Tafsir of Al-Qasas 28:20

"And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running."

Regarding his name, it is said: Sham'an; it is said: Sham'un ibn Ishaq; it is said: Hizqil; and it is said otherwise. That this man who came is the believer from the family of Pharaoh is the most famous opinion, though it is said he is someone else.

Yas'a (running/striving) means hastening in walking; he only hastened due to the distance of his location and his extreme concern for informing Musa, peace be upon him, and advising him. It is also said that yas'a means seeking the Countenance of Allah the Exalted, as in His, the Glorified's, saying: "And strives for it with the necessary striving." Although this is figurative, it is permissible to interpret it as such due to its fame.

The apparent meaning is that min aqsa (from the farthest end) is linked to ja'a (came), and the sentence yas'a (running) is an adjective for rajul (a man). It is permitted that min aqsa is in the position of an adjective for rajul, and the sentence yas'a is a second adjective. It is also permitted that the sentence is in the state of being a circumstantial qualifier (hal) for rajul. If the prepositional phrase is placed in the position of an adjective for him, it is clear, because even though it is indefinite, it is attached to the definite, making it permissible to be a possessor of a state (dhu hal). As for it being linked to ja'a, the majority prohibit this, while Sibawayh permits it. It is also permitted that the prepositional phrase be linked to yas'a, but that is as you see it.

"He said: O Musa, indeed the chiefs" — they are the notables of Pharaoh’s state — "are conspiring against you" — meaning, they are consulting regarding you. Consultation is called i'timar because each of the participants commands the other and receives commands — "to kill you, so leave the city; indeed, I am among those who give you sincere advice."

The lam (in laka) is for clarification, as in suqya laka (an expression of wishing rain/well-being for you), so it is linked to an omitted verb, meaning "I intend [this] for you." The majority do not permit it to be linked to al-nasihin (the sincere advisers) because the al (definite article) therein is a relative pronoun, and the dependent of the relative clause cannot precede the relative pronoun. Nor can it be linked to an omitted preceding verb which the mentioned one explains, because that which does not function cannot explain a functional element. According to those who permit the precedence of the dependent of a relative clause—if the relative pronoun is specifically al because it takes the form of a particle, or if the preceding element is an adverb due to the latitude allowed therein, or if one says that al here is a definite article for the sake of establishing the attribute—then it is permissible for laka to be linked to al-nasihin or to an omitted verb explained by it.

Al-Qurtubi and others deduced from this verse the permissibility of tale-bearing when it is for a religious benefit.