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 Surah Taha 20:25-48 [2/8] ↕
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
قَالَHe said,
رَبِّ" My Lord!
ٱشْرَحْExpand
لِىfor me
صَدْرِىmy breast
﴿٢٥﴾
وَيَسِّرْAnd ease
لِىٓfor me
أَمْرِىmy task
﴿٢٦﴾
وَٱحْلُلْAnd untie
عُقْدَةً(the) knot
مِّنfrom
لِّسَانِىmy tongue
﴿٢٧﴾
يَفْقَهُواْThat they may understand
قَوْلِىmy speech.
﴿٢٨﴾
وَٱجْعَلAnd appoint
لِّىfor me
وَزِيرًاa minister
مِّنْfrom
أَهْلِىmy family.
﴿٢٩﴾
هَـٰرُونَHarun,
أَخِىmy brother.
﴿٣٠﴾
ٱشْدُدْReinforce
بِهِۦٓthrough him
أَزْرِىmy strength.
﴿٣١﴾
وَأَشْرِكْهُAnd make him share
فِىٓ[in]
أَمْرِىmy task
﴿٣٢﴾
كَىْThat
نُسَبِّحَكَwe may glorify You
كَثِيرًاmuch
﴿٣٣﴾
وَنَذْكُرَكَAnd [we] remember You
كَثِيرًاmuch.
﴿٣٤﴾
إِنَّكَIndeed, [You]
كُنتَYou are
بِنَاof us
بَصِيرًاAll-Seer."
﴿٣٥﴾
قَالَHe said,
قَدْ"Verily,
أُوتِيتَyou are granted
سُؤْلَكَyour request,
يَـٰمُوسَىٰO Musa!
﴿٣٦﴾
وَلَقَدْAnd indeed,
مَنَنَّاWe conferred a favor
عَلَيْكَon you
مَرَّةً أُخْرَىٰٓanother time,
﴿٣٧﴾
إِذْWhen
أَوْحَيْنَآWe inspired
إِلَىٰٓto
أُمِّكَyour mother
مَاwhat
يُوحَىٰٓis inspired,
﴿٣٨﴾
أَنِ`That
ٱقْذِفِيهِcast him
فِىin
ٱلتَّابُوتِthe chest
فَٱقْذِفِيهِthen cast it
فِىin
ٱلْيَمِّthe river,
فَلْيُلْقِهِthen let cast it
ٱلْيَمُّthe river
بِٱلسَّاحِلِon the bank;
يَأْخُذْهُwill take him
عَدُوٌّan enemy
لِّىto Me,
وَعَدُوٌّand an enemy
لَّهُۥ‌ۚto him.'
وَأَلْقَيْتُAnd I cast
عَلَيْكَover you
مَحَبَّةًlove
مِّنِّىfrom Me,
وَلِتُصْنَعَand that you may be brought up
عَلَىٰunder
عَيْنِىٓMy Eye.
﴿٣٩﴾
إِذْWhen
تَمْشِىٓwas going
أُخْتُكَyour sister
فَتَقُولُand she said,
هَلْ` Shall,
أَدُلُّكُمْI show you
عَلَىٰ[to]
مَن(one) who
يَكْفُلُهُۥ‌ۖwill nurse and rear him?'
فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَSo We returned you
إِلَىٰٓto
أُمِّكَyour mother
كَىْthat
تَقَرَّmay be cooled
عَيْنُهَاher eyes
وَلَاand not
تَحْزَنَ‌ۚshe grieves.
وَقَتَلْتَAnd you killed
نَفْسًاa man,
فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَbut We saved you
مِنَfrom
ٱلْغَمِّthe distress,
وَفَتَنَّـٰكَand We tried you
فُتُونًا‌ۚ(with) a trial.
فَلَبِثْتَThen you remained
سِنِينَ(some) years
فِىٓwith
أَهْلِ(the) people
مَدْيَنَ(of) Madyan.
ثُمَّThen
جِئْتَyou came
عَلَىٰat
قَدَرٍthe decreed (time)
يَـٰمُوسَىٰO Musa!
﴿٤٠﴾
وَٱصْطَنَعْتُكَAnd I (have) chosen you
لِنَفْسِىfor Myself.
﴿٤١﴾
ٱذْهَبْGo,
أَنتَyou
وَأَخُوكَand your brother
بِـَٔـايَـٰتِىwith My Signs,
وَلَاand (do) not
تَنِيَاslacken
فِىin
ذِكْرِىMy remembrance.
﴿٤٢﴾
ٱذْهَبَآGo, both of you,
إِلَىٰto
فِرْعَوْنَFiraun.
إِنَّهُۥIndeed, he
طَغَىٰ(has) transgressed.
﴿٤٣﴾
فَقُولَاAnd speak
لَهُۥto him
قَوْلاًa word
لَّيِّنًاgentle,
لَّعَلَّهُۥperhaps he
يَتَذَكَّرُmay take heed
أَوْor
يَخْشَىٰfear."
﴿٤٤﴾
قَالَاThey said,
رَبَّنَآ"Our Lord!
إِنَّنَاIndeed, we
نَخَافُfear
أَنthat
يَفْرُطَhe will hasten
عَلَيْنَآagainst us
أَوْor
أَنthat
يَطْغَىٰhe will transgress."
﴿٤٥﴾
قَالَHe said,
لَا"(Do) not
تَخَافَآ‌ۖfear.
إِنَّنِىIndeed, I Am
مَعَكُمَآwith you both;
أَسْمَعُI hear
وَأَرَىٰand I see.
﴿٤٦﴾
فَأْتِيَاهُSo go to him
فَقُولَآand say,
إِنَّا` Indeed, we
رَسُولَاboth (are) Messengers
رَبِّكَ(of) your Lord,
فَأَرْسِلْso send
مَعَنَاwith us
بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٲٓءِيلَ(the) Children of Israel,
وَلَاand (do) not
تُعَذِّبْهُمْ‌ۖtorment them.
قَدْVerily,
جِئْنَـٰكَwe came to you
بِـَٔـايَةٍwith a Sign
مِّنfrom
رَّبِّكَ‌ۖyour Lord.
وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُAnd peace
عَلَىٰon
مَنِ(one) who
ٱتَّبَعَfollows
ٱلْهُدَىٰٓthe Guidance.
﴿٤٧﴾
إِنَّاIndeed, we
قَدْverily,
أُوحِىَit has been revealed
إِلَيْنَآto us
أَنَّthat
ٱلْعَذَابَthe punishment
عَلَىٰ(will be) on
مَن(one) who
كَذَّبَdenies
وَتَوَلَّىٰand turns away.'"
﴿٤٨﴾

قَالَ رَبِّ اشۡرَحۡ لِىۡ صَدۡرِىْ ۙ‏  وَيَسِّرۡ لِىۡۤ اَمۡرِىْ ۙ‏  وَاحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً مِّنۡ لِّسَانِیْ ۙ‏  يَفۡقَهُوۡا قَوۡلِیْ ‏  وَاجۡعَلْ لِّىۡ وَزِيۡرًا مِّنۡ اَهۡلِىْ ۙ‏  هٰرُوۡنَ اَخِى ۙ‏  اشۡدُدۡ بِهٖۤ اَزۡرِىْ ۙ‏  وَاَشۡرِكۡهُ فِىۡۤ اَمۡرِىْ ۙ‏  كَىۡ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيۡرًا ۙ‏  وَّنَذۡكُرَكَ كَثِيۡرًا ؕ‏  اِنَّكَ كُنۡتَ بِنَا بَصِيۡرًا‏  قَالَ قَدۡ اُوۡتِيۡتَ سُؤۡلَـكَ يٰمُوۡسٰى‏  وَلَـقَدۡ مَنَـنَّا عَلَيۡكَ مَرَّةً اُخۡرٰٓىۙ‏  اِذۡ اَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰٓى اُمِّكَ مَا يُوۡحٰٓى ۙ‏  اَنِ اقۡذِفِيۡهِ فِى التَّابُوۡتِ فَاقۡذِفِيۡهِ فِى الۡيَمِّ فَلۡيُلۡقِهِ الۡيَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ يَاۡخُذۡهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّىۡ وَعَدُوٌّ لَّهٗ​ ؕ وَاَلۡقَيۡتُ عَلَيۡكَ مَحَـبَّةً مِّنِّىۡ ۚ وَلِتُصۡنَعَ عَلٰى عَيۡنِىۡ ۘ‏  اِذۡ تَمۡشِىۡۤ اُخۡتُكَ فَتَقُوۡلُ هَلۡ اَدُلُّـكُمۡ عَلٰى مَنۡ يَّكۡفُلُهٗ​ ؕ فَرَجَعۡنٰكَ اِلٰٓى اُمِّكَ كَىۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَ ؕ وَقَتَلۡتَ نَـفۡسًا فَنَجَّيۡنٰكَ مِنَ الۡغَمِّ وَفَتَـنّٰكَ فُتُوۡنًا فَلَبِثۡتَ سِنِيۡنَ فِىۡۤ اَهۡلِ مَدۡيَنَ ۙ ثُمَّ جِئۡتَ عَلٰى قَدَرٍ يّٰمُوۡسٰى‏  وَاصۡطَنَعۡتُكَ لِنَفۡسِى​ۚ‏  اِذۡهَبۡ اَنۡتَ وَاَخُوۡكَ بِاٰيٰتِىۡ وَلَا تَنِيَا فِىۡ ذِكۡرِى​ۚ‏  اِذۡهَبَاۤ اِلٰى فِرۡعَوۡنَ اِنَّهٗ طَغٰى​ ​ۖۚ​​​‏  فَقُوۡلَا لَهٗ قَوۡلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهٗ يَتَذَكَّرُ اَوۡ يَخۡشٰى‏  قَالَا رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّـنَا نَخَافُ اَنۡ يَّفۡرُطَ عَلَيۡنَاۤ اَوۡ اَنۡ يَّطۡغٰى‏   قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ​ اِنَّنِىۡ مَعَكُمَاۤ اَسۡمَعُ وَاَرٰى‏  فَاۡتِيٰهُ فَقُوۡلَاۤ اِنَّا رَسُوۡلَا رَبِّكَ فَاَرۡسِلۡ مَعَنَا بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ ۙ وَلَا تُعَذِّبۡهُمۡ​ ؕ قَدۡ جِئۡنٰكَ بِاٰيَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكَ​ ؕ وَالسَّلٰمُ عَلٰى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الۡهُدٰى‏  اِنَّا قَدۡ اُوۡحِىَ اِلَـيۡنَاۤ اَنَّ الۡعَذَابَ عَلٰى مَنۡ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلّٰى‏  
Translation
(20:25) Moses said: "Lord! Open my breast for me;14 (20:26) and ease my task for me, (20:27) and loosen the knot from my tongue (20:28) so that they may understand my speech;15 (20:29) and appoint for me, from my household, someone who will help me bear my burden - (20:30) Aaron, my brother.16 (20:31) Strengthen me through him (20:32) and let him share my task (20:33) that we may abundantly extol Your glory; (20:34) and may remember You much. (20:35) Verily, You have always watched over us." (20:36) He said: "Moses, your petition is granted. (20:37) We have again bestowed Our favour upon you.17 (20:38) Recall, when We indicated to your mother through inspiration: (20:39) 'Put the baby into a chest and then throw him in the river. The river will throw him up on the shore, and then an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his will take him.' And I spread My love over you in order that you might be reared in My sight. (20:40) Recall, when your sister went along, saying: 'Shall I direct you to one who will take charge of him?' Thus We brought you back to your mother so that her heart might be gladdened and she might not grieve. Moses, recall when you slew a person. We delivered you from distress and made you go through several trials. Then you stayed for several years among the people of Midian, and now you have come at the right moment as ordained. (20:41) I have chosen you for My service. (20:42) So go forth, both you and your brother, with My Signs, and do not slacken in remembering Me. (20:43) Go both of you to Pharaoh, for he has transgressed all bounds, (20:44) and speak to him gently, perhaps he may take heed or fear (Allah)."18 (20:45) The two said:"18a Lord! We fear he may commit excesses against us, or transgress all bounds." (20:46) He said: "Have no fear. I am with you, hearing and seeing all. (20:47) So, go to him, and say: 'Behold, both of us are the Messengers of your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go with us, and do not chastise them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord; and peace shall be for him who follows the true guidance. (20:48) It has been revealed to us that chastisement awaits those who called the lie to the truth and turned away from it.' "19
Commentary

14. That is, fill my heart with the courage that may enable me to perform the obligations connected with the great mission of a Messenger, and give me the confidence for its fulfillment. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed for this because he realized the grave responsibilities of the great mission.

15. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah for this because he was conscious that he was not a fluent speaker but was slow of speech. He also knew that as a Messenger he would have to be fluent in order to impress Pharaoh and his courtiers. This is confirmed by the Bible (Exodus 4: 10) but the Talmud gives a strange explanation for this impediment in his speech. According to it, when he was a child he burnt his tongue with a live coal to escape punishment from Pharaoh whose crown he had taken off from his head and put it on his own head. The same story has been adopted by many of our commentators though it is absurd on the face of it. Our interpretation is also confirmed by the Quran. The fact is, that at first he was not a fluent speaker and Pharaoh had also taunted him on this impediment. (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayat 52). Prophet Moses realized the same for he said: My brother Aaron is more fluent than me, so send him with me as a helper, so that he may support me (with his fluent speech). (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 34). Afterwards this impediment in his speech was removed and he was able to deliver very fluent speeches. This may be testified by his speeches which have been cited both in the Bible and in the Quran for they are masterpieces of eloquence and rhetoric.

Above all, it does not stand to reason that Allah should appoint a lisper or a stammerer or a stutterer as His Messenger. That is why the Messengers have always been the best of mankind in regard to their appearance, personality and capabilities for they had to be most impressive both in their appearance and conduct, so that they could not be made the target of ridicule and contempt by the people because of such personal defects as stammering or stuttering.

16. Prophet Aaron was three years older than Prophet Moses (peace be upon them). (Exodus7:7).

17. Allah recounts the favors He had shown to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) since his birth in order to impress upon him the fact that he had been brought up under divine care right from his birth for the purpose of appointing him as a Messenger. Here mere references have been made but in Surah Al-Qasas details of the favors have been given.

18. The only two ways of bringing a man to the right way are: (1) To convince him by argument and admonition, or (2) To warn him of the consequences of deviation.

18a. It appears that they implored Allah thus before going before Pharaoh when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had reached Egypt and Aaron had joined him in the propagation of the mission.

18. The only two ways of bringing a man to the right way are: (1) To convince him by argument and admonition, or (2) To warn him of the consequences of deviation.

18a. It appears that they implored Allah thus before going before Pharaoh when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had reached Egypt and Aaron had joined him in the propagation of the mission.

19. A comparative study of this incident as given in the Bible and the Talmud will show that the Quran does not copy the stories from these books, but gives its own version in order to portray the Messengers in their true glory and dignity. According to the Bible, when God said to Moses (peace be upon him) that He would send him to Pharaoh, Moses (peace be upon him) replied: Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3: 11). God persuaded and encouraged Moses (peace be upon him) by giving him signs but he was still reluctant and said: O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. (Exodus 4: 13). And the Talmud goes even further than this and says that there was an argument between God and Moses (peace be upon him) for seven days that he should become a Prophet but Moses (peace be upon him) did not accept the offer. At this God was angry with him and so made his brother Aaron (peace be upon him) a partner in his Prophethood. Moreover, He deprived the descendants of Moses (peace be upon him) of the office of priesthood and bestowed it on the descendants of Aaron (peace be upon him). These two versions depict Allah to be suffering from human weaknesses and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) from inferiority complex.