Tā-Hā: (45–48) They both said, "Our Lord, indeed we..."

Analysis of the Verse: {They both said, "Our Lord, indeed we fear..."}

There are several questions arising from this statement:

First Question: The phrase {They both said, "Our Lord..."} indicates that the speakers were Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them). However, Aaron was not present for this specific discourse. How can this be reconciled?

• Answer: This has been addressed previously (in earlier commentary).

Second Question: Moses (peace be upon him) had prayed, {My Lord, expand for me my breast} (20:25), and God Almighty responded, {We have granted you your request, O Moses} (20:36). This implies his breast was expanded and his affair facilitated. How then could he say immediately after, {Indeed, we fear...}? The occurrence of fear seems to contradict the expansion of the breast.

• Answer: The expansion of the breast refers to strengthening him to manage the commands, prohibitions, and preservation of the divine laws without error or distortion. This is a separate matter from the removal of fear.

Third Question: Since God Almighty entrusted Moses and Aaron with the mission, were they not guaranteed immunity from being killed, which would prevent the delivery of the message?

• Answer: They were guaranteed immunity from being killed while delivering the message. However, they might have feared harm before completing the delivery or after. Furthermore, they sought reinforcement by asking their Lord for something to increase their steadfastness in calling (to God), namely, adding textual evidence (Naqlī) to the rational evidence (Aqlī) for greater tranquility, as Moses had previously requested, {but that my heart may be reassured} (2:260).

Fourth Question: Since God Almighty repeatedly commanded them to go, does their hesitation and citing fear indicate disobedience?

• Answer: If the command required immediate compliance (Fawr), then hesitation would be a strong indication of disobedience, especially since God had bestowed numerous honors, strengthened their hearts, and removed their distress. However, the command was not immediate, thus resolving the question. This is strong evidence that a command does not necessitate immediacy when coupled with the understanding that disobedience is impermissible for the Prophets.

Regarding His statement: {that he might rush us with punishment or that he might transgress} (20:45). Understand that there are several interpretations for {that he might rush us} (an yafriṭa):

1. Faraṭa means to precede or go ahead. Hence, the fāriṭ is the one who precedes the arriving caravan, and a faras farit is a horse that outpaces others. The meaning here is: We fear he might hasten the punishment upon us.
2. It is derived from Afraṭa someone, meaning he compelled them to haste. Thus, Moses and Aaron feared that someone might compel them toward hasty punishment. This "compeller" could be Satan, or Pharaoh's claim to divinity, or his love for authority, or his rebellious people (the Copts), whom God described: {The chiefs of his people said...} (7:60).
3. Yafriṭu (from Ifrāṭ) means excessive harm.

As for His statement: {or that he might transgress} (aw an yaṭghī), it means he might overstep the bounds to the point of saying what is inappropriate concerning you (God) due to his audacity.

Know that when someone is commanded to do something and attempts to ward it off with excuses, they must conclude their speech with the strongest point. This is similar to how the hoopoe concluded its excuse by saying, {I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of God} (27:24). Similarly here, Moses began by mentioning, {that he might rush us with punishment} and concluded with, {or that he might transgress}, because transgression against God is greater than hastening punishment against Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them).

Regarding His statement: {He said, "Fear not; indeed, I am with you both, listening and seeing"} (20:46). The meaning is: Do not fear what crossed your minds regarding rushing (punishment) or transgression, because this is what the context implies. This is clarified by the fact that God did not guarantee them safety from being rejected, from disbelief in the signs, or from confrontation with the sorcerers.

His statement: {Indeed, I am with you both} is an expression of protection and guardianship. In this sense, one says, "God is with you," as a form of supplication. He emphasized this by saying: {listening and seeing}. If someone is with another, supporting and protecting him, it is possible that he is not aware of every harm that befalls the protected person, but only guards him concerning what he knows. Therefore, the Almighty clarified that He is with them through protection and knowledge concerning everything that befalls them—and this is the ultimate removal of fear.

Al-Qaffāl said that {listening and seeing} might correspond to His statement: {that he might rush us with punishment or that he might transgress}. The meaning is: He might rush us by not listening to us, or he might transgress by killing us. God Almighty replied: {Indeed, I am with you both}, meaning I am listening to your speech, so I will make it heard by him, and I am seeing his actions, so I will not leave him until he does to you what you dislike.

Know that this verse indicates that His being Hearing and Seeing are attributes additional to His Knowledge, because {Indeed, I am with you both} already indicated knowledge. If {listening and seeing} also indicated knowledge, it would be redundant, which contradicts the general principle.

Furthermore, the Almighty repeated the command, saying: {So go to him} (20:47). This is because in the first instance, He said: {We will show you of Our greatest signs. Go to Pharaoh} (20:23-24). In the second instance: {Go, you and your brother}. In the third: {He said, "Go, both of you, to Pharaoh"} (20:43). And here, in the fourth instance, He said: {So go to him}.

If it is argued that in the second instance, God commanded them to say: {Speak to him gently} (20:44), while in this fourth instance, He commanded them: {Say, "Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord. So send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them"}—this involves a hardening (Taghliẓ) in several ways:

1. His statement: {Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord} involves several points of discussion:
   • First Point: His submission to them and acceptance of their authority would be a great matter for a dominant king.
   • Second Point: His statement: {So send with us the Children of Israel} implies a deficiency in his kingship, as he needed them for the works he intended, whether construction or otherwise.
   • Third Point: His statement: {and do not torment them}.
   • Fourth Point: His statement: {We have certainly brought you a sign from your Lord}.

So, what is the benefit of gentleness first and harshness second? * Answer: Because when a person shows obstinacy, harshness must follow.

If it is argued that they should have said: "We are messengers of your Lord, We have brought you a sign, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them," because mentioning the miracle alongside the claim of prophethood is preferable to delaying it? * Answer: This sequence is actually preferable to delaying it, because they mentioned the entirety of the claims first and then used the miracle as proof for that totality.

Regarding His statement: {We have certainly brought you a sign from your Lord} (20:47). A question arises here: God gave him two signs (the staff and the shining hand), and He said earlier: {Go, you and your brother, with Our signs} (20:42), which suggests three signs. But here He says: {a sign} (singular). How is this reconciled?

• Answer: Al-Qaffāl answered that the word sign (āyah) here refers to the genus of signs, as if He said: "We have brought you a clear proof from God." This proof could be a single argument or multiple arguments.

As for His statement: {And peace be upon whoever follows guidance} (20:47). Some commentators said this is from God's command to them, as if He said: "So say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord,' and say to him, 'And peace be upon whoever follows guidance.'" Others said that God's speech concluded at {We have certainly brought you a sign from your Lord}. The subsequent statement: {And peace be upon whoever follows guidance} is a promise from God to those who believe and affirm safety from the punishments of this world and the Hereafter. Salām here means safety, just as riḍāʿ and riḍāʿah mean the same thing. The preposition Lām (for) and ʿAlā (upon) here carry the same meaning, as in {For them is the curse, and for them is a wretched abode} (13:25), meaning upon them. Also, {Whoever does righteousness, it is for himself; and whoever does evil, it is against it} (41:46), and elsewhere: {If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, it is against yourselves} (17:7).

Regarding His statement: {Indeed, we have been inspired that the punishment is upon whoever denies and turns away} (20:48). Know that this verse is one of the strongest proofs that the punishment of a believer is not eternal. This is because the definite article (al-) in {the punishment} (al-ʿaḏāb) implies either totality (Istighrāq) or the essence (Māhiyyah). In either case, it necessitates that this category of punishment is restricted only to those who deny and turn away. Therefore, it must be that for those who do not deny and turn away, this type of punishment does not occur at all. The apparent meaning of this verse necessitates certainty that no believer is punished for neglecting some actions at certain times. Thus, the original ruling (non-eternity) must remain, because if finite punishment is followed by infinite safety, that punishment becomes as if it never occurred. Therefore, it is appropriate to say there is no punishment when that measure is attained. Moreover, His statement: {And peace be upon whoever follows guidance}, and since we interpreted Salām as safety, its apparent meaning necessitates that safety befall everyone who follows guidance. The one who knows God has followed guidance, so he must be one who attains safety.

Tā-Hā: (49–53) [Pharaoh] said, "Then who is your Lord, O Moses?"

{He said, "Our Lord is He Who gave everything its creation, then guided it."} (20:49-50)

{He said, "Then what about the former generations?"} (20:51)

{He said, "Knowledge of them is with my Lord in a Book. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."} (20:52)

{He Who made the earth for you a cradle and laid out for you paths therein, and sent down water from the sky, and thereby brought forth diverse pairs of vegetation.} (20:53)

{Eat and graze your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for those of understanding.} (20:54)

{From it We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth once again.} (20:55)