Towards Understanding the Quran

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Towards Understanding the QuranWith kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 28. Al-Qasas ► Intro. ◄ Verse 29-42 of 88 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
فَلَمَّا قَضٰى مُوۡسَى الۡاَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِاَهۡلِهٖۤ اٰنَسَ مِنۡ جَانِبِ الطُّوۡرِ نَارًا‌ۚ قَالَ لِاَهۡلِهِ امۡكُثُوۡۤا اِنِّىۡۤ اٰنَسۡتُ نَارًا‌ لَّعَلِّىۡۤ اٰتِيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡهَا بِخَبَرٍ اَوۡ جَذۡوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَصۡطَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿28:29﴾ فَلَمَّاۤ اَتٰٮهَا نُوۡدِىَ مِنۡ شَاطِیٴِ الۡوَادِ الۡاَيۡمَنِ فِىۡ الۡبُقۡعَةِ الۡمُبٰرَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ اَنۡ يّٰمُوۡسٰٓى اِنِّىۡۤ اَنَا اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿28:30﴾ وَاَنۡ اَلۡقِ عَصَاكَ‌ؕ فَلَمَّا رَاٰهَا تَهۡتَزُّ كَاَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَّلّٰى مُدۡبِرًا وَّلَمۡ يُعَقِّبۡ‌ؕ يٰمُوۡسٰٓى اَقۡبِلۡ وَلَا تَخَفۡ‌ اِنَّكَ مِنَ الۡاٰمِنِيۡنَ‏ ﴿28:31﴾ اُسۡلُكۡ يَدَكَ فِىۡ جَيۡبِكَ تَخۡرُجۡ بَيۡضَآءَ مِنۡ غَيۡرِ سُوۡٓءٍ وَّاضۡمُمۡ اِلَيۡكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهۡبِ‌ فَذٰنِكَ بُرۡهَانٰنِ مِنۡ رَّبِّكَ اِلٰى فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَا۟ٮِٕهٖؕ اِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوۡا قَوۡمًا فٰسِقِيۡنَ‏‏‏ ﴿28:32﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّىۡ قَتَلۡتُ مِنۡهُمۡ نَفۡسًا فَاَخَافُ اَنۡ يَّقۡتُلُوۡنِ‏ ﴿28:33﴾ وَاَخِىۡ هٰرُوۡنُ هُوَ اَفۡصَحُ مِنِّىۡ لِسَانًا فَاَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعِىَ رِدۡاً يُّصَدِّقُنِىۡٓ‌ اِنِّىۡۤ اَخَافُ اَنۡ يُّكَذِّبُوۡنِ‏ ﴿28:34﴾ قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِاَخِيۡكَ وَنَجۡعَلُ لَـكُمَا سُلۡطٰنًا فَلَا يَصِلُوۡنَ اِلَيۡكُمَا‌‌ ۛ‌ۚ بِاٰيٰتِنَاۤ ‌ۛ‌ۚ اَنۡتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الۡغٰلِبُوۡنَ‏ ﴿28:35﴾ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ مُّوۡسٰى بِاٰيٰتِنَا بَيِّنٰتٍ قَالُوۡا مَا هٰذَاۤ اِلَّا سِحۡرٌ مُّفۡتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعۡنَا بِهٰذَا فِىۡۤ اٰبَآٮِٕنَا الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿28:36﴾ وَقَالَ مُوۡسٰى رَبِّىۡۤ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ جَآءَ بِالۡهُدٰى مِنۡ عِنۡدِهٖ وَمَنۡ تَكُوۡنُ لَهٗ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ‌ؕ اِنَّهٗ لَا يُفۡلِحُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿28:37﴾ وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡمَلَاُ مَا عَلِمۡتُ لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ اِلٰهٍ غَيۡرِىۡ‌ۚ فَاَوۡقِدۡ لِىۡ يٰهَامٰنُ عَلَى الطِّيۡنِ فَاجۡعَل لِّىۡ صَرۡحًا لَّعَلِّىۡۤ اَطَّلِعُ اِلٰٓى اِلٰهِ مُوۡسٰىۙ وَاِنِّىۡ لَاَظُنُّهٗ مِنَ الۡـكٰذِبِيۡنَ‏ ﴿28:38﴾ وَاسۡتَكۡبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُوۡدُهٗ فِىۡ الۡاَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ الۡحَـقِّ وَظَنُّوۡۤا اَنَّهُمۡ اِلَـيۡنَا لَا يُرۡجَعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿28:39﴾ فَاَخَذۡنٰهُ وَجُنُوۡدَهٗ فَنَبَذۡنٰهُمۡ فِىۡ الۡيَمِّ‌ۚ فَانْظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿28:40﴾ وَجَعَلۡنٰهُمۡ اَٮِٕمَّةً يَّدۡعُوۡنَ اِلَى النَّارِ‌ۚ وَيَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ لَا يُنۡصَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿28:41﴾ وَاَتۡبَعۡنٰهُمۡ فِىۡ هٰذِهِ الدُّنۡيَا لَـعۡنَةً‌ ۚ وَيَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ هُمۡ مِّنَ الۡمَقۡبُوۡحِيۡنَ‏ ﴿28:42﴾

(28:29) When Moses had fulfilled the term40 and was journeying with his family, he perceived a fire in the direction of the Mount (Sinai).41 He said to his family: "Wait here; I have observed a fire. Maybe I will bring to you some news or a brand of fire from there that you may warm yourselves."
*40 According to Hadrat Hasan bin `Ali bin Abi Talib, the Prophet Moses had completed the ten years term instead of the eight years. According to Ibn 'Abbas, this has been related on the authority of the Holy Prophet himself. He has said, "Moses (peace be upon him) completed the term which was more perfect and more agreeable to his father-in-law, i.e. ten years."
*41 That the direction of the journey was towards Mt. Tur shows that the Prophet Moses might be traveling to Egypt with his family, for Tur lies on the way from Midian to Egypt. Probably Prophet Moses thought that he had stayed away from home for ten long years and the Pharaoh in whose reign he had left Egypt had also died, if he quietly went back and stayed with his people, nobody would know it.

(28:30) But when he came to the fire, a call was heard from the right bank43 of the valley, from a tree in the hallowed ground:42 "O Moses, verily I am Allah, the Lord of all creatures of the Universe."
*42 That is, in the ground which was being lit up by Divine Light.
*43 That is, on that side of the valley which lay to the right of the Prophet Moses.

(28:31) He received the command: "Throw away your rod!" But when he saw the rod writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned back in retreat, and did not even look behind. (He was told): "O Moses, go ahead and have no fear. You are perfectly secure.
(28:32) Put your hand into your bosom, and it will come out shining without any blemish;44 and draw your hand close to your body to still your fear.45 Those are the two clear Signs from your Lord for Pharaoh and his chiefs, for truly they are a disobedient people."46
*44 These two miracles were shown to the Prophet Moses at that time so that, firstly, he himself is fully convinced that the same Being Who is speaking to him is, in fact, the Creator and Master and Ruler of the whole system of the universe and secondly, he should have full satisfaction that he was not going unarmed before Pharaoh, to perform the dangerous mission assigned to him, but would go well armed with the two powerful weapons.
*45 That is, "Whenever you experience the fear of any danger, fold back your arm to yourself: this will strengthen your heart and will deliver you completely from every feeling of fear and dread."
*46 The words by themselves imply: "Go to Pharaoh with these Signs and present yourself as Allah's Messenger, and invite him and his chiefs to the obedience and worship of Allah, Lord of the worlds." That is why his appointment has not been specified here, though at other places it has been clearly stated, thus: 'Go to Pharaoh for he has become rebellious' "(Ta Ha: 24) And: "When your Lord called Moses, saying: "Go forth to the wicked people--the people of Pharaoh'." (Ash-Shu'araa: 10).

(28:33) Moses said: "My Lord, I have killed one person from among them, and I fear that they will kill me.47
*47 It did not mean that he was hesitant to go there because of the fear, but it meant this: "Kindly make some such arrangement that I am not apprehended on the charge of murder just on arrival even before I may convey to them Your message, for in that case the very object for which I am being sent will be defeated." The next verse makes it plain that the Prophet Moses, by this submission, did not at all mean to reject the office of Prophethood and refuse to go before Pharaoh because of the fear.

(28:34) My brother Aaron is more eloquent in speech than I: so send him with me as a helper to confirm my truthfulness for I fear that they will reject me as a liar."
(28:35) He said: "We will certainly strengthen you through your brother and will invest both of you with such power that they shall not be able to hurt you. With the help of Our Signs the two of you and your followers will prevail."48
*48 This meeting of the Prophet Moses with Allah and the mutual conversation has been described in much greater detail in Surah Ta Ha (vv. 9-48). Anyone possessed of fine taste, who compares this Qur'anic version with the story given in the Bible (Exod., chs. 3, 4), will be himself able to judge which of the two is Divine Revelation and which the result of human story-telling. Besides, he will also be able to judge whether the Qur'anic version is, God forbid, a plagiarism of the Bible and Israelite traditions, or that God Himself is describing the actual event, Who had honored Moses by calling him up into His Presence. (For further explanation, see E.N. 19 of Surah Ta Ha).

(28:36) But when Moses came to them with Our Clear Signs, they said: "This is nothing but a magic49 that has been contrived. We never heard anything like it from our ancestors of yore."50
*49 The words of the Text mean "Fabricated or forged magic." If fabrication is taken to mean falsehood, it would mean, "The staff's turning into a serpent and the shining of the hand is not any real change in the nature of the thing itself, but a mere illusion, which this man calls a miracle in order to deceive us." And if it is taken to mean a forgery it will imply: "This person has forged something which appears to be a staff; but when it is thrown on the ground, it moves like a snake. As for the hand, he has rubbed something on it so that when he draws it out of the armpit, it shines. He himself works these magical tricks but tries to make us believe that these are miracles which God has granted him."
*50 The reference is to the teachings which the Prophet Moses had presented while conveying this message of Tauhid. The details have been given at other places in the Qur'an. For example, according to Surah An-Naziyat: 18-19, he said to Pharaoh: "Will you mind to purify yourself, that I may guide you to your Lord so that you may have fear (of Him)?" And in Surah Ta Ha:
47-48: "We have come to you with Signs from your Lord; peace is for him who follows the Right Way. We have been informed by Revelation that there is punishment for him who rejects it and turns away." And: "We are Messengers from your Lord: so let the Israelites go with us." It was about these things that Pharaoh said, "Even our forefathers had never heard that there was a Being more powerful than Pharaoh of Egypt, Who was authorized to command him, to punish him, to send a man to his court to convey His instructions to him, and to warn the king of Egypt to fear Him. These are strange things which we are hearing today from a man like you."

(28:37) Moses replied: "My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and also whose end will be the best in the Hereafter. As for the wrongdoers, they shall not prosper."51
*51 That is, "You think I am a magician and a forger, but my Lord is well aware of me. He knows what sort of a man is the person whom He has appointed as a Messenger; and the final judgment rests with Him. If I am a liar, I shall meet an evil end; and if you are a liar, you should know that your end will not be good. In any case, the inevitable fact is that the unjust will not attain true success. He who is not Allah's messenger but falsely presents himself as a messenger for selfish motives, is also unjust and will not attain success. And the one who rejects a true Messenger by false accusations and suppresses the Truth by deceit and fraud, is also unjust and will never attain success."

(28:38) Pharaoh said: "O nobles, I do not know that you have any god beside myself.52 Haman, bake bricks out of clay and build a lofty palace for me so that I may mount up and be able to observe the god of Moses, even though I believe that Moses is a liar."53
*52 By this Pharaoh did not, and could not, mean that he was the creator of his people and the earth and the heavens, for such a thing be uttered only by a madman. Likewise; he also did not mean that they had no other deity besides him for the Egyptians worshiped many gods, and the Pharaoh himself had been made the incarnation of the sun god. The Qur'an testifies that the Pharaoh himself worshiped many gods: "The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said, `Will you leave Moses and his followers free to spread disorder in the land, and to discard you and your deities'?" (Al-A`raf: 127) Therefore, inevitably, the Pharaoh had not used the word "god" here for himself as a creator and deity, but as an absolute and supreme sovereign. What he meant was this: "I am the owner of this land of Egypt: I alone will rule here: My law will be the law of the land; I alone shall be accepted as the fountainhead of all commands and prohibitions here. None else is entitled to give commands in this country. Who is this Moses, who has appeared as the delegate of the Lord of the universe and is conveying orders to me as though he is the ruler and I am his subordinate?" That is why he addressed his courtiers, thus: "O people: Is not the kingdom of Egypt mine? And are not these canals flowing beneath me?" (Az-Zukhruf: 51) And that is why he said to Moses again and again, "Have you come to turn us away from the faith of our forefathers so that you too may dominate over the land?" (Yunus: 78) "O Moses, have you come to drive us out of our land by the power of your sorcery?" (Ta Ha: 57) "I fear he will change your religion, or cause mischief to appear in the land." (Al-Mu'min: 26)
*53 This was the same kind of mentality as the Russian communists of today are displaying. They launch Sputniks and Lunics and tell the world that these balls have not found God anywhere above. That stupid man of yore wanted to see God from the top of a tower. This shows that the extent of the imagination of the straying people during the past 3,500 years has remained where it was. They have not advanced even an inch. It is not known who told them that the Being Whom the God-worshipers acknowledge as the Lord of the universe resided some where above according to their belief. And if they do not see Him a few thousand feet or a few lakh miles above the earth's surface in this limitless universe, it will be a proof that He exists nowhere.

(28:39) And he and his hosts waxed arrogant in the land without any right,54 believing that they will never have to return to Us!55
*54 That is, Allah, Lord of the worlds, alone is entitled to the right to greatness, but Pharaoh and his hosts assumed greatness when they attained a little power in a small territory on the earth.
*55 That is, "They thought they were answerable to none and with this assumption they started behaving absolutely independently in their day to day life."

(28:40) Eventually We seized him and his hosts and We flung them into the sea.56 So do see the end of the wrong-doers!
*56 Allah in these words has depicted their worthlessness and insignificance as against their false pride. They thought they were big people, but when the respite Allah had granted them to reform themselves came to an end, they were thrown into the sea like so much rubbish.

(28:41) And We made them leaders who invite people to the Fire.57 On the Day of Judgement they shall not find help from any quarter.
*57 That is, "They have set a precedent for the later generations as to committing injustices, rejecting the Truth and persistence in their rejection till the last, and using all sorts of devices to defend falsehood against the Truth." They showed these ways to the people and have gone to Hell, and now their descendants are following in their footsteps and rushing towards the same doom.

(28:42) We have made a curse to pursue them in this world, and on the Day of Judgement they shall be among the despised.58
*58 The words in the Text mean: "On the Day of Resurrection they will be among the maqbuhin ", which has several meanings: (l) They will stand rejected and repulsed; (2) they will be wholly deprived of Allah's mercy; and (3) they will be severely beaten up and their faces will become distorted .
English ◄ Chapter 28. Al-Qasas ► Intro. ◄ Verse 29-42 of 88 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email