Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:64

(فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ): This is an explicit declaration of the requirement following the establishment of the premises, and the Fa (ف) is Fasiha (eloquent/explanatory). That is: If the situation is as mentioned—that they are two sorcerers desiring to do to you what they desire—then resolve upon your scheme and make it a collective effort such that no one among you differs from it, and strike from a single bow.

Al-Zuhri, Ibn Muhaisin, Abu ‘Amr, Ya’qub (in one narration), and Abu Hatim recited it as fajma‘u (فَاجْمَعُوا), connecting the hamzah and with a fatha on the mim, derived from al-jam’ (collecting). This is supported by the Almighty’s saying: "He collected his scheme" (fa-jama’a kaydahu). There is discussion among scholars regarding the distinction between jama’a and ajma’a. Ibn Hisham stated that ajma’a relates only to abstract meanings, whereas jama’a is shared between abstract meanings and physical entities. In ‘Umdat al-Huffaz, there is a narration stating that ajma’a is used more frequently for meanings, while jama’a is used for concrete objects; thus, one says: "I resolved upon my affair" (ajma’tu amri) and "I gathered my people" (jama’tu qawmi), though sometimes the opposite is said.

In al-Muhkam, it is stated that it is said: "He gathered the thing from its dispersion" (jama’a al-shay’ ‘an tafarruqihi), gathering it with a jam’, and "he gathered it" (ajma’ahu), making no distinction between them. Al-Farra’ said: If you intend to collect what is dispersed, you say: "I gathered the people" (jama’tu al-qawm), so they are "gathered" (majmu’un). If you intend to accumulate wealth, you say "I gathered" (jama’tu) with tashdid (shadda), though its simplification is permissible. Al-Ijma’, al-ihkam, and al-‘azim (determination) regarding a matter—the verb can be transitive on its own or with the particle ‘ala. You say: "I determined to leave" (ajma’tu al-khuruj) and "I resolved upon leaving" (ajma’tu ‘ala al-khuruj). Al-Asma’i said: It is said "I gathered the thing" (jama’tu al-shay’) when you bring it from here and there, and "I consolidated it" (ajma’tuhu) when you make it a single whole. Abu al-Haytham said: "He consolidated his affair" (ajma’a amrahu) means he made it a whole and resolved upon it after it had been dispersed, whereas dispersion is to say "I will do such" at one time, and "I will do such" at another. Al-Jam’ is to add one thing to another. Al-Farra’ said regarding this verse, according to the first recitation: "Do not leave any part of your scheme without bringing it."

(ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا): That is, in ranks. They were commanded to do this because it is more imposing in the hearts of the onlookers and more effective in instilling awe among the witnesses. It is said they were seventy thousand, each with a rope and a staff, and they approached him—peace be upon him—all at once. It is also said they were seventy-two sorcerers, two from the Copts and the rest from the Children of Israel. Others say nine hundred (three hundred Persians, three hundred Romans, three hundred from Alexandria), or fifteen thousand, or thirty-some thousand. The nature of such reports is not hidden, and the heart does not incline toward this exaggeration. God knows best. Perhaps the appointed time was in a wide space, and Musa—peace be upon him—addressed them in one of its corners with what was mentioned, and they disputed their affair in another corner of it, then they were commanded to come to its center in the aforementioned state. Abu ‘Ubaydah interpreted saffan as the place where they gather for their festival and prayers, but this is far-fetched; it is as if it were a proper noun for a specific location within the place of the festival. Under this interpretation, saffan is the direct object.

Shibl ibn ‘Abbad and Ibn Kathir (in one narration from Shibl) recited thumma i’tu with a kasra on the mim and replacing the hamzah with a ya’. Abu ‘Ali said: "This is a mistake, and there is no basis for the kasra on the mim." The author of al-Lawami’ said: "That is to avoid the meeting of two vowelless consonants, just as the fatha in the general recitation is."

(وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَى): This is an intercalary objection from their side, confirming what preceded it of the two aforementioned matters. That is: Whoever overcomes has attained the desired goal. Istaf’ala (to seek/attain) is in the sense of fa’ala (to do), as in al-Sihah, or it refers to one who seeks prominence and victory and exerts his effort accordingly—as per al-Bahr—so istaf’ala is in its literal sense. Perhaps it is more hyperbolic in incitement, as they assigned success to whoever seeks the upper hand, let alone the one who actually overcomes. By the "desired goal," they meant what Pharaoh promised them of wages and closeness, as expressed by the Almighty’s saying: "And you will be among those who are near." By "whoever overcomes," they meant themselves all together, in the manner of their saying: "By the might of Pharaoh, we are indeed the ones who will overcome," or those among them who overcome, as an urge to exert the utmost effort in the competition.

Al-Raghib said: Al-isti’la’ may be to seek a blameworthy status, or otherwise. Here, it admits both possibilities; thus, it is permissible that this statement is narrated from those speakers as an incitement to their gathering and seriousness, or that it is from the speech of God the Almighty, in which case the one who "overcomes" would be Musa and Harun—peace be upon them—and there would be no incitement in it. You know that the apparent meaning is the first.