Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:13

These two are conjoined to the predicate of inna in his statement, peace be upon him. There are three causes: the fear of being accused of lying, the straitening of the breast, and the inability of the tongue to move. The apparent meaning is that the latter two states existed in and of themselves, not as consequences of the accusation of lying, so as to fall under the umbrella of "fear."

However, al-A’raj, Talhah, ‘Isa, Zayd ibn ‘Ali, Abu Haywah, and Za’idah—reporting from al-A’mash and Ya’qub—read both verbs in the accusative case (nasb), conjoining them to "(that they) will accuse me of lying" (yukadhdhibun). This implies their inclusion under the umbrella of fear. Since the standard is for the two readings to be in agreement, it is said that they are consequences of that fear, as if he said: "My Lord, I fear they will accuse me of lying, and consequently, my breast straitens out of distress, and my tongue does not move due to the imprisonment of speech impediments and the restriction of stuttering caused by the contraction of the vital spirit—which moves the muscles—occurring during the straitening of the breast and the anguish of the heart."

The intention is the occurrence of the tongue’s stumbling for him, peace be upon him, due to that, as is observed in many eloquent speakers when their grief intensifies and their breasts straiten; their tongues stumble to the point that they can hardly clarify their intent. This applies if we say that this speech occurred after his supplication to solve the knot and Allah’s response to him by removing it entirely. Or, the intent may be the intensification of what he was already experiencing, if we say this was before the supplication, or after it, but the knot was not entirely resolved; rather, only that which prevented his speech from being understood was resolved, such that his speech became comprehensible while a slight impediment remained.

Some have said: There is no need for the theory of "consequence"; rather, both are included under the fear by being conjoined to "accuse me of lying," as in the reading of the accusative. This is based on what al-Biqa’i permitted, that "I fear" (akhafu) means "I know" or "I think," making anna (that) a softened form of the heavy anna (ann) because it follows what implies knowledge or supposition. One is committed, according to this, to reading "I fear" in the accusative reading as its literal meaning, so as not to contradict that, and claiming the outcome is the same.

Abu ‘Amr al-Dani recounted from al-A’raj that he read "straitens" (yadiqu) in the accusative and "does not move" (yantaliqu) in the nominative. The discussion regarding that is known from what has been mentioned. Regardless, the intent of "straitening of the breast" is the straitening of the heart, expressed as such for the sake of hyperbole and to denote grief.

Furthermore, this speech from him, peace be upon him, is not a clinging to excuses or a request to be exempted from complying with the command of the Almighty, nor is it a refusal to accept it with listening and obedience. Rather, it is the laying of groundwork for an excuse in requesting assistance for compliance and establishing the call in the most perfect manner. For what he mentioned might necessitate the disruption of the call and the alienation of the proof. This request is contained in the statement of the Almighty: "So send for Harun" (i.e., send Jibril, peace be upon him, to Harun and appoint him a prophet, and support me through him, and strengthen my arm with him). For in sending him, peace be upon him, all these purposes are achieved, though it is elaborated upon in Surah al-Qasas and suffice here with the core, representing what is contained within it.

Among the proofs that this is the meaning—and not that it is an excuse—is the occurrence of "So send" interposed between the opening clauses and the fourth, which is "and they have..." etc., thereby indicating its connection to them. If it were an excuse, it would be to the contrary. His order to bring [him] does not necessitate what he, peace be upon him, requested. Estimating a direct object for "send" to be that which we indicated is a view held by more than one scholar; some estimated an angel, as there is no certainty that he, peace be upon him, knew at that moment that Jibril, peace be upon him, was the messenger of Allah—the Almighty and Exalted—to those whom He chooses as prophets among mankind.

In the report, it is mentioned that Allah, the Exalted, sent Musa to Harun, and Harun was in Egypt when Allah, the Exalted, sent Musa as a prophet in the Levant. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from al-Suddi who said: Musa, peace be upon him, came to his family and traveled with them toward Egypt until he arrived at night. He sought hospitality with his mother, not knowing them. That night they were eating tafishal (a dish). He descended to the side of the house, then Harun, peace be upon him, came. When he saw his guest, he asked his mother about him, and she informed him that he was a guest. He invited him, and he ate with him. When they sat down, they talked, and Harun asked him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am Musa." Each of them stood up to the other and embraced. When they recognized each other, Musa said to him, "O Harun, come with me to Pharaoh, for Allah, the Exalted, has sent us to him." Harun said, "Hearing and obedience." Their mother stood up, cried out, and said, "I adjure you by Allah the Exalted, do not go to Pharaoh, for he will kill you." But they refused and set out toward him at night. And Allah the Exalted knows best the authenticity of this.