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 Surah Al-A'raf 7:142-144 [17/24] ↕
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
۞ وَوَٲعَدْنَاAnd We appointed
مُوسَىٰ(for) Musa
ثَلَـٰثِينَthirty
لَيْلَةًnights
وَأَتْمَمْنَـٰهَاand We completed them
بِعَشْرٍwith ten (more),
فَتَمَّso was completed
مِيقَـٰتُ(the) set term
رَبِّهِۦٓ(of) his Lord
أَرْبَعِينَ(of) forty
لَيْلَةً‌ۚnight(s).
وَقَالَAnd said
مُوسَىٰMusa
لِأَخِيهِto his brother
هَـٰرُونَHarun,
ٱخْلُفْنِى`Take my place
فِىin
قَوْمِىmy people,
وَأَصْلِحْand do right
وَلَاand (do) not
تَتَّبِعْfollow
سَبِيلَ(the) way
ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ(of) the corrupters.`
﴿١٤٢﴾
وَلَمَّاAnd when
جَآءَ مُوسَىٰMusa came
لِمِيقَـٰتِنَاto Our appointed place
وَكَلَّمَهُۥand spoke to him
رَبُّهُۥhis Lord,
قَالَhe said,
رَبِّ`O my Lord!
أَرِنِىٓShow me
أَنظُرْ(that) I may look
إِلَيْكَ‌ۚat You.`
قَالَHe said,
لَن`Never
تَرَٮٰنِىyou (can) see Me,
وَلَـٰكِنِbut
ٱنظُرْlook
إِلَىat
ٱلْجَبَلِthe mountain
فَإِنِ[then] if
ٱسْتَقَرَّit remains
مَكَانَهُۥin its place
فَسَوْفَ تَرَٮٰنِى‌ۚthen you will see Me.`
فَلَمَّاBut when
تَجَلَّىٰrevealed (His) Glory
رَبُّهُۥhis Lord
لِلْجَبَلِto the mountain,
جَعَلَهُۥHe made it
دَكًّاcrumbled to dust
وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰand Musa fell down
صَعِقًا‌ۚunconscious.
فَلَمَّآAnd when
أَفَاقَhe recovered
قَالَhe said,
سُبْحَـٰنَكَ`Glory be to You!
تُبْتُI turn (in repentance)
إِلَيْكَto you,
وَأَنَا۟and I am
أَوَّلُ(the) first
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ(of) the believers.`
﴿١٤٣﴾
قَالَHe said,
يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ`O Musa!
إِنِّىIndeed, I
ٱصْطَفَيْتُكَhave chosen you
عَلَىover
ٱلنَّاسِthe people
بِرِسَـٰلَـٰتِىwith My Messages
وَبِكَلَـٰمِىand with My words.
فَخُذْSo take
مَآwhat
ءَاتَيْتُكَI have given you
وَكُنand be
مِّنَamong
ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَthe grateful.`
﴿١٤٤﴾

وَوٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰى ثَلٰثِيۡنَ لَيۡلَةً وَّاَتۡمَمۡنٰهَا بِعَشۡرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيۡقَاتُ رَبِّهٖۤ اَرۡبَعِيۡنَ لَيۡلَةً ​ ۚ وَقَالَ مُوۡسٰى لِاَخِيۡهِ هٰرُوۡنَ اخۡلُفۡنِىۡ فِىۡ قَوۡمِىۡ وَاَصۡلِحۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ سَبِيۡلَ الۡمُفۡسِدِيۡنَ‏  وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوۡسٰى لِمِيۡقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهٗ رَبُّهٗ ۙ قَالَ رَبِّ اَرِنِىۡۤ اَنۡظُرۡ اِلَيۡكَ​ ؕ قَالَ لَنۡ تَرٰٮنِىۡ وَلٰـكِنِ انْظُرۡ اِلَى الۡجَـبَلِ فَاِنِ اسۡتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهٗ فَسَوۡفَ تَرٰٮنِىۡ​ ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلّٰى رَبُّهٗ لِلۡجَبَلِ جَعَلَهٗ دَكًّا وَّخَرَّ مُوۡسٰى صَعِقًا​ ۚ فَلَمَّاۤ اَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبۡحٰنَكَ تُبۡتُ اِلَيۡكَ وَاَنَا اَوَّلُ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ يٰمُوۡسٰٓى اِنِّى اصۡطَفَيۡتُكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ بِرِسٰلٰتِىۡ وَ بِكَلَامِىۡ ​ۖ  فَخُذۡ مَاۤ اٰتَيۡتُكَ وَكُنۡ مِّنَ الشّٰكِرِيۡنَ‏ 
Translation
(7:142) And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, to which We added ten, whereby the term of forty nights set by his Lord was fulfilled.99 And Moses said to Aaron, his brother: 'Take my place among my people, act righteously, and do not follow the path of those who create mischief.'100 (7:143) And when Moses came at Our appointment, and his Lord spoke to him, he said: 'O my Lord! Reveal Yourself to me, that I may look upon You!' He replied: 'Never can you see Me. However, behold this mount; if it remains firm in its place, only then you will be able to see Me.' And as soon as his Lord unveiled His glory to the mount, He crushed it into fine dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. And when he recovered, he said: 'Glory be to You! To You I turn in repentance, and I am the foremost among those who believe.' (7:144) He said: 'O Moses! I have indeed preferred you to all others by virtue of the Message I have entrusted to you and by virtue of My speaking to you. Hold fast therefore, to whatever I have granted you, and give thanks.'
Commentary

99. After the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt which marks, on the one hand, the end of the constraints of slavery and on the other, the beginning of their life as an independent nation, Moses was summoned by God to Mount Sinai in order that he might receive the Law for Israel. He was initially summoned for a period of forty days so that he might single-mindedly devote himself to worshipping, fasting, meditation and reflection and thus develop the ability to receive the revelation which was to put a very heavy burden upon him.

In compliance with God's command, Moses left the Israelites at the place now known as the Wadi al-Shaykh which lies between Nabi Salih and Mount Sinai. The place where the Israelites had camped is presently called

Maydan al-Rahah. At one end of the valley is a hillock where, according to local tradition, the Prophet Salih pitched his tent after his migration from the land of Thamud. A mosque built as a monument to the Prophet Salih still adorns the landscape. Mount Harun is located at the other end of the valley where, again, according to local tradition, the Prophet Harun (Aaron) stayed after his exasperation with the Israelites because of their cow-worship. The top of the towering Mount Sinai, standing 7,359 feet high, is mostly enveloped by clouds. The cave to which Moses retired for forty days to devote himself to worship and meditation is situated at the top of the mountain, and still attracts many pilgrims. Close to the cave are a mosque and a church. Moreover, a monastery built in the Justinian period stands even today at the foot of the mountain. (See Tafhim al-Qur'an, (al-Naml 27: nn. 9-10).

100. Although Aaron was senior to Moses in age by three years, he was placed under the direction of the Prophet Moses and was required to assist him in connection with his mission, As explained elsewhere in the Qur'an, Aaron was not assigned independent prophethood; he was rather appointed a Prophet by God in response to Moses' prayer that he be appointed as his assistant. See (Ta Ha 20: 29-31 - Ed.)