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Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani

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Introduction | Wiki
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 28. Al-Qasas
Verses [Section]: 1-13[1], 14-21 [2], 22-28 [3], 29-42 [4], 43-50 [5], 51-60 [6], 61-75 [7], 76-82 [8], 83-88 [9]

Quran Text of Verse 14-21
28. Al-Qasas Page 387وَ لَمَّاAnd whenبَلَغَhe reachedاَشُدَّهٗhis full strengthوَ اسْتَوٰۤیand became matureاٰتَیْنٰهُWe bestowed upon himحُكْمًاwisdomوَّ عِلْمًا ؕand knowledgeوَ كَذٰلِكَAnd thusنَجْزِیWe rewardالْمُحْسِنِیْنَ the good-doers وَ دَخَلَAnd he enteredالْمَدِیْنَةَthe cityعَلٰیatحِیْنِa timeغَفْلَةٍ(of) inattentionمِّنْofاَهْلِهَاits peopleفَوَجَدَand foundفِیْهَاthereinرَجُلَیْنِtwo menیَقْتَتِلٰنِ ؗۗfighting each otherهٰذَاthisمِنْofشِیْعَتِهٖhis partyوَ هٰذَاand thisمِنْofعَدُوِّهٖ ۚhis enemyفَاسْتَغَاثَهُAnd called him for helpالَّذِیْthe one whoمِنْ(was) fromشِیْعَتِهٖhis partyعَلَیagainstالَّذِیْthe one whoمِنْ(was) fromعَدُوِّهٖ ۙhis enemyفَوَكَزَهٗso struck him with his fistمُوْسٰیMusaفَقَضٰیand killed himعَلَیْهِ ؗۗand killed himقَالَHe saidهٰذَاThis (is)مِنْofعَمَلِ(the) deedالشَّیْطٰنِ ؕ(of) ShaitaanاِنَّهٗIndeed, heعَدُوٌّ(is) an enemyمُّضِلٌّone who misleadsمُّبِیْنٌ clearly قَالَHe saidرَبِّMy Lord!اِنِّیْIndeed Iظَلَمْتُ[I] have wrongedنَفْسِیْmy soulفَاغْفِرْso forgiveلِیْ[for] meفَغَفَرَThen He forgaveلَهٗ ؕ[for] himاِنَّهٗIndeed HeهُوَHe (is)الْغَفُوْرُthe Oft-Forgivingالرَّحِیْمُ the Most Merciful قَالَHe saidرَبِّMy Lord!بِمَاۤBecauseاَنْعَمْتَYou have favoredعَلَیَّ[on] meفَلَنْso notاَكُوْنَI will beظَهِیْرًاa supporterلِّلْمُجْرِمِیْنَ (of) the criminals فَاَصْبَحَIn the morning he wasفِیinالْمَدِیْنَةِthe cityخَآىِٕفًاfearfulیَّتَرَقَّبُ(and) was vigilantفَاِذَاwhen behold!الَّذِیThe one whoاسْتَنْصَرَهٗsought his helpبِالْاَمْسِthe previous dayیَسْتَصْرِخُهٗ ؕcried out to him for helpقَالَSaidلَهٗto himمُوْسٰۤیMusaاِنَّكَIndeed youلَغَوِیٌّ(are) surely a deviatorمُّبِیْنٌ clear فَلَمَّاۤThen whenاَنْ[that]اَرَادَhe wantedاَنْtoیَّبْطِشَstrikeبِالَّذِیْthe one whoهُوَ[he] (was)عَدُوٌّan enemyلَّهُمَا ۙto both of themقَالَhe saidیٰمُوْسٰۤیO Musa!اَتُرِیْدُDo you intendاَنْtoتَقْتُلَنِیْkill meكَمَاasقَتَلْتَyou killedنَفْسًۢاa personبِالْاَمْسِ ۖۗyesterdayاِنْNotتُرِیْدُyou wantاِلَّاۤbutاَنْthatتَكُوْنَyou becomeجَبَّارًاa tyrantفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ مَاand notتُرِیْدُyou wantاَنْthatتَكُوْنَyou beمِنَofالْمُصْلِحِیْنَ the reformers وَ جَآءَAnd cameرَجُلٌa manمِّنْfromاَقْصَا(the) farthest endالْمَدِیْنَةِ(of) the cityیَسْعٰی ؗrunningقَالَHe saidیٰمُوْسٰۤیO Musa!اِنَّIndeedالْمَلَاَthe chiefsیَاْتَمِرُوْنَare taking counselبِكَabout youلِیَقْتُلُوْكَto kill youفَاخْرُجْso leaveاِنِّیْindeed I amلَكَto youمِنَofالنّٰصِحِیْنَ the sincere advisors فَخَرَجَSo he leftمِنْهَاfrom itخَآىِٕفًاfearingیَّتَرَقَّبُ ؗ(and) vigilantقَالَHe saidرَبِّMy Lord!نَجِّنِیْSave meمِنَfromالْقَوْمِthe peopleالظّٰلِمِیْنَ۠ the wrongdoers
Translation of Verse 14-21

(28:14) Then, when he had reached puberty and attained full strength,23 We gave him judgment and knowledge.24 Thus do We reward those who do good.

(28:15) And he entered the city at a time when its people were inattentive.25 He found there two men fighting: this from his own faction and this from among his enemy. Now the one that was of his faction appealed to him against the one who was from among his enemy. Musa struck him26 and finished him off.27 He exclaimed, ‘This is one of Satan’s doing. Surely, he is a misguiding, manifest enemy.’

(28:16) He said, ‘O my Lord! Surely I have wronged my soul. Therefore, forgive me.’ So He forgave him. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.28

(28:17) He said, ‘My Lord! For the favor You have bestowed on me, I shall never be a helper to the criminals.29

(28:18) Thus he did his morning in the city in fear, watchful, when behold, the one who had sought his help the previous day was calling after him. Musa told him, ‘You are indeed an evident deviant one.’30

(28:19) Then, as he tried to lay his hand on the one who was an enemy to both,31 he cried out, ‘O Musa! Do you intend to kill me as you killed a man yesterday?32 You do not wish but to be a tyrant in the land, and do not wish to be one of those who set things right.’

(28:20) Then came a man from the farthest end of the city, hurrying, and said, ‘O Musa! The chiefs are conferring over you, to kill you.33 Therefore, depart. I am indeed one of your sincere advisers.’

(28:21) So he departed therefrom in fear, watchful saying, ‘O my Lord! Save me from the wrong-doing people.’34


Commentary

23. This is how Ibn Jarir explains “Istawa.” Zamakhshari writes that it is that stage in life after which no further physical development is possible.

Sayyid adds: “(At this point we enter into a new phase of Musa’s life). As for what happened after he was restored to his mother, how was he brought up in the royal Pharaonic palaces, what kind of relationship existed between him and his mother after the suckling period was over, what was Musa’s status in the palaces and outside them after he had grown up, what were his beliefs, while he was being readied under Allah’s own eye .. these are all details that the Qur’an did not discuss, but rather, we are taken straight to the next stage in his life and to the next episode.”

24. “This implies that he was pious and righteous from early manhood, and was at no time of his adult life an unbeliever” (Majid).

25. It was perhaps midday, the markets were closed, and so there weren’t any people around in the streets (Ibn Jarir).

26. “Wakaza-wakz” is to fold the fingers and assault with the hand (Zamakhshari), what is known as a punch or a box today (Au.).

27. Although he did not intend to kill him (Ibn Jarir).

28. Alusi comments on why Musa had to seek forgiveness for an unintended murder. First he points out that the Prophets of Allah never commit a major sin at any time in their lives. So, Musa was blameless on that account. However, he was remorseful because after the man died, he might have analyzed his behavior. Did he over-react? Should he not have merely pushed the man away instead of punching him? Yes he could. He had indeed proven hasty which was unbecoming of a man of his status. Hence he said, ‘O my Lord! Surely I have wronged my soul. Therefore, forgive me.’ And he was forgiven. He sought forgiveness because commitment of an unintentional wrong by the pious is considered a sin by those who are closer to Allah.

Mufti Shafi` emphasizes the illegality of a Muslim killing a non-harbi pagan, or confiscating his property. He quotes Ibn Hajr as writing in his Sharh al-Bukhari as follows, “The fact of pagans and Muslims living together in peace, makes their life and property unlawful unto the Muslims. Thanwi’s opinion is close to this, writes Mufti Shafi`, and was the last of his legal opinions that he heard from him on the 2nd of Rajab 1362 A.H., Thanwi succumbing to his prolonged illness, breathing his last on the 16th of Rajab the same year.

Mufti Shafi` perhaps thought it wise to emphasize - in view of the prevailing situation in the Indian sub-continent, where Muslim life and property is constantly under attack the question arise: should they retaliate in a similar manner, or sit back doing nothing? The answer is, so long as the state does not consider attacks against them as legal, they might defend themselves by whatever means possible, but not retaliate in the manner in which they are attacked, such as, indiscriminately killing any non-Muslim, or destroying property, as their enemies do (Au.).

29. Hence, Ata’ has said that it is not lawful for anyone to help an oppressor, or be his writer, or even accept his company. It is reported that Dahhak was asked by Sulayman b. Muslim (an early Abbasid: Ibn Kathir in Tarikh) to go up to Bukhara and distribute some state funds among the people there. He declined. Sulayman made repeated requests but Dahhak emphatically refused. He was asked the reason. He replied tersely, “I do not wish to be a helper to any wrongdoing person in any way.” `Ata’ b. Rabah was asked, “I have a brother who earns his livelihood with his pen. He keeps the accounts, entering, deducting, etc. He has family and children. If he gives up, he will have to live on loans.” He asked, “Who employs him?” He was told, “Khalid b. `Abdullah al-Qasra” (an Umayyad: Ibn Kathir in Tarikh). He remarked, “Have you not read what a pious person (of the past) had to say?: ‘My Lord! For the favor You have bestowed on me, I shall never be a helper to the criminals!’” (Zamakhshari in part, Qurtubi, Alusi and Mawdudi).

30. For, you are the one who led me to yesterday’s killing (Alusi and others).

31. That is, Musa (asws) did not wish to strike him. He merely tried to restrain the Copt (Au.).

32. He wrongly perceived the threat from Musa’s words of alarm, "Indeed, you are an evident deviant one” (Alusi and others).

33. The intervening events are left out, viz., reports carried to Fir`awn that Musa was the one who had killed the Copt the previous day, and the discussions amongst the ruling elite as to what action was to be taken against Musa, the majority insisting that he be put to death in retaliation, etc. Their decision also implies that although Musa was brought up among the royals, he was never accepted as one of the royalty or even as one of the Copts, to be spared for accidentally killing one of them. Muslims who try to integrate themselves with the non-Muslims, and go a long way to please them, should perhaps make note of this historical reality (Au.).

34. Yusuf Ali tries to figure out Musa’s state of mind: “Moses saw that his position was now untenable, both in the Palace and in the City, and indeed anywhere in Pharaoh’s territory. So he suffered voluntary exile. But he did not know where to go to. His mind was in a state of agitation. But he turned to Allah (swt) and prayed. He got consolation, and felt that after all it was no hardship to leave Egypt, where there was so much injustice and oppression.”