Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:15

(He said, "No, so go, both of you, with Our signs...")

This is a response to him—peace be upon him—regarding his two requests, as the Almighty promised him the repulsion of the enemies' calamity by deterring him from fear, and added his brother to him with the words: (Go, both of you). It is as if the Almighty said to him: "Desist from the fear of being killed, for you are under Our eyes. So go, you and your brother Aaron, whom you requested." The mention [of the two] came in reverse order to the laff (folding/combination) [implied in the request], because of the precedence of what was initially mentioned to Moses—peace be upon him. The apparent context necessitates that Aaron was not present; therefore, the aforementioned address utilizes the rhetorical device of taghlib (dominance/incorporation). The verb is conjoined to the verb indicated by (No), as we have pointed out. It is also said that the fa (so) is fasiha (eloquent, implying an omitted condition). The "signs" refer to the miracles with which Allah the Exalted sent them; in them lies a symbol that they will repel what he fears.

His saying, the Almighty: (Indeed, We are with you, listening) is a justification for the deterrence from fear and an additional consolation for both of them, through the guarantee of perfect preservation and victory, similar to His saying: (Indeed, I am with you both, hearing and seeing). The address is to Moses, Aaron, and those who follow them from the Children of Israel; thus, the speech contains glad tidings by signaling the loftiness of their affair and the people's adherence to them. Sibawayh went to the view that it refers to both of them—peace be upon them—and due to their nobility and greatness before Allah the Exalted, they were treated in the address with the plural [form]. This was objected to on the grounds that it is contradicted by what follows and precedes it regarding the dual pronoun. It is also said that it refers to both of them—peace be upon them—and Pharaoh, considering that the promised aid is taking place in his presence. If you wish, you may add to that Pharaoh’s people as well. This was objected to on the grounds that general companionship—that is, the companionship of knowledge—is not exclusive to anyone, according to His saying: (And there is no [number] less than that or more except that He is with them). The specific companionship, meaning the companionship of compassion and victory, does not befit the disbeliever, even by way of taghlib. It was answered that the exclusivity of the companionship does not necessarily have to be by what was mentioned, but by another way: the rescue of one of the two disputants from the other through the victory of the truth-follower and retribution against the one who is in error.

In any case, the prepositional phrase [in ma'akum] is in the position of the predicate, because (listening) is a second predicate, or the predicate is (listening) and the prepositional phrase relates to it, or relates to a concealed element that acts as a state (hal) for its pronoun. Its precedence is for the sake of importance, or the rhyme, or for exclusivity. This is based on the idea that "companionship" is intended to mean "listening" in relation to the Almighty, which is a metaphor for hearing. It was chosen for emphasis because it contains an affirmation of perception, which is something Allah the Exalted is exalted above, whether by way of a sense or otherwise. Thus, what was said—that hearing in reality is perception by a sense—falls away. If it is meant as absolute perception, then "listening" is the same, so there is no need for metaphor there. Many have favored the metaphor here.

Some said: (Indeed, We are with you, listening) is a sentence used as a representational metaphor (isti'ara tamthiliyya). It likens His state—the Almighty—to the state of one with authority who attends the disputation of a people, listening to what is occurring between them in order to support His allies against their enemies, as an exaggeration in the promise of assistance. In that case, there is no metaphor in any of its individual components, and (listening) is not applied to the Exalted One [literally]; thus, there is no need to make it mean "hearing," unless it is said that it is the same in the source of the borrowing. This is because the intent is "hearing," not "listening" (istima'), which might not reach Him—but [this view] is as you see it.

It was also permitted that (Indeed, We are with you) alone is a representation of His state—the Almighty—in His victory and support, similar to the state of whom we mentioned, and that "listening" is a metaphor for "hearing." This is in accordance with its apparent meaning, as it is not applied to the Glorified One [in literal terms]—like "hearing"—as a contextual indication, even if it is a metaphor. The indication in reality is rational, which is the impossibility of His—His majesty be exalted—presence in a place. It is necessary, based on this, to say that the "listening" mentioned in the framing of the representation is not what actually occurred in the noble text, but is one of the requirements of the presence of the Judge for the dispute, and there is remoteness in this.

Furthermore, what they mentioned—even if it is based on making the address to Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh—can be applied to making it for both of them only—peace be upon them—without those who follow them, or for both of them only, with the slightest effort of interpretation. So understand, and do not be heedless.

Some claimed that "companionship" and "listening" are in their literal senses and not a representation, and the meaning is that "Our angels are with you, listening." This is something that should not be listened to. In this case, one must intend "assistance and victory" in the speech, otherwise, the mere companionship of the angels—peace be upon them—and their listening would not comfort the heart of Moses—peace be upon him.