Tafsir of Al-Qasas 28:34

"And my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent than me in tongue, so send him with me as a rid’an (support/helper)." That is, an aid, as it is narrated from Qatadah, and Abu Ubaidah adopted this view, saying: "It is said, rada’tuhu against his enemy, meaning I aided him." Abu Hayyan said: The rid’ is the helper by whom a matter is strengthened; it is in the measure of a passive participle (maf’ul), acting as a noun for that by which one is aided, just as dif’ is a noun for that by which one keeps warm. Salamah bin Jandal said: "And my support (rid’i) is every shining, noble, intensely sharp sword, having notches." It is also said: "I rada’tu the wall," meaning I supported it with a piece of wood so it would not collapse.

His saying, "More eloquent than me," indicates that he (peace be upon him) possessed eloquence, but his brother's eloquence was greater than his own. Abu Ja’far, Nafi’, and the two Medinans read it as ridan, omitting the glottal stop (hamzah) and transferring its vowel to the dal. It is well-known regarding Abu Ja’far that he read it with the transfer without hamzah or tanwin, on the basis that he treated the connection as a pause. In the light reading of radan, it is permitted to consider it as a defective noun meaning "excess," from radaytu ‘alayhi, meaning "I increased."

"He will confirm me"—that is, he will clarify the truth with his tongue, elaborate upon it, and argue with the disbelievers through it. Thus, "confirming" is a metaphor for the aforementioned clarification that brings about belief, as it is like a witness to his speech. Attributing it to Aaron is literal, and the statement "And my brother Aaron..." guides toward this, for the excellence of eloquence is only needed for something like this—that is, for him to say, "You have spoken the truth," or "My brother Moses is truthful." Otherwise, Sahban and Baqil are equal in [the absence of] this. Or, [it means] he connects the wings of my speech with exposition until the people I fear will belie me believe me. Thus, "confirming" is in its literal sense, and it is attributed to Aaron (peace be upon him) because, through his exposition, he brings about the people's belief. This is supported by his saying, "Indeed, I fear that they will belie me," for it indicates that the confirmation is literal.

It is said: To confirm another means to manifest his truthfulness. Just as this occurs by saying, "He is truthful," or "You have spoken the truth," it also occurs by supporting him with arguments and the like, such as Allah the Exalted confirming the Prophets (peace be upon them) through miracles. The intended meaning here is that which is achieved through support with arguments; thus, the meaning is: He will manifest my truthfulness by establishing arguments and refuting doubts, "for I fear that they will belie me," and my tongue does not obey me when arguing. On this account, there is no need to claim metaphor in the word or the attribution. This is countered by the fact that it is not hidden that the meaning of "confirming him" is either saying, "He is truthful," or saying to him, "You have spoken the truth," and thus its application to someone else is apparently metaphorical.

The sentence "he will confirm me" can be an adjective for "support," or a state (hal), or a new beginning (isti’naf). Most of the seven [readers] read yusaddiquni in the jussive mood, as the answer to the imperative command. Some claimed that the answer [to the command] in the reading of the nominative is omitted, but the objection to this is that an imperative command does not necessarily require an answer, so there is no need to claim an omission. Ubayy and Zayd bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) read yusaddiqunani with a plural pronoun, referring to Pharaoh and his entourage, not Aaron, with the plural being for glorification as has been mentioned. The verb, according to what is narrated from Ibn Khalawayh, is in the jussive; he made this reading evidence for those among the seven who read it in the jussive. He said: "If it were nominative, it would be yusaddiqunani." Abu Hayyan mentioned that the jussive is the answer to the imperative, and the meaning in yusaddiquni is: "I hope for their confirmation of me." So reflect.