would enter into its behind and come out of its mouth, thus causing it to make a sound." In a Hadith of Al-Fitun recorded from Al-Hasan Al-Basri, it is mentioned that this calf's name was Bahmut. In reference to the excuse of these ignorant people, they claimed that they were merely ridding themselves of the jewelry of the Copts. In the process of doing so, they cast the jewelry (into the pit of fire) and ended up worshipping the calf. Thus, they were seeking to rid themselves of something detestable, but wound up doing something even worse. This is similar to an authentic narration reported from \`Abdullah bin \`Umar. A man from \`Iraq asked him about the ruling of mosquitoes' blood if it get on one's garment. The man wanted to know if it is permissible to pray in such a garment or not. Ibn \`Umar replied by saying, "Look at the people of \`Iraq. They killed the grandson of the Messenger of Allah , Al-Husayn, and yet they're asking about the blood of the mosquito."


ayah_text: He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ هُمْ أُو۟لَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ


ayah_text: Allah said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you departed, and the Samiri has led them astray."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ


ayah_text: So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, "O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise? Then, was the time of its fulfillment too long for you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord descend upon you, so you broke your promise of obedience to me?"

ayah_text_ar: فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُم مَّوْعِدِى


ayah_text: They said, "We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people of Pharaoh, so we threw them into the fire, and thus did the Samiri throw."

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا وَلَـٰكِنَّا حُمِّلْنَآ أَوْزَارًا مِّن زِينَةِ ٱلْقَوْمِ فَقَذَفْنَـٰهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلْقَى ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ


ayah_text: And he extracted for them the statue of a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot."

ayah_text_ar: فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَـٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِىَ


ayah_text: Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?

ayah_text_ar: أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا


ayah_text: And Aaron had already told them before the return of Moses, "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَـٰرُونُ مِن قَبْلُ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى وَأَطِيعُوٓا۟ أَمْرِى

ayah_tafsir:
## Harun prohibits them from worship of Calf and the Persistence of the Children of Israel in doing so

Allah, the Exalted, informs of Harun's attempt to prohibit them from worshipping the calf and his telling them that this was only a test for them. He told them that their Lord was the Most Beneficent, Who created everything and decreed for everything its just measure. He is the Owner of the Mighty Throne, the One Who does whatever He wants.

فَاتَّبِعُونِى وَأَطِيعُواْ أَمْرِى

(so follow me and obey my order.) Meaning, "Follow me in that which I am commanding you with and leave that which I forbid you from."

قَالُواْ لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَـكِفِينَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَى

(They said: "We will not stop worshipping it, until Musa returns to us.") meaning, "We will not cease in our worship of this calf until we hear what Musa has to say about it." So they opposed Harun in this matter and they fought against him, nearly killing him.


ayah_text: They said, "We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us."

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوا۟ لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَـٰكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ


ayah_text: Moses said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ يَـٰهَـٰرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوٓا۟

ayah_tafsir:
## What happened between Musa and Harun after Musa returned

Allah informs of what happened when Musa returned to his people and saw the great matter that had taken place among them. With this he became filled with anger and he threw down the Divine Tablets that he had in his hand. Then, he grabbed his brother Harun by his head and pulled him towards himself. We expounded upon this previously in Surat Al-A\`raf, where we mentioned the Hadith,

«لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَة»

(Information is not the same as observation.) Then, he began to blame his brother, Harun, by saying,

مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّواْأَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ

(What prevented you when you saw them going astray; that you followed me not) meaning, "You should have informed me of this matter as soon as it happened."

أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى

(Have you then disobeyed my order) "In that which I entrusted to you," referring to Musa's statement,

اخْلُفْنِى فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

(Replace me among my people, act in the right way and follow not the way of the mischief-makers.)7:142

قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ

(He (Harun) said: "O son of my mother!") This mentioning of the mother was Harun's attempt to soften Musa's anger, because he was Musa's biological brother and they had the same parents. The mentioning of the mother here is more delicate and profound in bringing about gentleness and mildness. This is why he said,

يَبْنَؤُمَّ لاَ تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلاَ بِرَأْسِى

(O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head!) This was Harun's excuse to Musa for being delayed from coming to him and informing him of the great mishap that took place. He said,

إِنِّى خَشِيتُ

(Verily, I feared) meaning, "I was afraid to come after you and inform you of this, because I thought you might accuse me of leaving them alone and causing division between them."

وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى

(and you have not respected my word!) This means, "And you did not take care of what I commanded you to do when I left you in charge of them." Ibn \`Abbas said, "Harun was respectful and obedient to Musa."


ayah_text: From following me? Then have you disobeyed my order?"

ayah_text_ar: أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ ۖ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى


ayah_text: Aaron said, "O son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe or await my word.' "

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلَا بِرَأْسِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى


ayah_text: Moses said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكَ يَـٰسَـٰمِرِىُّ

ayah_tafsir:
## How As-Samiri made the Calf

Musa said to As-Samiri, "What caused you to do what you did What presented such an idea to you causing you to do this" Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Ibn \`Abbas that he said, "As-Samiri was a man from the people of Bajarma, a people who worshipped cows. He still had the love of cow worshipping in his soul. However, he acted as though he had accepted Islam with the Children of Israel. His name was Musa bin Zafar." Qatadah said, "He was from the village of Samarra."

قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُواْ بِهِ

((Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not.") This means, "I saw Jibril when he came to destroy Fir\`awn."

فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ

(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) This means from the hoof print of his (Jibril's) horse. This is what is well-known with many of the scholars of Tafsir, rather most of them. Mujahid said,

فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ

(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) "From under the hoof of Jibril's horse." He also said, "The word Qabdah means a palmful, and it is also that which is grasped by the tips of the fingers." Mujahid said, "As-Samiri threw what was in his hand onto the jewelry of the Children of Israel and it became molded into the body of a calf, which made a light moaning sound. The wind that blew into it was the cause of its sound." Thus, he said,

فَنَبَذْتُهَا

(and I threw it.) This means, "I threw it along with those who were throwing (jewelry)."

وَكَذلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى

(Thus my inner self suggested to me.) This means that his soul considered it something good and it was pleasing to his self.

## The Punishment of As-Samiri and the burning of the Calf Thereupon,

قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى الْحَيَوةِ أَن تَقُولَ لاَ مِسَاسَ

((Musa) said: "Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: \`Touch me not."') This means, "Just as you took and touched what was not your right to take and touch of the messenger's foot print, such is your punishment in this life, that you will say, \`Do not touch (me)."' This means, "You will not touch the people and they will not touch you."

وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِداً

(and verily, you have a promise) This means on the Day of Resurrection.

لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ

(that will not fail.) you will have no way to escape it. Qatadah said,

أَن تَقُولَ لاَ مِسَاسَ

(that you will say: \`Touch me not.') "This is referring to a punishment for them and their remnants (i.e. those who have their disease) today still say \`Do not touch."' Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِداً لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ

(and verily, you have a promise that will not fail.) Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Abu Nahik said, "You will not be absent from it."

وَانظُرْ إِلَى إِلَـهِكَ

(And look at your god) that which you worshipped,

الَّذِى ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفاً

(to which you have been devoted.) that which you established worship of, which was the calf.

إِنَّمَآ إِلَـهُكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً

(Your God is only Allah, there is no God but Him. He has full knowledge of all things.) Musa was saying to them, "This is not your god. Your God is only Allah, the One Whom there is no true God except Him. Worship is not befitting to anyone except Him. For everything is in need of Him and everything is His servant. Concerning the statement,

وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً

(He has full knowledge of all things.) The word \`Ilm (knowledge) is in the accusative case for distinction. It means that He is the All-Knower of everything.

أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمَا

((Allah) surrounds all things in (His) knowledge. ) 65:12 And He says,

وَأَحْصَى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عَدَداً

(And (He) keeps count of all things.) 72:28 Therefore,

لاَ يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ

(Not even the weight of a speck of dust escapes His knowledge.) 34:3 He also says,

وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّحَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ

(Not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) 6:59 And He says,

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

(And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book.) 11:6 The Ayat that mention this are numerous.


ayah_text: He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful of dust from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى


ayah_text: Moses said, "Then go. And indeed, it is decreed for you in this life to say, 'No contact.' And indeed, you have an appointment in the Hereafter you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast.

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ فَٱذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ أَن تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّن تُخْلَفَهُۥ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَـٰهِكَ ٱلَّذِى ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا ۖ لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ نَسْفًا


ayah_text: Your god is only Allah, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge."

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا


ayah_text: Thus, O Muhammad, We relate to you from the news of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you from Us the Qur'an.

ayah_text_ar: كَذَٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ ۚ وَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكَ مِن لَّدُنَّا ذِكْرًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Entire Qur'an is the Remembrance of Allah and mentioning thePunishment of Those Who turn away from It

Allah, the Exalted, is saying to Prophet Muhammad , \`We have told you (O Muhammad) the story of Musa and what happened with him, Fir\`awn and his armies, just as it actually happened. Likewise, We relate to you the information of the past just as it happened, without any increase or decrease. We also gave you a remembrance from Us, the Mighty Qur'an, no falsehood comes to it from before it or behind it.' It is a revelation from One Most Wise, Most Praiseworthy. No Prophet was given any Book like it or more complete than it, since the time of the previous Prophets who were sent, until their being sealed off with the coming of Muhammad . No Prophet was given any Book containing as much information than the Qur'an about what has past and what would be. The judgement concerning the distinction between mankind is taken from it. Therefore, Allah says about it,

مَّنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ

(Whoever turns away from it,) This means whoever denies it and turns away from following its commands and instructions, while seeking guidance from other than it, then Allah will mislead him and send him on the path to Hell. This is why Allah says,

مَّنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وِزْراً

(Whoever turns away from it, verily, they will bear a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection.) .Burden here means sin. This is as Allah says,

وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ

(But those of the sects that reject it , the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 This applies generally to whoever the Qur'an reaches of the Arabs, the non-Arabs, the People of the Book and others. This is as Allah says,

لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ

(That I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) 6:19 The Qur'an is a final warning for everyone it reaches. Whoever follows it, then he is rightly guided and whoever opposes it and turns away from it, then he is misguided. He will be wretched in this life, and he is promised that on the Day of Resurrection his abode will be the Hellfire. For this reason Allah says,

مَّنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وِزْراً خَـلِدِينَ فِيهِ

(Whoever turns away from it, verily, they will bear a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection. They will abide in that.) 20:100-101 They will not be able to avoid this or escape it.

وَسَآءَ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ حِمْلاً

(And evil indeed will it be that load for them on the Day of Resurrection.)


ayah_text: Whoever turns away from it - then indeed, he will bear on the Day of Resurrection a burden,

ayah_text_ar: مَّنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وِزْرًا


ayah_text: Abiding eternally therein, and evil it is for them on the Day of Resurrection as a load -

ayah_text_ar: خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهِ ۖ وَسَآءَ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ حِمْلًا


ayah_text: The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed.

ayah_text_ar: يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ وَنَحْشُرُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Blowing of the Sur and the Day of Resurrection

It has been confirmed in a Hadith that the Messenger of Allah was asked about the Sur and he replied,

«قَرْنٌ يُنْفَخُ فِيه»

(It is a horn that will be blown into.) It has been related in a Hadith about the Sur, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that it is a huge horn that has a circumference as large as the heavens and the earth. The angel Israfil will blow into it. Another Hadith has been related which states that the Prophet said,

«كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتقَمَ الْقَرْنَ وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ، وَانْتَظَرَ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَه»

(How can I be comfortable when the one with the horn is holding it in his lips and his forehead is leaning forward, waiting to be given permission (to blow it).) The people said, "O Messenger of Allah, what should we say" He said,

«قُولُوا: حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ عَلَى اللهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا»

(Say: Allah is sufficient for us and what a good protector He is. Upon Allah we place our trust.) Concerning His statement,

وَنَحْشُرُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمِئِذٍ زُرْقاً

(And We shall gather the criminals blue-eyed.) It has been said that this means having blue eyes due to the severity of their horrifying situation.

يَتَخَـفَتُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ

(They will speak in a very low voice to each other. ) Ibn \`Abbas said, "This means whispering among themselves." This means that some of them will be saying to others,

إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ عَشْراً

(You stayed not longer than ten.) meaning in the abode of the worldly life, you only tarried there for a little while. The time was equivalent to ten days or so. Allah, the Exalted, then says,

نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ

(We know very well what they will say,) This means in their condition of conversing amongst themselves.

إِذْ يَقُولُ أَمْثَلُهُمْ طَرِيقَةً

(when the best among them in knowledge and wisdom will say;) the one with perfect intelligence amongst them,

إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ يَوْماً

(You stayed no longer than a day!) This is because on the Day of Judgement they will sense the shortness of the worldly life within themselves. For the worldly life, with its repetitious time periods and successive nights, days and hours, is as if it is just one day. For this reason, on the Day of Resurrection the disbelievers will think the worldly life was very short. By this they mean to prevent the establishment of the evidence against them due to the shortness of time that they had. Allah says about this,

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يُقْسِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُواْ غَيْرَ سَاعَةٍ

(And on the Day that the Hour will be established, the criminals will swear that they stayed not but an hour) until His statement,

وَلَـكِنَّكُمْ كُنتمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(but you knew not.") 30:55-56 Allah also says,

أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَآءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ

(Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it And the warner came to you.) 35:37 Allah, the Exalted, also says,

قَـلَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ \- قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْماً أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَآدِّينَ \- قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

((Allah will say): What number of years did you stay on earth They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account." He (Allah) will say: "You stayed not but a little, if you had only known!") 23:112-114 This means that you only remained in it (the earth) a little while. If you only knew, you would have preferred the eternal life over the temporal life. Yet, you conducted yourselves in an evil manner. You gave the present, temporary life precedence over the eternal and everlasting life.


ayah_text: They will murmur among themselves, "You remained not but ten days in the world."

ayah_text_ar: يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا عَشْرًا


ayah_text: We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner will say, "You remained not but one day."

ayah_text_ar: نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذْ يَقُولُ أَمْثَلُهُمْ طَرِيقَةً إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا يَوْمًا


ayah_text: And they ask you about the mountains, so say, "My Lord will blow them away with a blast.

ayah_text_ar: وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The destruction of the Mountains, and the Earth becomes a Smooth Plain

Allah says,

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ

(And they ask you concerning the mountains.) This is a question, will they remain on the Day of Resurrection or will they cease to exist

فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً

(Say: "My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust.") This means that He will take them away from their places, wipe them out and remove them completely.

فَيَذَرُهَا

(Then He shall leave it) referring to the earth;

قَاعاً صَفْصَفاً

(as a level smooth plain.) This means one expanse spread out. The word Qa\` means a piece of land that is level and the word Safsafa is used to place emphasis on this meaning. It has also been said that Safsafa means that which has no vegetation growing in it. The first meaning is preferred, even though the second meaning is also included by necessity. In reference to this, Allah says,

لاَّ تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجاً وَلا أَمْتاً

(You will see therein no crookedness nor curve. ) meaning, \`on that Day you will not see in the earth any valley, hill, or any place, whether low or elevated.' Ibn \`Abbas, \`Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and others of the Salaf all said the same.

## The People will rush towards the Voice of the Caller

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِىَ لاَ عِوَجَ لَهُ

(On that Day mankind will follow strictly Allah's caller, no crookedness will they show him.) On the Day, they see these conditions and these frightening sights, they will hastily respond to the caller. Wherever they are commanded to go, they will rush to it. If they had been like this in the worldly life, it would have been more beneficial for them, but here it does not benefit them. This is as Allah says,

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا

(How clearly will they see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us!) 19:38 Allah also says,

مُّهْطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ

(hastening towards the caller.) Concerning Allah's statement,

وَخَشَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ

(And all voices will be humbled for the Most Gracious,) Ibn \`Abbas said, "This means they will be silent." As-Suddi also said the same.

فَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمْساً

(And nothing shall you hear except Hamsa.) Sa\`id bin Jubayr related that Ibn \`Abbas said, "This means the steps of feet." \`Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi\` bin Anas, Qatadah, Ibn Zayd and others all said the same. \`Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn \`Abbas said,

فَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمْساً

(And nothing shall you hear except Hamsa.) "Hamsa means a hidden voice." This has also been repor- ted from \`Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak. Sa\`id bin Jubayr said,

فَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمْساً

(And nothing shall you hear except Hamsa.) "Hamsa means the secret speech and the steps of feet."


ayah_text: And He will leave the earth a level plain;

ayah_text_ar: فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفْصَفًا

ayah_tafsir: MISSING


ayah_text: You will not see therein a depression or an elevation."

ayah_text_ar: لَّا تَرَىٰ فِيهَا عِوَجًا وَلَآ أَمْتًا


ayah_text: That Day, everyone will follow the call of the Caller with no deviation therefrom, and all voices will be stilled before the Most Merciful, so you will not hear except a whisper of footsteps.

ayah_text_ar: يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلدَّاعِىَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَخَشَعَتِ ٱلْأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا هَمْسًا


ayah_text: That Day, no intercession will benefit except that of one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and has accepted his word.

ayah_text_ar: يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَرَضِىَ لَهُۥ قَوْلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Intercession and the Recompense

Allah, the Exalted, says,

يَوْمَئِذٍ

(On that day) the Day of Resurrection,

لاَّ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ

(no intercession shall avail.) meaning with Him (Allah).

إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَرَضِىَ لَهُ قَوْلاً

(except the one for whom the Most Gracious has given permission and whose word is acceptable to Him.) This is similar to His statement,

مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ

(Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission) 2:255 It is also similar to His statement,

وَكَمْ مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ لاَ تُغْنِى شَفَـعَتُهُمْ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَى

(And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.) 53:26 He also says,

وَلاَ يَشْفَعُونَ إِلاَّ لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمْ مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ

(And they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him.) 21:28 He also says,

وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ

(Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) 34:23 And He says,

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ صَفّاً لاَّ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَقَالَ صَوَاباً

(The Day that Ar-Ruh and the angels will stand forth in rows, they will not speak except him whom the Most Gracious allows, and he will speak what is right.) 78:38 In the Two Sahihs it is reported from the leader of the Children of Adam and the Noblest of all the creatures to Allah, Muhammad :

«آتِي تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، وَأَخِرُّ للهِ سَاجِدًا، وَيَفْتَحُ عَلَيَّ بِمَحَامِدَ لَا أُحْصِيهَا الْآنَ، فَيَدَعُنِي مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَدَعَنِي، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ وَقُلْ يُسْمَعْ، وَاشْفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ فَيَحُدُّ لِي حَدًّا، فَأُدْخِلُهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ ثُمَّ أَعُود»

(I will come under the Throne and I will fall down into prostration. Then, I will be inspired to make praises (of Allah) that I am not able to recall them now. Allah will leave me in this condition as long as He wishes. Then, He will say, "O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted." Then, a designated group will be allowed for me (to intercede on their behalf). Allah will then enter them into Paradise and I will return (to repeat the process again). ) The Prophet mentioned doing this four times. May Allah's blessings and peace be upon him and the rest of the Prophets as well. In another Hadith it also mentions that he said,

«يَقُولُ تَعَالَى: أَخْرِجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ، فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: أَخْرِجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نِصْفُ مِثْقَالٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ، أَخْرِجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مَا يَزِنُ ذَرَّةً، مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ أَدْنَى أَدْنَى مِثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ إِيمَان»

(Allah, the Exalted, will say, "Bring out of the Fire whoever has a seed's weight of faith in his heart." So a large number of people will be brought out. Then He will say, "Bring out of the Fire whoever has a half of a seed's weight of faith in his heart. Bring out whoever has the weight of a speck of dust in his heart. Bring out whoever has the weight of the smallest and tiniest particle of dust of faith in his heart.") And the Hadith continues. Concerning Allah's statement,

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ

(He knows what happens to them and what will happen to them,) He encompasses all creation with His knowledge.

وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْماً

(but they will never encompass anything of His knowledge.) This is like His statement,

وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَآءَ

(And they will never encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. ) 2:255 Concerning Allah's statement,

وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَىِّ الْقَيُّومِ

(And (all) faces shall be humbled before the Ever Living, the Sustainer.) Ibn \`Abbas and others said, "This means that the creatures will be humbled, submissive and compliant to their Compeller, the Ever Living, Who does not die, the Sustainer of all, Who does not sleep." He is the maintainer of everything. He determines the affairs of everything and preserves everything. He is perfect in His Self. He is the One Whom everything is in need of and whom nothing could survive without. Concerning His statement,

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلْماً

(And he who carried wrongdoing, will be indeed a complete failure.) meaning on the Day of Resurrection. For verily, Allah will give every due right to the one who deserved it. Even the ram who lost its horn will be given revenge against the one who had horns. In the Sahih, it is recorded that the Prophet said,

«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظُّلْمَ، فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(Beware of wrongdoing (or oppression), for verily, wrongdoing will be darknesses on the Day of Resurrection.) And the true failure is for whoever meets Allah while associating partners with Him. Allah the Exalted says,

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

("Verily, associating partners with Me is the great wrongdoing.") Allah's statement,

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّـلِحَـتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلاَ يَخَافُ ظُلْماً وَلاَ هَضْماً

(And he who works deeds of righteousness, while he is a believer, then he will have no fear of injustice, nor of any curtailment.) After Allah mentions the wrongdoers and their threat, He then commends the pious people and mentions the judgement they receive. Their judgement is that they will not be wronged nor oppressed. This means that their evils will not be increased and their good deeds will not be decreased. This was stated by Ibn \`Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others. Zulm means an increase that comes from the sins of others being placed upon the person, and Hadm means a decrease.


ayah_text: Allah knows what is presently before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it in knowledge.

ayah_text_ar: يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلْمًا


ayah_text: And all faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. And he will have failed who carries injustice.

ayah_text_ar: ۞ وَعَنَتِ ٱلْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَىِّ ٱلْقَيُّومِ ۖ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلْمًا


ayah_text: But he who does of righteous deeds while he is a believer - he will neither fear injustice nor deprivation.

ayah_text_ar: وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَا يَخَافُ ظُلْمًا وَلَا هَضْمًا


ayah_text: And thus We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an and have diversified therein the warnings that perhaps they will avoid sin or it would cause them remembrance.

ayah_text_ar: وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَانًا عَرَبِيًّا وَصَرَّفْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ ذِكْرًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Qur'an was revealed so that the People would have Taqwa and reflect

After Allah, the Exalted, mentions that on the Day of Judgement both the good and the evil will be recompensed and there is no avoiding it, He then explains that the Qur'an was revealed as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner in the clear and eloquent Arabic language. There is no confusion or deficiency in it.

وَصَرَّفْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

(And thus We have sent it down as a Qur'an in Arabic, and have explained therein in detail the warnings, in order that they may have Taqwa of,) This means: so that they will leave off sins, forbidden things and lewd abominations.

أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ ذِكْراً

(or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it.) This means: to produce acts of obedience and deeds that will bring one closer to Allah.

فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ

(Then High above all be Allah, the True King.) This means: Most Holy and Majestic is He, the True King, Who is Himself the Truth and His promise is true. Likewise, His threat is true, His Messengers are true, the Paradise is true, the Hellfire is true and everything from Him is true. His justice is that He does not punish anyone before warning them, sending Messengers to them and granting excuses to His creatures, so that no one will have any argument or doubt (on Judgment Day).

## The Command to the Prophet to listen to the Qur'an when it is revealed without making haste

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلاَ تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْءانِ مِن قَبْلِ إَن يُقْضَى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ

(And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is similar to Allah's statement,

لاَ تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ \- إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْءَانَهُ \- فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَـهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُ \- ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

(Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it. And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).) 75:16-19 It is confirmed in the Sahih on the authority of Ibn \`Abbas, who said that the Messenger of Allah used to go through great pains to retain the revelation. In doing so he used to move his tongue rapidly with its recital. Then, Allah revealed this Ayah. This means that whenever Jibril would say an Ayah, the Prophet would say it with him due to his eagerness to memorize it. Then, Allah guided him to that which was easier and lighter in this matter, to relieve him of this difficulty. Allah said,

لاَ تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ \- إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْءَانَهُ

(Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it.) 75:16-17 Meaning, "We will gather it in your chest, then you will recite it to the people without forgetting anything of it."

فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَـهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُ \- ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

(And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).) 75:18-19 And He said in this Ayah,

وَلاَ تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْءانِ مِن قَبْلِ إَن يُقْضَى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ

(And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is a command to the Prophet to listen quietly: \`Then, when the angel (Jibril) completes reciting to you, you recite it after him.'

وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْماً

(and say: "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.") meaning, "Give me more knowledge from You." Ibn \`Uyaynah said, "The Prophet did not cease increasing (in knowledge) until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, took him (i.e. he died)."


ayah_text: So high above all is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, O Muhammad, do not hasten with recitation of the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."

ayah_text_ar: فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُۥ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا


ayah_text: And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ مِن قَبْلُ فَنَسِىَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُۥ عَزْمًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Story of Adam and Iblis

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn \`Abbas said, "Verily, man was named Insan only because he was given a covenant, but he forgot it (Nasiya)." \`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported the same from Ibn \`Abbas. Mujahid and Al-Hasan said that he forgot means, "He abandoned it." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لاًّدَمَ

(And when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves to Adam.") He, Allah mentions how Adam was honored and what respect was given to him. He mentions how He favored him over many of those whom He created. A discussion of this story has already preceded in Surat Al-Baqarah, Surat Al-A\`raf, Surat Al-Hijr and Surat Al-Kahf. It will also be mentioned again at the end of Surah Sad. In this story, Allah mentions the creation of Adam and that He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam as a sign of honor and respect. He also explains the enmity of Iblis for the Children of Adam and for their father, Adam, before them. Due to this Allah says,

فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى

(They prostrated themselves (all) except Iblis; he refused.) This means that he refrained from prostrating and became arrogant.

فَقُلْنَا يـَادَمُ إِنَّ هَـذَا عَدُوٌّ لَّكَ وَلِزَوْجِكَ

(Then We said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife...") here wife refers to Hawwa'.

فَلاَ يُخْرِجَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقَى

(So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed.) meaning, \`Do not be hasty in doing something that will get you expelled from Paradise, or else you will be fatigued, discomforted and worried, seeking your sustenance. But here, in Paradise, you live a life of ease with no burdens and no difficulties.'

إِنَّ لَكَ أَلاَّ تَجُوعَ فِيهَا وَلاَ تَعْرَى

(Verily, you will never be hungry therein nor naked.) The reason that Allah combined hunger and nakedness is because hunger is internal humiliation, while nakedness is external humiliation.

وَأَنَّكَ لاَ تَظْمَؤُا فِيهَا وَلاَ تَضْحَى

(And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat.) These two characteristics are also opposites. Thirst is the internal heat and being parched from lack of water, while the suns heat is the external heat.

فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَـنُ قَالَ يـَادَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لاَّ يَبْلَى

(Then Shaytan whispered to him, saying: "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away") It has already been mentioned that he caused them to fall through deception.

وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ

(And he swore by Allah to them both: "Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both.") 7:21 It has already preceded in our discussion that Allah took a promise from Adam and his wife that although they could eat from every fruit, they could not come near a specific tree in Paradise. However, Iblis did not cease prodding them until they both had eaten from it. It was the Tree of Eternity (Shajarat Al-Khuld). This meant that anyone who ate from it would live forever and always remain. A Hadith has been narrated which mentions this Tree of Eternity. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,

«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ مَا يَقْطَعُهَا، وَهِيَ شَجَرَةُ الْخُلْد»

(Verily, in Paradise there is a tree which a rider can travel under its shade for one hundred years and still not have passed it. It is the Tree of Eternity.) Imam Ahmad also recorded this narration. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَكَلاَ مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَتُهُمَا

(Then they both ate of the tree, and so their private parts became manifest to them,) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ubayy bin Ka\`b said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ رَجُلًا طُوَالًا كَثِيرَ شَعْرِ الرَّأْسِ، كَأَنَّهُ نَخْلَةُ سَحُوقٍ،فَلَمَّا ذَاقَ الشَّجَرَةَ سَقَطَ عَنْهُ لِبَاسُهُ، فَأَوَّلُ مَا بَدَا مِنْهُ عَوْرَتُهُ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى عَوْرَتِهِ جَعَلَ يَشْتَدُّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، فَأَخَذَتْ شَعْرَهُ شَجَرَةٌ فَنَازَعَهَا، فَنَادَاهُ الرَّحْمَنُ: يَا آدَمُ مِنِّي تَفِرُّ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ كَلَامَ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ لَا، وَلَكِنِ اسْتِحْيَاءً، أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ تُبْتُ وَرَجَعْتُ أَعَائِدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَم»

(Verily, Allah created Adam as a tall man with an abundance of hair on his head. He looked like a clothed palm tree. Then, when he tasted (the fruit of) the tree, his clothes fell off of him. The first thing that became exposed was his private parts. So when he noticed his nakedness, he tried to run back into Paradise. However, in the process a tree caught hold of his hair (i.e. his hair was tangled in a tree), so he ripped his hair out. Then, the Most Beneficent called out to him saying, "O Adam, are you fleeing from me" When he heard the Words of the Most Beneficent, he said, "No my Lord, but I am ashamed. If I repent and recant would You let me return to Paradise" Allah replied, "Yes.") This is the meaning of Allah's statement,

فَتَلَقَّى ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ

a(Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him.) 2:37 However, this narration has a break in the chain of transmission between Al-Hasan and Ubayy bin Ka\`b. Al-Hasan did not hear this Hadith from Ubayy. It is questionable as to whether this narration can be correctly attributed to the Prophet . Allah said,

وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ

(And they began to cover themselves with the leaves of the Paradise for their covering. ) Mujahid said, "They patched the leaves on themselves in the form of a garment." Qatadah and As-Suddi both said the same. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأَكَلاَ مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ وَعَصَى ءَادَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَى \- ثُمَّ اجْتَبَـهُ رَبُّهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ وَهَدَى

(Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

«حَاجَّ مُوسَى آدَمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَخْرَجْتَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِذَنْبِكَ وَأَشْقَيْتَهُمْ؟ قَالَ آدَمُ: يَا مُوسَى، أَنْتَ الَّذِي اصْطَفَاكَ اللهُ بِرِسَالَاتِهِ وَبِكَلَامِهِ، أَتَلُومُنِي عَلَى أَمْرٍ كَتَبَهُ اللهُ عَلَيَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَنِي أَوْ قَدَّرَهُ اللهُ عَلَيَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَنِي؟ قال رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلّم: فَحَجَّ آدَمُ مُوسَى»

(Musa argued with Adam and he said to him, "Are you the one who got mankind expelled from Paradise because of your sin and you caused them grief!" Adam replied, "Are you the one whom Allah chose for His Divine Messages and His direct Speech Are you blaming me for a matter that Allah wrote upon me before He created me") Then, the Messenger of Allah said, (Thus, Adam defeated Musa.) This Hadith has various routes of transmission in the Two Sahihs as well as the Musnad collections.


ayah_text: And mention when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except Iblees; he refused.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ