Surah Taha 20:25-54 - Quran Translation Commentary

(20:39) (To the effect) that, “Place him in a chest and then cast it into the rive - that the river may cast him ashore, to be picked up by one who is an enemy to Me and an enemy to him.” And I cast upon you love from Me, that you be brought up under My sight.³²

(20:40) When your sister walked along and said, “Shall I lead you to someone who will take charge of him?’” Thus We returned you to your mother so that she may cool her eyes and not grieve³³. Then you killed a man,³⁴ and We rescued you from distress³⁵ and tried you with many trials.³⁶ Then you remained several years with the people of Madyan. Finally you have arrived (here) according to a decree, O Musa.³⁷

(20:41) And I have prepared you for Myself.

(20:42) Go then, you and your brother, with My signs. And slacken not in My remembrance.³⁸

(20:43) Go to Fir`awn (the two of you), indeed he has rebelled.

(20:44) But say to him soft words,³⁹ that he might be reminded, or perchance fear.’⁴⁰

(20:45) They said, ‘Our Lord. We are afraid lest he will over-react with us or he should transgress.’⁴¹

(20:46) ‘Fear not,’ He said, ‘I am with you indeed. I hear and I see.

(20:47) So go to him and say, “Verily, we two are the Messengers of your Lord. Send forth, therefore, the Children of Israel with us and persecute them not.⁴² We have indeed brought you a sign from your Lord. And peace upon him who followed the guidance.⁴³

(20:48) Indeed, it has been revealed to us that chastisement shall be upon him who laid the lie and turned away.”’⁴⁴

(20:49) He (Fir`awn) asked,⁴⁵ ‘Who then is the Lord of you two, O Musa?’⁴⁶

(20:50) He answered, ‘Our Lord is the One who gave everything its form and then guided (it).’⁴⁷

(20:51) He asked, ‘Then what about the previous generations?’⁴⁸

(20:52) He replied, ‘Knowledge about them rests with my Lord, (preserved) in a Book. My Lord neither errs, nor does He forget.’⁴⁹

(20:53) He who made the earth a cradle for you, threaded therein paths for you, and sent down water out of heaven – and then We brought forth⁵⁰ thereby many species of diverse plants

(20:54) Eat and pasture your cattle. Surely in that are signs for men of understanding.⁵¹

Commentary

22. Musa knew that destined to receive Revelation, he will need a large heart to accommodate its secrets and subtleties (Alusi).

Imam Razi has a commentary on this verse which runs into several pages but we drop it out because of its philosophical nature.

23. In the absence of a hadith, it is not clear what the verse means, especially in view of the explanation offered by Sa`id b. Jubayr, Mujahid and Suddi, that prevents us from accepting the literal meaning. They explained, as in Tabari, and obviously relying on Jewish accounts, that once Fir`awn picked up the infant Musa. He tore off a few hairs from his beard. In rage, he wanted to kill him off then and there. But his wife pleaded saying “after all he is a child and does not know the difference between diamond and live coal.” Fir`awn caught on that, and ordered that diamond and burning coals be brought and placed before Musa. Musa picked up live coal and put it in his mouth, which left a knot on his tongue, unable to speak out properly when he grew up. Suddi’s version says it was Jibril who put the burning coal into Musa’s hand.

But of course, the story does not sound true, apart from the fact that it is perhaps of Jewish origin (Au.).

At all events, Muhammad b. Ka`b al-Qurazi, who was of Jewish origin, seemed to have understood the verse in its apparent sense. Somebody once remarked to him that he sounded poor in Arabic. Ka`b asked him in return, “Are you not able to follow my speech?” (That is, can you understand what I say or can you not?) The he added, “I hope you will understand what I am about to say. Listen. Musa asked his Lord to remove a knot on his tongue in order that the Israelites are able to understand his speech..” Ka`b stopped short at that. The meaning then is, Allah removed just enough of the knot on Musa’s tongue for him to be able to communicate his ideas to others (Ibn Kathir).

In other words, the terms “a knot on my tongue” implies a part removal of some kind of impediment in reference to eloquent speech that Musa suffered (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani and others).

Later, in verse 52 of Surah 43, we will come across Fir`awn’s objection to Musa that he was not clear in presenting his argument. But that was a political gimmick. Fir`awn understood everything that Musa said, but he wished to pretend ignorance for the sake of his courtiers. Otherwise, one may look at Musa’s presentations and arguments in Fir`awn’s court. They are at the highest level of eloquence with no ambiguity surrounding them (Au.).

24. This piece further strengthens the opinion that it was simply the ability to successfully communicate his ideas to others that Musa had requested when he had asked for the removal of a knot on the tongue. He did not suffer any physical impediment (Au.). Present day Bible supports this meaning. It says, “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent .. but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Ex. 4: 10) – Majid.

25. The primary meaning of the term “wazir” is “burden-carrier” (from wizr meaning a “burden”).. “hence its later – post-classical - application to government ministers (Asad).

26. Musa’s supplication in favor of his brother leads us to believe that he had remained in touch with him, was aware of his good qualities, and had good faith in him (Au.).

27. Literally, the translation should be, “strengthen my back with him.”

28. Of several possible explanations, one is that Musa meant to say, “I have asked for an assistant to help me out in the affairs entrusted to me. However, whether I need one or not is, O Lord, best known to You. After all, you are seeing of us” (Razi).

29. In all, Musa made eight requests and was granted all of them with no modifications, and no strings to them. This is how His slaves have to behave when dealing with one another: ever ready to give when asked. Our Prophet never said ‘no’ to anyone who asked. When he did not have anything to give, he promised he would give when he had (Au.).

30. Razi raises a question and then answers. Why did Allah say at this point, “We conferred a favor on you another time?” Why did He have to remind Him of a favor done? The answer is, (firstly, it was in order that Allah’s blessings may not be taken for granted. One has to be conscious of them. And that needs a reminder: Au.). Secondly, Musa needed the reminder that he did not earn those blessings: they were entirely bestowals from His Lord.

Sayyid adds that perhaps it was to remind Musa that he wasn’t being sent unprepared. It was a long plan, executed by Allah and not an accidental event that Musa was there receiving the command to proceed and warn Fir`awn.

Imam Razi further points out that earlier also Allah (swt) had bestowed eight favors on Musa (asws) – from birth until he came looking for fire in the valley of Tuwa.

31. The translation of “awhayna” (lit., We revealed) as “We inspired” reflects the unanimous understanding of the commentators that Musa’s mother was not a Prophetess.

Thanwi points out that this verse is the basis, apart from others, of the statement that non-Prophets can receive inspiration.

32. That is, under special care. Majid writes: “`Ala `Ayn is said in this instance to refer to ‘honouring and protecting.’”

33. Understanding these verses requires the background story that the Qur’an unfolds in other chapters. A few points can be offered here drawing some details from sources other than the Qur’an. Fearing the advent of a Prophet among the Israelites, Fir`awn and his advisors decided that they should better kill every new-born Israeli male child. But, subsequently, fearing serious shortage of labor, they decided to kill the male offspring every alternate year. Harun (asws) was born the year they decided to spare them, but Musa in the year they were killing. Inspired to the action, his mother put him in a casket, and cast it into the river Nile. The casket however was held by a rope tied to a peg. She pulled it ashore to feed the child whenever she felt free of the dangers of Copt informers and inspectors. But one day the rope slipped off her hand and the casket floated away in good cheer. She sent her daughter behind it to find out what happened to it. Meanwhile the casket was picked up by the Royal household. But the child, despite its heart-rending cries refused to be fed by anyone. His sister somehow came to know of him. (According to some reports, the news spread around that Fir`awn’s folks had picked up a child who was not accepting anyone’s breast: Alusi). She managed to speak to someone of importance and said (that although she knew nothing about who the child belonged to) she could lead them to someone, very decent, who could nurse him. (Perhaps any doubt about she being the true mother could have been removed from the color of the parents: Musa was dark, while his parents were perhaps as fair as the Semites: Au.). Thus the child was ultimately returned to the mother, who insisted she would rather take the child into her house instead of she herself moving into the palace: what with her another son Harun to be looked after?! Finally, they agreed to it, and paid her handsomely for the services to her son (Au.).

An account more in detail is available in Nasa’i and has been quoted by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir and others.

34. The story behind the incident will appear in detail - in sha Allah - in Surah al-Qasas. In short, an Israeli sought Musa’s help against a Copt. Musa punched the Copt and he fell dead. Next day he found the same Israeli quarrelling with another Copt. As he advanced to help, the Israeli thought it was he who was about to receive the punch and revealed the other day’s happening. The previous accidental killing uncovered, Musa had to leave Egypt and seek refuge in Madyan.

Ibn Jarir presents a hadith which says that the Copt that Musa had killed was never intended to be killed yet Allah said, “Then you killed a man, and We rescued you ..”

35. The allusion is to the removal of the distress caused by the accidental killing of a man in Egypt (Mujahid, Qatadah: Ibn Jarir).

36. To the question, were the trials to which Musa was subjected, a favor that His Lord mentioned here? Imam Razi and Qurtubi answer that yes, they helped cleanse him and led to his selection for Messengership.

When Sa`id b. Jubayr asked Ibn `Abbas the explanation of the trials, he narrated to him the entire story of Musa, from the beginning of the affair until he came to the Tuwa valley pointing out several trials that he was subjected to (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, Alusi and others).

37. That is, it is not an accident that you came here, O Musa, to collect fire, but are receiving Messengership. The whole affair had been designed long past in time (Shabbir).

38. It is said that here onward the verses were revealed to Musa in Egypt (Alusi and others).

Thanwi adds: This verse is the basis of the opinion that for full profit of the efforts to spread knowledge, a teacher must engage himself in plenty of dhikr.

39. It is said that one of the latter day Khulafa’ was doing his Tawaf when a scholar reproached him harshly. The Khalifah protested, “Look! Neither I am worse than Fir`awn nor you better than Musa. Allah said, ‘But say to him, the two of you, soft words.’” That said, there is nothing wrong in acting tough with the proud (Au.).

40. Asad comments, “.. obviously (this) does not imply any ‘doubt’ on God’s part as to Pharaoh’s 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).”

41. That is, they feared that Fir`awn might hasten his punishment on them even before they had finished relaying the message to him or before they show him their miracles (Alusi and others).

42. The allusion is to the tough tasks and meanly works that were imposed on the Israelites. In addition, their new-born male children were slaughtered and women let live for labor.

43. Ibn Kathir points out that these were also the words that our Prophet used when he addressed kings and rulers. For example, the letter he wrote to Heraclius the Roman Emperor ran as follows:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Compassionate.

From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah,

To Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome.

Peace be upon him who followed the guidance.

After that, I invite you by the word of Islam. Embrace Islam, you will be in peace and Allah will give you twice the reward.”

44. Several accounts in the Bible are similar to those in the Qur’an; but, only in sketchy terms. Otherwise, the two accounts are seas apart. However, that has been enough for honest professors and the erudite in the Western Universities and Research Centers, deeply sunk in their books since last five hundred years, to conclude, not hastily, but very deliberately, with mountains of evidential material, that the Prophet committed plagiarism. Mawdudi answers to the absurd allegations. He writes, “The Qur’anic account of the incident should be read in conjunction with those accounts in the Bible and the Talmud. (Talmud is a sort of a commentary on the Old Testament which, in modern times of effulgence of information, no Jew, but the very specialist, has in possession; others having never seen it: Au.). This comparative study will clearly reveal the differences in the images of the Prophets as portrayed in the Qur’an and in the Jewish religious tradition. According to the Bible, God told Moses, ‘Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God: ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?’ (Exodus 3: 10-11). Subsequently, even though God tried at length to persuade Moses of the same, encouraged him, and endowed him with miracles, Moses still said: ‘Oh, my Lord, send, I pray, some other person’ (Exodus 4: 13).

“The Talmudic account goes a step further. It states that the argument between God and Moses continued for seven days. God insisted on Moses accepting the prophetic mission whereas Moses declined to do so on the grounds of his speech impediment. Finally, God said that it was his will that Moses become a Prophet. To this Moses replied that God had sent angels to save Lot, had assigned five angels when Hagar left the house of Sarah, so why was He, then, asking him to leave Egypt along with His favorite children (the Israelites)? This so enraged God that He made Aaron (Harun: Au.) a party to Moses’ prophetic office, and denied priesthood to the house of Moses by transferring it to the descendants of Aaron. (See The Talmudic Selections, p. 142 ff. – Dr. Z. Is-haq).”

Thanwi points out that the manner of phrasing the words, “it has been revealed to us that chastisement shall be upon him who cried lies and turned away,” are the first application of the command in the earlier verse which instructed, “but speak to him in soft words.” It did not say, “chastisement shall be upon you.”

45. “Here the Qur’an omits certain details of the story: in particular, how Moses arrived at Pharaoh’s court and how he explained his teachings to him. These details are mentioned earlier in al-A`raf 7: 108; and can also be found in al-Shu`ara’ 26: 10-33; al-Qasas 28: 28-40 and al-Nazi`at 79: 15-36” (Mawdudi).

46. Mawdudi comments on Fir`awn’s true concerns: “The purpose of the question posed by Pharaoh was to emphasize the fact that since he was sovereign of Egypt and its people, Moses had no business setting up anyone other than him as their Lord.. We have already noted that Pharaoh’s claim to be the sovereign was grounded in his belief that he was the incarnation of the sun-god Ra.

“It has also been established historically that the national cult of the Egyptians consisted of the worship of many gods and goddesses. Hence, in point of fact, Pharaoh did not claim to be the ‘only object of worship’. He rather claimed, on a practical level, divine political lordship over the people of Egypt, and on a theoretical level, divine political lordship over all mankind.. What he could not accept, however, was that God should have any authority to interfere with his political overlordship, or that any of God’s Messengers should claim the right to command him.”

47. That is, after giving His organic creations their varying forms and shapes, Allah guided them to their means of sustenance, methods of obtaining them, and ways by which they could live in communities and multiply their numbers: all instinctively (Ibn Jarir from the Salaf).

In the words of Mawdudi, “Now God did not simply create each thing on a certain pattern and leave it at that; rather, He taught each created being how it should function and fulfill the purpose for which it has been created. It is God who taught the fish how to swim and the birds to fly, the plants to blossom and the soil to produce vegetation..

“In the above sentence, which is crisp, pithy and rich, Moses not only mentions God Who is the object of his worship, but also explains why he accepted Him as his Lord and why none else could be acknowledged to be so. The statement embodies both the thesis and its supporting argument.”

Asad adds: “In the original, this sentence appears in the past sense (“has given” and “has guided”); but as it obviously relates to the continuous process of God’s creation, it is independent of the concept of time and denotes, as in so many other places in the Qur’an, an unceasing present. The term khalq signifies in this context not merely the inner nature of a created thing or being but also the outward form in which this nature manifests itself..”

Fir`awn’s manner of asking suggested that he wanted Musa to give him the address of the Lord God. Musa told him in effect, “Our Lord God is not a physical being (who can be met across the street: Au.). He can only be known through His Qualities and Attributes: ‘Our Lord is the One who gave everyone its form and then guided (it) – Qurtubi.

48. What Fir`awn meant to say is, if there is a God Lord who created and gave every creation its guidance, why then the previous nations did not worship Him? Why did they miss the guidance? (“Are they, in thy view, irretrievably doomed?”: Asad). But Musa avoided this deviation from the main topic, gave a short answer about Allah’s all-comprehensive knowledge, and brought the conversation back to the main track about who their Lord - Musa’s, Fir`awn’s and everyone’s - was (Razi).

“At the same time, it is quite possible that Pharaoh’s intent in making the above statement was to incite people against Moses by appealing to their natural feelings of love and veneration for their ancestors. This weapon has frequently been used by the opponents of truth. At the time when these Qur’anic verses were revealed, this very weapon was being constantly employed against Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him)” – Mawdudi.

49. That is, Allah does not err, nor does He forget as you do, O claimant to godhead (Zamakhshari).

Asad adds the explanation, “I.e., He alone decrees their destiny in the life to come, for He alone knows their motives and understands the cause of their errors, and He alone can appreciate their spiritual merits and demerits.”

50. Mawdudi offers an explanation to the change in the form of address: “The Qur’an is full of instances where statements are made about past incidents or about future events. Such statements are followed either by a few sentence of exhortation to piety and righteousness, or by explanation or elaboration of those sentences. The style of the text, on such occasions, indicates whether the statement in question was made by a human being or by God.”

51. Allah’s signs are spread all around. But why is it that the people are not guided by them? There are several reasons. One of them is people’s uncaring attitudes to anything serious in life. A sign is a kind of a signpost. You read it and move forward in the direction it shows. But, if you have nowhere to go, no paths to tread, no goals to reach, then the signposts are useless (Au.).