Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Blessings for Them Musa reminded the Children of Israel of Allah's blessings, such as saving them from Fir`awn, his tyranny and the humiliation and disgrace they suffered. He reminded them of the glory and revenge against their enemy, when they watched them suffering in disgrace, destroyed by drowning and meeting utter demise. We mentioned this subject in the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Musa fasts and worships Allah for Forty Days Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the guidance that He sent to them by speaking directly to Musa and revealing the Tawrah to him. In it, was their law and the details of their legislation. Allah stated here that He appointed thirty nights for Musa. The scholars of Tafsir said that Musa fasted this period, and when they ended, Musa cleaned his teeth with a twig. Allah commanded him to complete the term adding ten more days, making the total forty. When the appointed term finished, Musa was about to return to Mount Tur, as Allah said, يبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَـكُمْ مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَـكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الاٌّيْمَنَ (O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount) 20:80. Musa left his brother Harun with the Children of Israel and commanded him to use wisdom and refrain from mischief. This was only a reminder, for Harun was an honorable and noble Prophet who had grace and exalted standard with Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and the rest of the Prophets.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Musa asks to see Allah Allah said that when Musa came for His appointment and spoke to Him directly, he asked to see Him, رَبِّ أَرِنِى أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِى ("O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allah said: "You cannot see Me,") `You cannot' (Lan) by no means indicates that seeing Allah will never occur, as (the misguided sect of) Al-Mu`tazilah claimed. The Hadiths of Mutawatir grade narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, affirm that the believers will see Allah in the Hereafter. We will mention these Hadiths under the explanation of Allah's statement, وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ - إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ (Some faces that Day shall be radiant. Looking at their Lord.) 75:22-23 In earlier Scriptures, it was reported that Allah said to Musa, "O Musa! No living soul sees Me, but will perish, and no solid but will be demolished." Allah said here, فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا (So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa fell down unconscious.) In his Musnad Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet said about Allah's saying; فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ (And when his Lord appeared to the mountain, ) «هكذا» (Like this) then he held out the tip of his little finger. At-Tirmidhi recorded this in the chapter of Tafsir for this Ayah, then he said; "This Hadith is Hasan Sahih Gharib." This was also recorded by Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak through the route of Hamad bin Salamah, and he said; "This Hadith is Sahih according to the criteria of Muslim and they did not record it." And As-Suddi reported that `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas about Allah's saying, فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ (And when his Lord appeared to the mountain,) Only the extent of the little finger appeared from Him, جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا (He made it collapse) as dust; وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا (And Musa fell down unconscious) fainting from it. Ibn Jarir recorded these because of the relation to the word Al-Ghashi. فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ (Then when he (Musa) recovered his senses) after he lost consciousness, قَالَ سُبْحَـنَكَ (he said: "Glory be to You,") thus, praising, glorifying and honoring Allah since no living soul could see Him in this life and remain alive. Musa' statement, تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ ("I turn to You in repentance") means, according to Mujahid, that from asking you to look at you, وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ("and I am the first of the believers."), among the Children of Israel, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, and Ibn Jarir preferred this view. Or, according to another narration from Ibn `Abbas, the meaning of, وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ("and I am the first of the believers."), is that `none shall see You (in this life).' Allah said, وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا (And Musa fell down unconscious.) Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah narrated a Hadith from the Prophet that is suitable to mention here. As for the Hadith from Abu Sa`id, Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih that he said: A Jew came to the Prophet after his face was smacked, and said, "O Muhammad! One of your companions from Al-Ansar smacked me on the face." The Prophet said, «ادْعُوه» (Summon him) and he was summoned. The Prophet asked him, «لِمَ لَطَمْتَ وَجْهَهُ؟» (Why did you smack his face) He said, "O Allah's Messenger! I passed by that Jew and heard him swearing, `No, by He Who has chosen Musa over mankind!' I said, `Over Muhammad too', and I became angry and struck his face." The Prophet said, «لَا تُخَيِّرُونِي مِنْ بَيْنِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِمُوسَى آخِذٌ بِقَائِمَةٍ مِنْ قَوَائِمِ الْعَرْشِ، فَلَا أَدْرِي أَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ جُوزِيَ بِصَعْقَةِ الطُّور» (Do not prefer me above the Prophets. Verily, on the Day of Resurrection, people will be struck unconscious, and I (feel that I) am the first to wake up. Thereupon I will find that Musa is holding onto a pillar of the Throne (`Arsh of Allah). I will not know if he woke up before me or he received his due (because of his) unconsciousness on (Mount) At-Tur.) Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in many locations of his Sahih, as did Muslim and Abu Dawud. As for the Hadith from Abu Hurayrah, Imam Ahmad and the Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) collected his narration.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah chooses Musa and gives Him the Tablets Allah states that He spoke to Musa directly and informed him that He has chosen him above the people of his time, by His Message and by speaking to him. Here we should mention that there is no doubt that Muhammad ﷺ is the chief of all the Children of Adam, the earlier and later ones among them. This is why Allah has chosen him to be the Final and Last Prophet and Messenger, whose Law shall remain dominant and valid until the commencement of the Last Hour. Muhammad's ﷺ followers are more numerous than the followers of all Prophets and Messengers. After Muhammad ﷺ, the next in rank of honor and virtue is Ibrahim upon him be peace,, then Musa, son of `Imran, who spoke to the Most Beneficent directly. Allah commanded Musa, saying, فَخُذْ مَآ ءاتَيْتُكَ (So hold to that which I have given you), of My Speech and conversation with you, وَكُنْ مِّنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ (and be of the grateful) , for it and do not ask for what is beyond your capacity to bear. Allah stated that He has written lessons and exhortation for all things and explanations for all things on the Tablets. It was said that in the Tablets, Allah wrote advice and the details of the commandments for lawful and prohibited matters. The Tablets contained the Tawrah, that Allah described; وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ مِن بَعْدِ مَآ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاٍّولَى بَصَآئِرَ لِلنَّاسِ (And indeed We gave Musa -- after We had destroyed the generations of old -- the Scripture as an enlightenment for mankind)28: 43. It was also said that Allah gave Musa the Tablets before the Tawrah, and Allah knows best. Allah said next, فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ (Hold unto these with firmness), be firm on the obedience, وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُواْ بِأَحْسَنِهَا (and enjoin your people to take the better therein.) Sufyan bin `Uyaynah said, "Abu Sa`d narrated to us from `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas that "Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to adhere to the toughest of what was ordained on his people." Allah's statement, سَأُوْرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَـسِقِينَ (I shall show you the home of the rebellious), means, you will witness the recompense of those who defy My order and deviate from My obedience, the destruction, demise and utter loss they will suffer.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah chooses Musa and gives Him the Tablets Allah states that He spoke to Musa directly and informed him that He has chosen him above the people of his time, by His Message and by speaking to him. Here we should mention that there is no doubt that Muhammad ﷺ is the chief of all the Children of Adam, the earlier and later ones among them. This is why Allah has chosen him to be the Final and Last Prophet and Messenger, whose Law shall remain dominant and valid until the commencement of the Last Hour. Muhammad's ﷺ followers are more numerous than the followers of all Prophets and Messengers. After Muhammad ﷺ, the next in rank of honor and virtue is Ibrahim upon him be peace,, then Musa, son of `Imran, who spoke to the Most Beneficent directly. Allah commanded Musa, saying, فَخُذْ مَآ ءاتَيْتُكَ (So hold to that which I have given you), of My Speech and conversation with you, وَكُنْ مِّنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ (and be of the grateful) , for it and do not ask for what is beyond your capacity to bear. Allah stated that He has written lessons and exhortation for all things and explanations for all things on the Tablets. It was said that in the Tablets, Allah wrote advice and the details of the commandments for lawful and prohibited matters. The Tablets contained the Tawrah, that Allah described; وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ مِن بَعْدِ مَآ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاٍّولَى بَصَآئِرَ لِلنَّاسِ (And indeed We gave Musa -- after We had destroyed the generations of old -- the Scripture as an enlightenment for mankind)28: 43. It was also said that Allah gave Musa the Tablets before the Tawrah, and Allah knows best. Allah said next, فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ (Hold unto these with firmness), be firm on the obedience, وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُواْ بِأَحْسَنِهَا (and enjoin your people to take the better therein.) Sufyan bin `Uyaynah said, "Abu Sa`d narrated to us from `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas that "Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to adhere to the toughest of what was ordained on his people." Allah's statement, سَأُوْرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَـسِقِينَ (I shall show you the home of the rebellious), means, you will witness the recompense of those who defy My order and deviate from My obedience, the destruction, demise and utter loss they will suffer.