Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 20 Taha, Ayat 20-22

فَاَلۡقٰٮهَا فَاِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسۡعٰى‏ ﴿20:20﴾ قَالَ خُذۡهَا وَلَا تَخَفۡ​ سَنُعِيۡدُهَا سِيۡرَتَهَا الۡاُوۡلٰى‏ ﴿20:21﴾ وَاضۡمُمۡ يَدَكَ اِلَىٰ جَنَاحِكَ تَخۡرُجۡ بَيۡضَآءَ مِنۡ غَيۡرِ سُوۡٓءٍ اٰيَةً اُخۡرٰىۙ‏ ﴿20:22﴾

(20:20) So he threw it down, and lo! it was a rapidly moving snake. (20:21) Then He said: "Seize it and have no fear. We shall restore it to its former state. (20:22) And place your hand in your armpit, it will come forth shining white, without blemish.13 This is another Sign of Allah,


Notes

13. That is, your hand will shine brightly like the sun, but it will not cause any hurt to you. It is strange that the Bible interprets this miracle, saying that his hand was leprous as snow but it was turned again as his other flesh. The Talmud also interprets the miracle in the same way and adds that this was a miracle which was meant for Pharaoh who was suffering from leprosy. It is a pity that the same interpretation has been adopted by our own commentators, though the correct interpretation is the one that has been adopted by us, and many former commentators. Obviously, it is bad taste to attribute to a Prophet the repugnant miracle of leprosy and that, too, before a king in his court.