ﱳ ﱴ ﱵ ﱶ ﱷ ﱸ ﱹ ﱺ ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ
And [he was told], "Throw down your staff." But when he saw it writhing as if it was a snake, he turned in flight and did not return. [Allah said], "O Moses, approach and fear not. Indeed, you are of the secure.
Tafsir
Verse range: 28:31
"And throw your staff" is a conjunctive clause linked to the earlier [phrase] "O Moses." The fa (ف) in His saying: "And when he saw it writhing" is fasihah (eloquent/explanatory), revealing implicit clauses that were omitted, relying on the context of the situation to indicate them, and signaling the extreme speed with which their meanings were realized. That is: So he threw it, and it became a snake, and then it wriggled.
"And when he saw it writhing and moving, as if it were a jan (a small, quick snake)." The jan is a black-eyed snake that is non-venomous and frequently found in houses. The comparison to it refers to the speed of its movement and its agility, not to its form or bulk. Therefore, it should not be said: "Since it became a great serpent when he threw it, how is it valid to compare it to a jan?" Some have said: It is permissible that the intent is to compare it to the jan in form and bulk, and there is no harm in that, for snakes have various states in which they become thin or thick. Others have said: Al-jan is also used for large snakes, so the comparison is intended in that regard. The first [explanation] is the preferred one.
"And he turned in retreat" — fleeing out of fear — "and did not look back" — meaning he did not turn around. "O Moses," meaning he was called out to, or it was said: "O Moses, approach and fear not. Indeed, you are of the secure ones" from all that is feared, for those sent by Me do not fear in My presence.
