Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 20 Taha, Ayat 17-23

وَمَا تِلۡكَ بِيَمِيۡنِكَ يٰمُوۡسٰى‏ ﴿20:17﴾ قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَ​ۚ اَتَوَكَّؤُا عَلَيۡهَا وَاَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلٰى غَـنَمِىۡ وَلِىَ فِيۡهَا مَاٰرِبُ اُخۡرٰى‏ ﴿20:18﴾ قَالَ اَلۡقِهَا يٰمُوۡسٰى‏ ﴿20:19﴾ 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﴾ لِنُرِيَكَ مِنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا الۡـكُبۡـرٰى​ۚ‏ ﴿20:23﴾

(20:17) And what is in your right hand, O Moses?"11 (20:18) Moses answered: "This is my staff. I lean on it (when I walk), and with it I beat down leaves for my flock, and I have many other uses for it."12 (20:19) He said: "Moses, throw it down." (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, (20:23) for We shall show you some of Our greatest Signs.

Notes

11. This question was not asked for the sake of getting any information, for Allah knew that Moses (peace be upon him) held a staff in his hand. The question was posed with a view to impressing upon him the fact that it was a staff so that he might be mentally prepared to see the miracle which was going to be performed with it.

12. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) deliberately prolonged his answer and did not stop at: It is my staff. This was because he naturally wanted to prolong the dialogue to make the privilege meeting last longer.

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.