4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَرُسُلاً قَدْ قَصَصْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلاً لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ...   

4: 164. Of some Messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not;

... وَكَلَّمَ اللّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا ﴿١٦٤﴾  

and to Moses Allah spoke direct.

C670. Allah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. Hence the title of Moses in Muslim theology:

Kalim Allah: the one to whom Allah spoke.

Other versions:

4: 164

Asad and as [We inspired other] apostles whom We have mentioned to thee ere this [note 179], as well as apostles whom We have not mentioned to thee………….

Yusuf Ali Of some Apostles We have already told thee the story; of others We have not; and to Moses Allah spoke direct.

Pickthall And messengers We have mentioned unto thee before and messengers We have not mentioned unto thee; and Allah spoke directly unto Moses;

Transliteration Wa rusulan qad qasasna_hum'alaika min qablu wa rusulal lam naqsushum'alaik(a), wa kallamalla_hu mu_sa_ taklima_(n).

20 Sura Taha

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى ﴿٩﴾

20: 9.     Has the story of Moses reached thee?

C2540. The story of Moses in its different incidents is told in many places in the Quran, and in each case the phase most appropriate in the context is referred to or emphasised.

-         In 2:49-61, it was a phase from the religious history of mankind;

-        in 7:103-162, it was a phase from the story of the Ummah (or nation) of Israel, and the story was continued to the times after Moses,

-        in 17:101-103, we have a picture of the decline of a soul in the arrogance of Pharaoh;

-        here, in 20:9-24, we have a picture of the rise of a soul in the commission given to Moses from Allah;

-        in 20:25-36, we have his spiritual relationship with his brother Aaron;

-         in 20:37-40, we have his spiritual relation with his mother and sister, and his upbringing;

-         in 20:41-76, we have his spiritual combat with Pharaoh; and

-        in 20:77-98, we have his spiritual combat with his own people, the Israelites. For other incidents, consult the Index.

إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا ...   

20: 10.  Behold, he saw a fire:

C2541. A fire: It appeared like an ordinary fire, which always betokens the presence of men in a desert or a lonely place.

Moses made for it alone, to fetch the wherewithal for making a fire for his family, and perhaps to find some direction as to the way, from the people he should meet there.

But it was not an ordinary fire. It was a Burning Bush: a Sign of the Glory of Allah.

... فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا...

so he said to his family, "Tarry ye; I perceive a fire;

...لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى ﴿١٠﴾

perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom or find some guidance at the fire."

C2542. The spiritual history of Moses begins here.

It was the beginning of his mission. His physical life, infancy, and upbringing are referred to later on, to illustrate another point.

Moses, when he grew up, left the palace of Pharaoh and went to the Midianite people, in the Sinai peninsula. He married among them, and was now traveling with his family, when he was called to his mission by Allah.

He went to look for a fire for comfort and guidance. He found a higher and holier comfort and guidance. The whole passage is full of portent meaning, which is reflected in the short rhymed verses in the original. (R).

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِي يَا مُوسَى ﴿١١﴾

20: 11.  But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard:

"O Moses!

إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ...   

20: 12.  "Verily I am thy Lord!

Therefore (in My presence) put off thy shoes:

C2543. The shoes are to be put off as a mark of respect.

Moses was now to put away his mere worldly interests, he having been chosen by Allah, the Most High. (R).

...إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ﴿١٢﴾

thou art in the sacred valley Tuwa.

C2544. This was the valley just below Mount Sinai, where subsequently he was to receive the Torah.

وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى ﴿١٣﴾

20: 13.  "I have chosen thee:

listen, then, to the inspiration (sent to thee).

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ...   

20: 14.  "Verily, I am Allah:

...لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا...

there is no god but I:

...فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي ﴿١٤﴾

so serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.

إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ ءاَتِيَةٌ...   

20: 15.  "Verily the Hour is coming --

C2545. The first need is to mend our lives and worship and serve Allah, as in the last verse.

The next is to realise the meaning of the Hereafter, when every soul will get the meed of its conduct in this life.

...أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَى ﴿١٥﴾

My design is to keep it hidden -- for every soul to receive its reward by the measure of its endeavour.

C2546. Ukhfi may mean either "keep it hidden", or "make it manifest",

and the Commentators have taken, some one meaning and some the other.

-        If the first is taken, it means that the exact hour or day when the Judgment comes is hidden from man;

-        if the second, it means that the fact of the Judgment to come is made known, that man may remember and take warning.

I think that both meanings are implied. (R).

فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَنْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ...   

20: 16.  "Therefore let not such as believe not therein but follow their own lusts,

...فَتَرْدَى ﴿١٦﴾

divert thee therefrom, lest thou perish!"

C2547. Moses had yet to meet the formidable opposition of the arrogant, Pharaoh and his proud Egyptians, and latter, the rebellion of his own people. In receiving his commission, he is warned of both dangers. This relates to man's own soul:

when once the light reaches him, let him hold fast to it lest he perish.

He will be beset with dangers of all kinds around him, the worst will be the danger of unbelieving people who seem to thrive on their selfishness and in following their own vain desires! (R).

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَى ﴿١٧﴾

20: 17.  "And what is that in thy right hand, O Moses?"

قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ...   

20: 18.  He said,

"It is my rod: on it I lean;

C2548. Now comes the miracle of the rod.

First of all, the attention of Moses himself is drawn to it, and he thinks of the ordinary uses to which he puts it in his daily life. (R).

...أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِي...

with it I beat down fodder for my flocks;

...وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَآرِبُ أُخْرَى ﴿١٨﴾

and in it I find other uses."

قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يَا مُوسَى ﴿١٩﴾

20: 19.  (Allah) said, "Throw it, O Moses!"

فَأَلْقَاهَا...   

20: 20.  He threw it,

...فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى ﴿٢٠﴾

and behold! it was a snake, active in motion.

C2549. Cf. 7:107, where a different word (thu'ban) is used for "snake", and the qualifying adjective is "plain (for all to see)".

The scene there is before Pharaoh and his magicians and people: the object is to show the hollowness of their magic by a miracle: the rod appears before them as a long and creeping writhing serpent.

Here there is a symbol to present Allah's power to Moses' mind and understanding: the rod becomes a Hayy (a live snake), and its "live motion is what is most to be impressed on the mind of Moses, for there were no other spectators. So the highest spiritual mysteries can be grasped, with Allah's gift of insight, from the most ordinary things of daily use. Once they are grasped, there is no question of fear. They really are the virtues of this life lifted up to the glorious spiritual plane.

قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ...   

We shall return it at once to its former condition"...

...سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا الْأُولَى ﴿٢١﴾

We shall return it at once to its former condition"...

وَاضْمُمْ يَدَكَ إِلَى جَنَاحِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاء مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ...   

20: 22.  "Now draw thy hand close to thy side:

it shall come forth white (and shining), without harm (or stain) --

C2550. The second of the greater Miracles shown to Moses was the "White (shining) Hand".

Ordinarily, when the skin becomes white, it is a sign of disease, leprosy or something loathsome. Here there was no question of disease: on the contrary, the hand was glorified, and it shone as with a divine light.

Such a miracle was beyond Egyptian or human magic. (R).

...آيَةً أُخْرَى ﴿٢٢﴾

as another Sign --

لِنُرِيَكَ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا الْكُبْرَى ﴿٢٣﴾

20: 23.  "In order that We may show thee (two) of Our Greater Signs.

اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى ﴿٢٤﴾

20: 24.  "Go thou to Pharaoh, for he had indeed transgressed all bounds."

C2551. Moses, having been spiritually prepared now gets his definite commission to go to Pharaoh and point out the error of his ways.

So inordinate was Pharaoh's vanity that he had it in his mind to say: "I am your Lord Most High!" (79:24).

Section 2

قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ﴿٢٥﴾

20: 25.  (Moses) said:

"O my Lord! expand me my breast;"

C2552. The breast is reputed to be the seat of knowledge and affections.

The gift of the highest spiritual insight is what he prays for first. Cf. 94:1.

This was the most urgent in point of time. There are three other things he also asks for: viz.

1.      Allah's help in his task, which at first appears difficult to him,

2.     the gift of eloquence, and the removal of the impediment from his speech; and

3.     the counsel and constant attendance with him of his brother Aaron, whom he loved and trusted, for he would otherwise be alone among the Egyptians.

وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ﴿٢٦﴾

20: 26.  "Ease my task for me;

وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي ﴿٢٧﴾

20: 27.  "And remove the impediment from my speech.

C2553. Literally, "Loosen a knot from my tongue".

يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي ﴿٢٨﴾

20: 28.  "So they may understand what I say:

وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي ﴿٢٩﴾

20: 29.  "And give me a Minister from my family,

هَارُونَ أَخِي ﴿٣٠﴾

20: 30.  "Aaron, my brother;

اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي ﴿٣١﴾

20: 31.  "Add to my strength through him,

C2554. Literally, "Strengthen my back with him".

A man's strength lies in his back and backbone so that he can stand erect and boldly face his tasks.

وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي ﴿٣٢﴾

20: 32.  "And make him share my task:

كَيْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا ﴿٣٣﴾

20: 33.  "That we may celebrate Thy praise without stint,

C2555. The requests that Moses makes are inspired, not by earthly but by spiritual motives.

The motive, expressed in the most general terms, is to glorify Allah, not in an occasional way, but systematically and continuously, "without stint".

The clauses in this verse and the next, taken together, govern all the requests he makes, from verse 25 to verse 32.

وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا ﴿٣٤﴾

20: 34.  "And remember Thee without stint:

إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا ﴿٣٥﴾

20: 35.  "For Thou art He that (ever) regardeth us."

C2556. The celebration of Allah's praise and remembrance is one form of showing gratitude on the part of Moses for the Grace which Allah has bestowed upon him.

قَالَ قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَا مُوسَى ﴿٣٦﴾

20: 36.  (Allah) said:

"Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!"

وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَيْكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى ﴿٣٧﴾

20: 37.  "And indeed We conferred a favor on thee another time (before).

إِذْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّكَ مَا يُوحَى ﴿٣٨﴾

20: 38.  "Behold! We sent to thy mother, by inspiration, the message:

C2557. The story is not told, but only those salient points recapitulated which bear on the upbringing and work of Moses.

Long after the age of Joseph, who had been a Wazir to one of the Pharaohs, there came on the throne ofEgypt a Pharaoh who hated the Israelites and wanted them annihilated. He ordered Israelite male children to be killed when they were born.

Moses' mother hid him for a time, but when further concealment was impossible, a thought came into her mind that she should put her child into a chest and send the chest floating down the Nile. This was not merely a foolish fancy of hers. It was Allah's Plan to bring up Moses in all the learning of the Egyptians, in order that that learning itself should be used to expose what was wrong in it and to advance the glory of Allah.

The chest was floated into the river Nile. It flowed on into a stream that passed through Pharaoh's Garden. It was picked up by Pharaoh's people and the child was adopted by Pharaoh's wife.

See 28:4-13.

أَنِ اقْذِفِيهِ فِي التَّابُوتِ فَاقْذِفِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ الْيَمُّ...   

20: 39.  "'Throw (the child) into the chest, and throw (the chest) into the river:

...بِالسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّي وَعَدُوٌّ لَّهُ...

the river will cast him up on the bank, and he will be taken up by one who is an enemy to Me and an enemy to him':

C2558. Pharaoh was an enemy to Allah, because he was puffed up and he blasphemed, claiming to be God himself.

He was an enemy to the child Moses, because he hated the Israelites and wanted to have their male children killed; also because Moses stood for Allah's revelation to come.

...وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّي ...

but I cast (the garment of) love over thee from Me:

C2559. Allah made the child comely and lovable, and he attracted the love of the very people who, on general grounds, would have killed him.

... وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي ﴿٣٩﴾

and (this) in order that thou mayest be reared under Mine eye.

C2560. See n. 2558 above.

By making the child Moses so attractive as to be adopted into Pharaoh's household, not only was Moses brought up in the best way possible from an earthly point of view, but Allah's special Providence looked after him in bringing his mother to him, as stated in the next verse, and thus nourishing him on his mother's milk and keeping him in touch, in his inner growth, with the feelings and sentiments of his people Israel.

إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ ...   

20: 40.  "Behold! thy sister goeth forth and saith,

... هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَن يَكْفُلُهُ...

'Shall I show you one who will nurse and rear the (child)?'

C2561. We may suppose that the anxious mother, after the child was floated on the water, sent the child's sister to follow the chest from the bank and see where and by whom it was picked up. When it was picked up by Pharaoh's own family and they seemed to love the child, she appeared like a stranger before them, and said, "Shall I search out a good wet-nurse for the child, that she may rear the child you are going to adopt?"

That was exactly what they wanted. She ran home and told her mother. The mother was delighted to come and fold the infant in her arms again and feed it at her own breast, and all openly and without any concealment.

...فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ...

So We brought thee back to thy mother, that her eye might be cooled and she should not grieve.

C2562. The mother's eyes had, we may imagine, been sore with scalding tears at the separation from her baby.

Now they were cooled: a phrase meaning that her heart was comforted.

...وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا...

Then thou didst slay a man, but We saved thee from trouble, and We tried thee in various ways.

C2563. Years passed. The child grew up. In outward learning he was of the house of Pharaoh.

In his inner soul and sympathy he was of Israel. One day, he went to the Israelite colony and saw all the Egyptian oppression under which Israel labored. He saw an Egyptian smiling an Israelite, apparently with impunity.

Moses felt brotherly sympathy and smote the Egyptian. He did not intend to, kill him, but in fact the Egyptian died of the blow. When this became known, his position in Pharaoh's household became impossible. So he fled out of Egypt, and was only saved by Allah's grace.

He fled to the Sinai Peninsula, to the land of the Midianites, and had various adventures. He married one of the daughters of the Midianite chief, and lived with the Midianites for many years, as an Egyptian stranger. He had many trials and temptations, but he retained his integrity of character.

...فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ...

Then didst thou tarry a number of years with the people of Midian.

C2564. See last note.

After many years spent in a quiet life, grazing his father-in-law's flocks, he came one day to the valley of Tuwa underneath the great mountain mass of Sinai, called Tur (in Arabic). The peak on the Arabian side (where Moses was) was called Horeb by the Hebrews.

Then was fulfilled Allah's Plan: he saw the fire in the distance, and when he went up, he was addressed by Allah and chosen to be Allah's Messenger for that age.

...ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى ﴿٤٠﴾

Then didst thou come hither as ordained, O Moses!

وَاصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِي ﴿٤١﴾

20: 41.  "And I have prepared thee for Myself (for service)"...

اذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِآيَاتِي وَلَا تَنِيَا فِي ذِكْرِي ﴿٤٢﴾

20: 42.  "Go, thou and thy brother, with My Signs, and slacken not, either of you, in keeping Me in remembrance.

C2565. We may suppose that Moses had fled alone to the land of Midian, and that he had now come alone (with his family but not with his brother) to Tuwa, as described in n. 2542 above.

When he was honoured with his mission, and was granted his request that his brother Aaron should accompany him, we may suppose that he took steps to get Aaron to come to him, and their meeting was in Tuwa. Some time may be supposed to have elapsed before they were in Egypt, and then they prayed, and received these directions in their Egyptian home.

Aaron was either an elder or a younger brother, we are not told which. In either case he was born when the ban on Israelite new-born babes was not in operation. Moses had been out of touch with him, and it speaks greatly for his family affection that he remembered him and prayed for his comradeship in the most serious spiritual work of his life.

Asad’s Version:

20:9 [Ta ha (O Man) Mecca 45]

AND HAS the story of Moses ever come within thy ken? 6 (20:10) Lo! he saw a fire [in the desert]; 7 and so he said to his family: "Wait here! Behold, I perceive a fire [far away]: perhaps

I can bring you a brand therefrom, or find at the fire some guidance."

20:11

But when he came close to it, a voice called out: 8 "O Moses!

(20:12) Verily, I am thy Sustainer! Take off, then, thy sandals! Behold, thou art in the twice -hallowed valley,'

(20:13)

and I have chosen thee [to be My apostle]: listen, then, to what is being revealed [unto thee].

20:14

"Verily, I - I alone - am God; there is no deity save Me. Hence, worship Me alone, and be constant in prayer, so as to remember Me! 10

(20:15) "Behold, [although] I have willed to keep it" hidden, the Last Hour is bound to come, so that every human being may be recompensed in accordance with what he strove for [in life]. 12

[[Asad’s notes:

5 For an explanation of this rendering of al-asma' al-husna, see surah 7, note 145.

6 Apart from two short references to Moses in earlier surahs (53:36 and 87:19), the narrative appearing inverses 9-98 is undoubtedly the earliest Qur'anic exposition of the story of Moses as such. Its mention at this stage is connected with the reference to revelation at the beginning of this surah (verses 2-4) and, generally, with the Qur'anic doctrine of the basic ideological unity of all revealed religions.

7 From the sequence (here as well as in 27:7 and 28:29) it appears that Moses had lost his way in the desert: probably a symbolic allusion to his dawning awareness that he was in need of spiritual guidance. This part of the story relates to the period of his wanderings subsequent to his flight from Egypt (see 28:14 ff). Regarding the allegory of the "fire" - the "burning bush" of the Bible see note 7 on 27:7-8.

8 Lit., "he was called".

9 Whereas some commentators assume that the word tuwan (or tuwa) is the name of the

"hallowed valley", Zamakhshari explains it, more convincingly, as meaning "twice" (from tuwan or Owan, "twice done") -

i.e., "twice-hallowed" - apparently because God's voice was heard in it and because Moses was raised there to prophethood.

10 Thus, conscious remembrance of God and of His oneness and uniqueness is declared to be the

innermost

purpose, as well as the intellectual justification of all true prayer.

1 1 I.e., the time of its coming.

12 The expression "what he strove for" implies consciousness of endeavour and thus excludes involuntary actions (in the widest sense of the latter term, comprising everything that is manifested in word or actual deed), as well as involuntary omissions, irrespective of whether the relevant action or omission is morally good or bad. By enunciating the above principle within the context of the story of Moses, the Qur'an stresses the ]]

essential identity of the ethical concepts underlying all

true religions. (See also 53:39 and the corresponding note 32.)

13 Lit, "in it". ]]

20:16

Hence, let not anyone who does not believe in its coming" and follows [but] his own desires divert thee from [belief in] it, lest thou perish!

(20:17) "Now, what is this in thy right hand, O Moses?"

20:18

He answered: "It is my staff; I lean on it; and with it I beat down leaves for my sheep; and [many] other uses have I for it." (20:19) Said He: "Throw it down, O Moses!"

(20:20) So he threw it - and lo! it was a snake, moving rapidly.

20:21

Said He: "Take hold of it, and fear not: We shall restore it to its former state."

(20:22) "Now place thy hand within thy armpit: it will come forth [shining] white, without blemish, 15 as another sign [of Our grace],

(20:23) so that We might make thee aware of some of Our greatest wonders.

20:24

"[And now] go thou unto Pharaoh: for, verily, he has transgressed all bounds of equity."

20:25

Said [Moses]: "O my Sustainer! Open up my heart [to Thy light],

(20:26) and make my task easy for me,

(20:27) and loosen the knot from my tongue (

20:28) so that they might fully understand my speech, 17

(20:29) and appoint for me, out of my kinsfolk, one who will help me to bear my burden: 18

(20:30) Aaron, my brother.

(20:31) Add Thou through him to my strength,

(20:32) and let him share my task,

(20:33) so that [together] we might abundantly extol Thy limitless glory

(20:34) and remember Thee without cease!"

(20:35) Verily, Thou seest all that is within us! "

20:36

Said He: "Thou art granted all that thou hast asked for, O Moses!

(20:37) "And, indeed, We bestowed Our favour upon thee at a time long since past, 20

(20:38) when We inspired thy mother with this inspiration:

20:39 [Ta’ha, Mecca 45]

[[Asad’s notes:

14 The miraculous transformation of the staff into a serpent has, I believe, a mystic significance:

it seems to be an allusion to the intrinsic difference between appearance and reality, and,

consequently, to the spiritual insight into this difference bestowed by God on His chosen

servants

(cf the experience of Moses with the unnamed sage described in 18:66-82). This interpretation

finds strong support in 27:10 and 28:31, in both of which places it is said that Moses saw the

staff "move rapidly, as if it were a serpent (ka'annaha jann)"

15 I.e., strangely luminescent by virtue of the prophethood to which he had been raised. (See also

note 85 on 7:108.)

16 This seems to be a reference to Pharaoh's greatest sin, namely, his claim to divine status

(cf. 28:38 and 79:24).

17 I.e., "remove all impediment from my speech" (cf. Exodus iv, 10, "I am slow of speech, and of

a

-604-

slow tongue"), which would imply that he was not gifted with natural eloquence.

18 This is the primary meaning of the term wazr (lit., "burden-carrier", derived from wizr,

"a burden"); hence its later - post-classical-application to government ministers.

19 Lit., "much" or "abundantly".

20 Lit., "at another time", i.e., the time of Moses' childhood and youth, which is recalled in verses

38-40. For a fuller explanation of the subsequent references to that period - the Pharaonic

persecution

of the children of Israel and the killing of their new-boni males, the rescue of the infant Moses

and his adoption by Pharaoh's family, his killing of the Egyptian, and his subsequent flight from

Egypt - see 28:3-21, where the story is narrated in greater detail. ]]

20:40

"[And thou wert under Mine eye] when thy sister went forth and said [to Pharaoh's people], 'Shall I guide you unto [a woman] who might take charge of him? 23 And so We returned thee unto thy mother, so that her eye be gladdened, and that she might not sorrow [any longer]. 24 "And [when thou earnest of age, 25 ] thou didst slay a man: but We did save thee from all grief, although We tried thee with various trials. 28

"And then thou didst sojourn for years among the people of Madyan; 27 and now thou hast come [here] as ordained [by Me], O Moses:

(20:41) for I have chosen thee for Mine Own service.

20:42

"Go forth, [then,] thou and thy brother, with My messages, and never tire of remembering Me: (20:43) go forth, both of you, unto Pharaoh: for, verily, he has transgressed all bounds of equity! (20:44) But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension." 28

[[Asad’s notes:

21 Lit., "take him" (cf 28:9). Pharaoh is described as an enemy of God because of his

overweening arrogance and cruelty as well as his claim to the status of divinity (see 79:24); and he was, unknowingly, an enemy of the infant Moses inasmuch as he hated and feared the people to whom the latter belonged.

22 I.e., "under My protection and in accordance with the destiny which I have decreed for thee" : possibly a reference to Moses' upbringing within the cultural environment of the royal palace and his subsequent acquisition of the ancient wisdom of Egypt - circumstances which were to qualify him for his future leadership and the special mission that God had in view for him.

23 For a fuller account, see 28:12.

24 As is implied here and in 28:12-13, his own mother became his wet-nurse. 25 Cf. 28:14.

26 For the details of this particular incident, which proved a turning-point in the life of Moses,see 28:15-21.

27 See 28:22-28.

28 Lit., "or [that he might] fear" - i.e., that there is some truth in the words of Moses. Since God knows the future, the tentative form in the above phrase - "so that he might (la'allahu) bethink himself", etc., - obviously does not imply any "doubt" on God's part as to Pharoahs future reaction: it implies no more than His command to the bearer of His message to address the sinner with a view to the latter's bethinking himself: in other words, it relates to the intention or hope with which the message-bearer should approach his task (Razi). And since every Qur'anic narrative aims at bringing out an eternal truth or truths or at elucidating a universal principle of human behaviour, it is evident that God's command to Moses to speak to one particular sinner "in a mild manner, so that he might (have a chance to] bethink himself" retains its validity for all times and all such attempts at conversion. ]]

20:45

The two [brothers] said: "O our Sustainer! Verily, we fear lest he act hastily with regard to us, 2 ' or lest he [continue to] transgress all bounds of equity."

20:46

Answered He: "Fear not! Verily, I shall be with you two, hearing and seeing [all]. (20:47) Go,then; you two unto him and say, 'Behold, we are apostles sent by thy Sustainer: let, then, the children of Israel go with us, and cause them not to suffer [any longer]. 30 We have now come unto thee with a message from thy Sustainer; and [know that His] peace shall be [only] on those who follow [His] guidance: (20:48) for, behold, it has been revealed to us that [in the life to come] suffering shall befall all who give the lie to the truth and turn away [from it]!'"