Verses 39–51
20. Taa-Haa · Taa-Haa
Makkan135 verses
أَنِ ٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلتَّابُوتِ فَٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ ٱلْيَمُّ بِٱلسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّۭ لِّى وَعَدُوٌّۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةًۭ مِّنِّى وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِىٓ
20:39“Put him in the casket, and cast it into the river. Then the river will cast it on the bank, and he shall be picked up by an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his.” And I made you endearing, and that you might be reared under My [watchful] eyes.
إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۭا فَنَجَّيْنَٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّٰكَ فُتُونًۭا ۚ فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍۢ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
20:40When your sister walked up [to Pharaoh’s palace] saying, “Shall I show you someone who will take care of him?” Then We restored you to your mother, that she might not grieve and be comforted. Then you slew a soul, whereupon We delivered you from anguish, and We tried you with various ordeals. Then you stayed for several years among the people of Midian. Then you turned up as ordained, O Moses!1
وَٱصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِى
20:41And I chose you for Myself.’
ٱذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِـَٔايَٰتِى وَلَا تَنِيَا فِى ذِكْرِى
20:42‘Go ahead, you and your brother, with My signs and do not flag in My remembrance.
ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
20:43Both of you go to Pharaoh, for he has indeed rebelled.
فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوْلًۭا لَّيِّنًۭا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
20:44Speak to him in a soft manner; maybe he will take admonition or fear.’2
قَالَا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَن يَطْغَىٰ
20:45They said, ‘Our Lord! We are indeed afraid that he will forestall us or will exceed all bounds.’
قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ ۖ إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ
20:46He said, ‘Do not be afraid, for I will be with the two of you, hearing and seeing [whatever happens].
فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولَآ إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّكَ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَا تُعَذِّبْهُمْ ۖ قَدْ جِئْنَٰكَ بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَٱلسَّلَٰمُ عَلَىٰ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
20:47So approach him and say, ‘‘We are the apostles of your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go with us, and do not torture them! We certainly bring you a sign from your Lord, and may peace be upon him who follows guidance!
إِنَّا قَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْنَآ أَنَّ ٱلْعَذَابَ عَلَىٰ مَن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
20:48Indeed it has been revealed to us that punishment shall befall those who impugn us and turn their backs [on us].’’ ’
قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يَٰمُوسَىٰ
قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ
20:50He said, ‘Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation and then guided it.’
قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ ٱلْقُرُونِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ
20:51He said, ‘What about the former generations?’
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
The practice of Firon was that if a male child was born in Bani Israel, he killed him and if a female child was born, he kept her in his service. When Moosa (a.s.) was born, his mother was worried. Allah gave her a sign to put her child into a chest and cast it into the river. She did what she was told. At this time, the maidservants of Firon had come to the river to take a bath. They saw a casket floating on the water. They took it out and brought it to Firon’s wife. She saw a beautiful child. Being childless, She took the baby in her arms and started nourishment of the child. At hand, Moosa (a.s.) refused the feed of another woman. Then Allah sent his sister to Firon’s palace. His sister suggested name of a lady to feed the child. That lady (Moosa’s mother) was called. She came and Moosa (a.s.) became attentive towards her and Allah’s covenant was fulfilled in this way that “We shall bring your child to you and turn Moosa (a.s.) towards his mother”. There is one more incident that on complaint of one of his friends, Moosa (a.s.) killed a man of Firon’s tribe and in fear of revenge, he left the place and went to Madayan where he stayed for many years. He married and as dower, grazed the goats of Shu’ayb (a.s.). So we can estimate that giving of dower is very important, even if it be in the form of grazing animals. Our community should take a lesson from the Quranic stories.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Madayan was a town to the south of Shaam. Shu’ayb (a.s.) was a resident of this city. Some people think it is the name of village of Jebel Amil, which is called Qadasa. However, there is no proper justification of this view.
- 2
Although there was DO possibility of reforming Firon and getting him to the right path it is the duty of a missionary to use gentle words and not to give excuse to the denier for his denial. Otherwise he would use the harsh words as excuse to deny the messenger and wash his hand off the responsibility of this denial.
- 3
That is Firon. Rabb is one who creates. How can one who has not even created himself be called rabb?
Benefit
Moosa (a.s.) presented his message in five points in a very nice and gentle way but evil minded people are unaffected by any appropriate statements.