Surah Al-A'raf 7:142-147 - Quran Translation Commentary

(7:142) And We appointed¹⁹⁸ with Musa thirty nights¹⁹⁹ completing them with ten.²⁰⁰ Thus was completed the term²⁰¹ of his Lord of forty nights.²⁰² And Musa said to his brother Harun, ‘Be my deputy in my people²⁰³ and set things right; and follow not the ways of the corrupt.'²⁰⁴

(7:143) When Musa came to Our appointed time, and His Lord spoke with him,²⁰⁵ he said, ‘My Lord! Show (Yourself) to me that I may behold You.'²⁰⁶ He replied, ‘You can never²⁰⁷ see Me. But behold the mountain, if it remains firm in its place then you might be able to see Me.'²⁰⁸ Then, when He manifested Himself to the mountain, He made it dust.²⁰⁹ And Musa fell down unconscious.²¹⁰ When he recovered, he said, ‘Glory to You. I turn to You in repentance and I am first of the believers.'²¹¹

(7:144) He said, ‘O Musa, I have chosen you above all men for My Messages and my talk (to you). Therefore, take what I have given you and be of the thankful.'

(7:145) And We wrote down for him on the Tablets²¹² everything (concerning guidance): an admonition and the explanation of all things. (We said), ‘Hold it with firmness, and order your people to hold fast unto the best of precepts (therein).²¹³ I shall soon show you the abode of the corrupt.²¹⁴

(7:146) I shall turn away from My signs those who wax proud in the land without cause.²¹⁵ If they witnessed all the signs, they will not believe in them, and, if they see the path of righteousness, they will not accept it as a path. But if they see the deviated path, they will accept it as a path. That, because they gave a lie to Our signs and were heedless of them.'

(7:147) Those who gave a lie to Our signs and to the encounter in the Hereafter lost are their deeds. Shall they be recompensed but for what they were doing?

Commentary

198. The form employed for the textual word waa`ada, (lit., to promise each other), requires participation by two parties in an act. In this case, the promise from Musa was that he would devote forty days to worship at Mount Sinai, and from Allah that He would bestow Torah to him (Shafi`).

199. "Nights" instead of days has been mentioned since as Ibn `Arabiyy has been quoted in Qurtubi: "Reckoning by the sun is for this worldly affairs, while reckoning by the moon is for the other worldly affairs (lit., for devotional affairs)" Shafi`.

200. Just as the Muslims needed the Law only after migration to Madinah, the Jews also felt its need only after their exodus from Egypt. Although revelations had been coming to Musa since much earlier, he was called to the Tur at that point so that he could be given the Law to meet needs of the Israelites (Manar).

As for appointing thirty days and then completing them with ten, there has been no satisfactory explanation. Some reports that have come from the earlier scholars are not trustworthy. Of the many explanations forwarded that of Shabbir sounds the most plausible which says that the choice of the words is to imply that it were 30 days of one month (Dhu al Qa`idah) and 10 of another (Dhu al Hijjah).

Qushayri says that the appointment at Tur was with the understanding that Musa would hear his Lord’s voice once again, since, after all, the first time it was completely unexpected, while this time it was in full expectation of spiritual joy and bliss.

201. The difference between "waqt" (time) and "miqat" (pl. mawaaqit) is that the former simply denotes time, while the latter is for that period at which an affair has been scheduled such as, for instance, the mawaqit of Hajj (Manar).

202. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Ibn Jurayj have said that the forty nights covered the whole of Dhu al Qa`idah and the first ten days of Dhu al Hijjah (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). The opinion of Ibn `Abbas is in Ibn Abi Hatim, Abu al Sheikh and Ibn al Mundhir (Shawkani).

The above opinion would imply that Musa was given the Torah on the 10th of Dhu al Hijjah (Qurtubi, Shafi`).

Yusuf `Ali adds: "The forty nights' reclusion of Moses on Mount may be compared with the forty days fast of Jesus in the wilderness before he took up his ministry (Matt. vi, 2). In each case the Prophets lived alone apart from their people, before they came into the full blaze of the events of their Ministry."

203. It was for the same functional and administrative reasons that the Prophet once appointed `Ali a deputy to himself before leaving Madinah for a campaign. When `Ali sort of protested at being left behind, the Prophet (saws) asked him: "Are you not satisfied that you should be with respect to me, what Harun was with respect to Musa?" Those who are poor of knowledge deduce from that appointment that `Ali was the Prophet's deputy for good and for all times, deserving the khilafah after his death. Eventually, some of these ignorant people declared `Ali an apostate for not demanding his right when Abu Bakr was appointed caliph after the Prophet by consensus; while some others declared the Companions apostates for usurping `Ali's right. Apart from other things, those people forgot that the Prophet had appointed several others as his deputies, such as Ibn Umm Maktum, whenever he went out of Madinah in a campaign (Qurtubi).

204. The words imply that Musa (asws) was apprehensive of trouble from his people; a fear that coming events proved true (Au.).

205. Ibn Abi Hatim and Hakim (who evaluated the report Sahih) have reported `Abdul Rahman b. Mu`awiyyah as saying that Allah did not speak to Musa with the full force of His Speech. Had He done that, Musa would not have been able to bear it. Rather, He employed a very much weakened tone and pitch (Shawkani).

Suddi and Ibn Is haq have said: It was a direct effect of Allah speaking to him that aroused the desire in Musa for the Beatific Vision (Ibn Jarir).

206. Most scholars have deduced from this part of the verse that the Beatific Vision is possible. If it was impossible, surely, a great Prophet like Musa would not have requested it. To this the Mu`tazilah, who deny that Allah can ever be seen, in this world or the next, have replied that Musa made the request out of ignorance. That is, it was not in his knowledge that Allah cannot be sighted. To this Imam Razi replies that if that be true, then surely Musa was less knowledgeable than the most ignorant of the Mu`tazilah who seem to know what Musa did not!

Shabbir sums up the argument in the following manner: Beatific Vision is not possible in this world because of the physical laws laid out for that to take place. But, reason says that it should be possible. That explains why Musa (asws) requested it. He was not asking for the impossible. And, when it was denied to Musa but made manifest to the mountain, what was meant to communicate was: ‘You are made of two elements, the physical and the spiritual. Now, your spiritual element might be able to withstand the Vision, since, from that aspect you are stronger than the mountains ("But they refused to bear them ... and Man accepted to bear" [33: 72], and "Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would have seen it crumbling ..." [59: 21]). But your physical being would not be able to bear it. If you think it can, then, "behold the mountain if it remains firm in its place, then you might be able to see Me."'

207. The article "lun" lends great emphasis to the denial. The scholars have therefore concluded that no one can ever see Allah (swt) in this earthly life (Ibn Kathir).

208. Alusi points out that so far as the famous "Hadith al Manam" is concerned, (where the Prophet said: "I saw my Lord [in my sleep] in the best form imaginable), the seeing there is that of an image. This was the opinion of Kamal ibn al Hammam. That in fact, is the "tajalli" that the Sufiya talk of. Suyuti has further elaborated that the (appearance of Allah in dreams) can take any form. That is what the leading shuyukh have also said. However, the subject remains controversial. But, if what Suyuti and other shuyukh have said is true, then, Allah be praised, adds Alusi, that "I have had the opportunity to see my Lord thrice in my dreams. Once I saw Him engulfed in an ineffable radiance of Light, looking toward the East. He spoke to me in words that I could not recall when I woke up. Another time I saw Him in a long dream, finding myself in Paradise, with a kind of barrier of pearls of a variety of colors between me and my Lord. He ordered me to be taken to `Isa’s Station, and then to that of our Prophet in which places I saw what I saw. Allah's is the Bestowal and Allah's is the Grace."

It is reported of Imam Abu Hanifah that he saw his Lord several times in his dreams.

And, if this writer wished he could add the experience of another person who saw in his early morning dream the Face of his Lord filling the whole of the azure, of indescribable beauty, radiating down a smile engulfing the space below (if there was any space below between the Perceived and the perceiving person), belittling but exhilarating, awesome but tranquilizing a vision that would not allow the beholder's sight to stray (Au.).

209. Anas b. Malik reported the Prophet (saws) as having recited this verse and then:

قَالَ هَكَذَا يَعْنِي أَنَّهُ أَخْرَجَ طَرَفَ الْخِنْصَرِ قَالَ أَبِي أَرَانَا مُعَاذٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى هَذَا يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ فَضَرَبَ صَدْرَهُ ضَرْبَةً شَدِيدَةً وَقَالَ مَنْ أَنْتَ يَا حُمَيْدُ وَمَا أَنْتَ يَا حُمَيْدُ يُحَدِّثُنِي بِهِ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَتَقُولُ أَنْتَ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَيْهِ

“Showed the tip of his little finger to indicate that it was that much that Allah had manifested Himself to the mountain at which it became a heap of dust). Mu`adh (the narrator) demonstrated it (i.e., showed the tip of his little finger). At that Humayd questioned his immediate narrator Thabit: ‘What do mean by that?’ Thabit struck hard Humayd on his breast and retorted: "Who are you O Humayd? Just who are you O Humayd? Anas b. Malik narrates to me from the Prophet and you ask me ‘What do you mean by that’?" (Ibn Jarir).

The version above is Musnad Ahmad (Au.).

Ibn Kathir adds: The hadith of Anas is in Ahmad, Tirmidhi (who rated it as Hasan Sahih Gharib) and, by another route, in Hakim (who said it is a Sahih hadith on the criteria of Muslim although the Sheikhayn did not narrate it), as well as in other hadith collections. Tirmidhi's additional words are: "The Mountain sunk to the earth and will continue sinking until the Judgment Day.”

Shawkani adds: The hadith of Tirmidhi is Sahih of status and meets the criteria of the hadith collector Muslim.

210. Ibn Kathir writes: A hadith in the Sahihayn that Bukhari has narrated at several points has Abu Sa`id al Khudri reporting that:

بَيْنَمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ جَاءَ يَهُودِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ ضَرَبَ وَجْهِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَقَالَ مَنْ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ الْأَنْصَارِ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ فَقَالَ أَضَرَبْتَهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ بِالسُّوقِ يَحْلِفُ وَالَّذِي اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَى الْبَشَرِ قُلْتُ أَيْ خَبِيثُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَخَذَتْنِي غَضْبَةٌ ضَرَبْتُ وَجْهَهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تُخَيِّرُوا بَيْنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ تَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْأَرْضُ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِمُوسَى آخِذٌ بِقَائِمَةٍ مِنْ قَوَائِمِ الْعَرْشِ فَلَا أَدْرِي أَكَانَ فِيمَنْ صَعِقَ أَمْ حُوسِبَ بِصَعْقَةِ الْأُولَى

“While the Prophet was seated, a Jew came to him and said, ‘O Abu al-Qasim, one of your companions slapped me.’ He asked, ‘Who was it?’ He said, ‘One of the Ansar.’ He said, ‘Let him be brought here.’ (When he came), he asked him, ‘Did you hit him?’ He said, ‘I was passing in the market when I heard him swear saying, “By Him who preferred Musa over the people.” I asked him, “Dirty man; over Muhammad too?” Then, anger got the better of me and I slapped him.’ The Prophet said, ‘Do not differentiate between Prophets. When the people swoon on the Day of Judgment, I would be the first for whom the earth will split, and lo, I will find Musa holding on to one of the qawaa'im (posts) of the `Arsh. I would not know whether he never fainted, or was spared because he had fainted earlier (on Mount Tur).’"

Now, Ibn Kathir adds, as to everyone fainting on the Day of Judgment, either an event of great impact would cause it, or it may happen when Allah comes down for Judgment.

211. Ibn `Abbas, Abu al `Aliyyah and Mujahid have said that what Musa meant when he said "I am the first of the believers" is, "I am the first of those who believe that you cannot be sighted by the human beings in this world" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir and others).

212. Differences in opinion prevailed among the scholars over the Tablets: whether they contained the whole of the Tawrah, or, something in addition to the Tawrah which was separately revealed later (Ibn Kathir).

213. Imam Razi comments on the use of the textual word "ahsan" (better or best): Of the commandments that were in the Tawrah, some were good, while some better. E.g., to retaliate in an equal measure, or to fight out (for one's rights), were commandments that were good by themselves. But, to forgive or observe patience was better than to retaliate.

Alusi thinks that the word "ahsan" is not an easy term to explain. Dimamini has written in his commentary on the Masabih that any term on this pattern can convey four kinds of meanings, of which the first itself can again be branched out to denote three more kinds of meanings.

214. Some scholars believe that by these words the allusion is to the lands of the Amalekites and other pagans who inhabited the holy land. But Ibn Kathir's preference is that the allusion is to the final abode meant for the corrupt ones - Hellfire.

215. That is, I will turn their minds away from a full understanding of the Revelation (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

In other words, the first consequences of a people's arrogance in the face of commandments based in revelation, is that they are denied further understanding. They are beset with doubts about the nature of the commandments, and further down in their lives, about the nature of revelation itself, ending in wanderings on the craggy terrain of atheism (Au.).

Ibn Kathir writes: One of the Salaf has said, "A person who does not humble himself for knowledge will remain suffering the humiliation of ignorance for the rest of his life."

With reference to the words: "those who wax proud in the land without cause," the question that arises is, is pride justified for any reason? Imam Razi points out that, "to be proud when faced with falsehood would amount to being ‘proud with a just cause.’ Indeed, it is commonly said that to act proud when dealing with a proud person is a charitable act.