Surah 28:18
Show Full Scripture Context (28:18-19) — 2 Verses
فَأَصۡبَحَ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفٗا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِي ٱسۡتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِ يَسۡتَصۡرِخُهُۥۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيّٞ مُّبِينٞ
The next day he was in the city, afraid (and) watchful, when suddenly the one who had sought his help the day before cried out to him for help (again). Moses said to him, ‘Surely you are in error indeed!’
فَلَمَّآ أَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يَبۡطِشَ بِٱلَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوّٞ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقۡتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسَۢا بِٱلۡأَمۡسِۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِينَ
But when he was about to attack the one who was an enemy to them both, he said, ‘Moses! Do you intend to kill me as you killed (that) person yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant on the earth, and you do not want to be one of those who set (things) right.’
Allah tells us that when Musa killed that Coptic,
{he became afraid in the city} meaning, of the consequences of his action,
{looking about} means, turning around and watching out, waiting for the consequences of his action to befall him. He went out and about, and saw the man who sought his help the day before, fighting with another Coptic. When Musa passed by him, he called for his help again, against this other Coptic. Musa said to him:
{Verily, you are a plain misleader!} meaning, “you obviously lead people astray and are very evil.' Then Musa intended to attack that Coptic, but the Israelite — because of his own cowardice and weakness - thought that Musa wanted to hit him because of what he had said, so he said, in self-defence -
Nobody except him and Musa, peace be upon him, knew about it, but when the other Coptic heard this, he took the news to Fir'awn's gate and told him about it. So Fir'awn came to know of it, and he became very angry and resolved to kill Musa, so he sent people after him to bring him to him.