Al-Kashshaf on Ash-Shu`ara' 26:30

Surah Ash-Shu`ara' 26:30

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ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ

[Moses] said, "Even if I brought you proof manifest?"

Al-Shuʿarāʾ: (30) "He said, 'Even if I brought you...'"

The wāw in His saying: {أو لو جئتك} (Even if I brought you): It is the wāw of state (ḥāl), upon which the interrogative hamza has entered. Its meaning is: "Will you do this to me, even if I were to bring you something manifest?" That is, "bringing a miracle."

Regarding His saying: {إن كنت من الصادقين} (If you are of the truthful): It implies that no one brings a miracle except one who is truthful in his claim. This is because a miracle is God’s attestation for the one who claims prophethood, and the Wise (God) does not attest for a liar.

It is astonishing that someone like Pharaoh was not unaware of this, yet it remained hidden from some people of the Qibla (Muslims), who deemed it possible for God Almighty to perform the ugly/repugnant act of attesting for liars through miracles.

The structure: The implied meaning is: "If you are truthful in your claim, then bring it." The consequence (jazāʾ) is omitted because the command to bring it indicates it.

{فألقى عصاه فإذا هي ثعبان مبين * ونزع يده فإذا هي بيضاء للناظرين} (So he threw down his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent manifest. And he drew out his hand, and suddenly it was white to the observers.)

Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:30

Al-Kashshaf

Al-Shuʿarāʾ: (30) "He said, 'Even if I brought you...'"

{فألقى عصاه فإذا هي ثعبان مبين * ونزع يده فإذا هي بيضاء للناظرين} (So he threw down his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent manifest. And he drew out his hand, and suddenly it was white to the observers.)