Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:25

Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:25)

{قال رب إني لا أملك إلا نفسي وأخي}

Then, Allah recounts what Moses (peace be upon him) said after hearing their words: {My Lord, indeed I control not except myself and my brother}.

Al-Zajjaj mentioned two grammatical interpretations for the case of {وأخي} (and my brother): raising (nominative) and نصب (accusative).

As for the Nominative Case (الرفع):

1. It is coordinated with the implied subject of {إنى} (I am), meaning: "I control nothing except myself, and my brother is likewise." This is similar to the verse: {Indeed, Allah is free from obligation to the polytheists, and [so is] His Messenger} (At-Tawbah: 3).
2. It is coordinated with the pronoun in {أملك} (I control), which is I (أنا). The meaning is: "Neither I nor my brother control anything except ourselves."

As for the Accusative Case (النصب):

1. It is coordinated with the Yā' (the 'me' in Inni), implying: "Indeed, my brother and I control nothing except ourselves."
2. It is coordinated with {نفسى} (myself). The meaning is: "I control nothing except myself, and I control nothing except my brother," because if his brother is obedient to him, then he controls his obedience.

If it is asked: Why did he say, "I control nothing except myself and my brother," when there were two other men mentioned [with him]?

We reply:

1. Perhaps he did not fully trust those two men, given the overwhelming persistence of the majority in rebellion.
2. Alternatively, he might have said this to minimize the number of those who agreed with him.
3. It is also possible that "the brother" refers to the one he is allied with in faith (religion). In this case, those two men would be included in the statement {وأخي}.

Then he said: {فافرق بيننا وبين القوم الفاسقين} (So make a decision between us and the defiantly disobedient people). This means: Separate us from them by judging for us what we deserve and judging them for what they deserve. This is a form of supplication (Du'a) against them. It could also mean: Deliver us from their company, similar to the verse: {and save me from the wrongdoing people} (Al-Qasas: 21).

Then, Allah Almighty said:

{قال فإنها محرمة عليهم أربعين سنة يتيهون فى الأرض فلا تأس على القوم الفاسقين}

{He said, "Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years. In the land they will wander. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people."}