Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:45

(They said) is an explanatory commencement, as if it were said: "What did they say when they were commanded with what they were commanded?" So it was said, (They said), etc. The speech is attributed to both of them, even though the speaker is Moses, peace be upon him—according to the opinion that Aaron, peace be upon him, was absent—as a form of taghlib (dominance/generalization), as previously mentioned. It is also permissible that Aaron, peace be upon him, had said this after he met with Moses, peace be upon him, so his statement was narrated alongside Moses’s statement at the time of the verse's revelation, just as in His saying, the Exalted: "O messengers, eat from the good things," for this address has been narrated to us in the plural form, even though none of the messengers were addressed individually. It is also permissible that they were together at the Mount and both said: (Our Lord, indeed we fear that he will hasten against us), meaning: that he will inflict punishment upon us and will not wait for the completion of the call and the manifestation of the miracle. This is derived from fart (to precede/anticipate); from it comes the farit (one who is ahead, the scout/precursor), and a faras farit (a horse that outstrips others). The agent of yafrut (hasten) in this interpretation is Pharaoh.

Abu al-Baqa said: It is permissible that the estimation is "that a statement may hasten from him against us," omitting the word "statement" just as you say, "a statement hastened from me," though this is contrary to the apparent meaning.

Yahya, Abu Nawfal, and Ibn Muhaysin (in one narration) recited it as yufrit (with a damma on the ya and a fatha on the ra), from the verb afrattuhu, meaning "I incited him to haste." That is: "We fear that someone—whether through arrogance, fear for his kingdom, or other motives—might incite him to hasten with punishment." A group, and al-Za‘farani from Ibn Muhaysin, recited it as yufrit (with a damma on the ya and a kasra on the ra), from ifrat (excessiveness) in causing harm.

This statement is problematized by His saying, the Exalted: "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both dominion so that they will not reach you." This is mentioned before this statement of theirs, as indicated by "We will strengthen..." This indicates that they were protected from his punishment and harm, so how could they fear it? It is answered that it is not definitive that the meaning is "they will not reach you with punishment," for it is possible that it means "they will not reach you to overcome you with argument," and furthermore, the chronological order in narration is not established—especially since the waw (and) does not signify sequence. The mentioned interpretation is narrated from many of the predecessors, among them Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, and it is what the apparent meaning dictates.

The Imam claimed that they were certain, through rational evidence, that what would cut them off from performing their mission would not occur, but they requested what is mentioned to add to the steadfastness of their hearts—so that narrated evidence might be added to rational evidence. This is similar to what occurred for Abraham, peace be upon him, in his saying: "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." However, it is not hidden that the claim that they knew by rational evidence that what would cut them off from the performance would not occur is a weak argument.

It is also problematized by the existence of fear in Moses, peace be upon him, as it prevents the attainment of the "expansion of the breast" (sharh al-sadr) for him, which indicates its realization in His saying, the Exalted, after he asked Him for it: "You have been granted your request, O Moses." The Imam answered that the expansion of the breast refers to his strength in grasping those commands and prohibitions and preserving those laws in a way that no forgetfulness or distortion can reach them—and that is a different matter from the removal of fear. You know that many commentators went toward the view that the expansion of the breast here means its widening, which is the absence of anguish and heart-anxiety regarding the hardships that come on the path of conveying the message, and receiving that with complete patience and good steadfastness.

This is answered by the fact that there is no contradiction between fearing something and having patience with it—and not feeling anguish from it—should it occur. Do you not see many of the faithful fearing trials and asking Allah, the Exalted, for protection from them, yet when they descend upon them, they receive them with an expanded breast, show patience, and do not feel anguish?

It is also said: They, peace be upon them, did not fear the punishment except because it would cut off the performance through which guidance is hoped for. So their fear, in reality, was only of being cut off and the non-completion of the conveyance. Moses, peace be upon him, did not ask for the expansion of the breast to endure that (punishment).

It is also problematized by the fact that Moses, peace be upon him, had already asked for and been granted the facilitation of his affair through the providing of means and the removal of obstacles, so how could he fear being cut off from performance through punishment? It is answered that this is a specific request for the removal of a particular obstacle after the request for the removal of the general obstacle, requested to emphasize its removal due to the importance of that matter.

It is also said that the verse contains a form of taghlib of his brother Aaron over himself, and nothing preceded it to indicate his (Aaron's) safety, so contemplate this.

It is also problematized by the lack of departing and the making of excuses through fear, given the repetition of the command, as it indicates disobedience, which is not permissible for the Prophets, peace be upon them, according to the correct view. The Imam answered that the indication of disobedience is acknowledged only if the command implies immediacy—and it does not. Then he said: "This is one of the strongest evidences that a command does not imply immediacy when you combine it with that which indicates that disobedience is not permissible for the Prophets, peace be upon them."

The "or" (aw) in His saying, the Exalted: (or that he will transgress) is for excluding the possibility of neither occurring; the intended meaning is "or that he will increase in transgression until he says concerning you what is not appropriate, due to his extreme audacity, harshness, and lack of good manners." In this, there is also an invocation of His mercy, the Exalted, and the expression of the word "that" (an), despite the meaning being sound without it, is to show the completeness of the concern for the matter and a sign that the fear is realized from both of the coupled possibilities.