Surah 20:40
Show Full Scripture Context (20:40-44) — 5 Verses
إِذۡ تَمۡشِيٓ أُخۡتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلۡ أَدُلُّكُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكۡفُلُهُۥۖ فَرَجَعۡنَٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَيۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَۚ وَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسٗا فَنَجَّيۡنَٰكَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونٗاۚ فَلَبِثۡتَ سِنِينَ فِيٓ أَهۡلِ مَدۡيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئۡتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٖ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
When your sister went out, she said, “Shall I direct you to (someone) who will take charge of him?” And We returned you to your mother, so that she might be comforted and not sorrow. And (then) you killed a man, and We rescued you from that distress, and We tested you thoroughly. So you remained for (some) years with the people of Midian, (and) then you came (here), according to a decree, Moses.’
وَٱصۡطَنَعۡتُكَ لِنَفۡسِي
‘I have brought you up for Myself.
ٱذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِـَٔايَٰتِي وَلَا تَنِيَا فِي ذِكۡرِي
Go, you and your brother, with My signs, and do not be lax in My remembrance.
ٱذۡهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Surely he has transgressed insolently.
فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوۡلٗا لَّيِّنٗا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوۡ يَخۡشَىٰ
But speak to him a soft word. Perhaps he may take heed or fear.’
«Adam and Musa met J 11 and Musa said, “You are the one who made things difficult for mankind and you caused them to be evicted from Paradise." Adam said, “Are you the one whom Allah chose for His Message, and He selected you for Himself and He revealed the Tawrah to you?" Musa replied, "Yes." Then Adam said, "Did you find that it was preordained upon me before He (Allah) created me?" Musa replied, "Yes." Therefore, Adam defeated Musa's argument.^
Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this narration.
Concerning Allah’s statement,
This means with My proofs, evidences and miracles.
‘Ali bin Abi Talhah related from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “This means do not be slow. ’’ Mujahid reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “This means do not be weak.” The meaning here is that they should not slacken in the remembrance of Allah. Rather, they both should remember Allah during their meeting with Fir'awn so that the remembrance of Allah can be an aid for them against him. The remembrance of Allah would be their strength and their power that would defeat him.
Allah’s statement;
means that he has rebelled and become haughty and insolent against Allah and he has disobeyed Him.
This Ayah contains a great lesson. Even though Fir'awn was the most insolent and arrogant of people and Musa was the friend of Allah among His creation at that time, Musa was still commanded to speak to Fir'awn with mildness and softness. Therefore, their invitation to him was with gentle, soft and easy speech that is used by one who is a close friend. This is so that the message may have more effect on the souls, and so it would have deeper and more beneficial results. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,
Concerning Allah’s statement.
This means that perhaps he will recant from that which he is in of misguidance and destruction,
meaning that he will become obedient due to fear of Allah. This is as Allah says,
{For such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude.} [25:62]
Thus, to remember means to recant from that which is dangerous, and fear means to attain obedience.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 6, Page 342-344)