Tafsir of Al-Qasas 28:33

"He said, 'My Lord, indeed I...'"

It is said: rada’tuhu (I supported him). Al-rid’ is the noun for that with which one is supported; it is a fa’l form in the meaning of maf’ul (passive), just as al-dif’ is a noun for that with which one is warmed. Salamah ibn Jandal said: And my support is every white, sharp-edged blade, Keen of edge, cutting, yet notched.

It is recited as rid’an (with a hamza), as a simplification, just as it is recited as al-khab’.

{...a support, confirming me} The nominative (yusaddiquni) and the jussive (yusaddiqni) are [respectively] an adjective and a response [to the request], similar to {waliyan yarithuni}.

If you ask: What is the benefit of his brother confirming him? I say: The purpose of his confirmation is not merely to say to him, "You have spoken the truth," or to say to the people, "Moses has spoken the truth." Rather, it is for him to articulate the truth with his tongue, elaborate upon it, and argue with it against the disbelievers, just as an eloquent man with a sharp tongue would do. This functions as a "beneficial confirmation," just as a statement is confirmed by proof. Do you not see his words: {And my brother Aaron is more eloquent than me in speech, so send him with me}? The need for eloquence is for that purpose, not for saying "You have spoken the truth," for in that, Sahban [wa’il] and Baqil [al-A’raj] are equal. Or, it means he connects the wings of his speech with clarity until the one who fears his denial confirms him.

He attributed the confirmation to Aaron because he is the cause of it—a metaphorical attribution. The meaning of metaphorical attribution is that confirmation is, in reality, in the one who confirms; thus, attributing it to him is literal. There is no confirmation in the "cause," but the attribution was borrowed for it because it is clothed in confirmation through causation, just as the doer is clothed in it through direct action. The evidence for this interpretation is his saying: {Indeed, I fear that they will deny me}, and the reading of those who recited: (rid’an yusaddiquni). In this, there is reinforcement for the reading of yusaddiqni in the jussive.

{He said, "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both authority so they will not reach you. Through Our signs, you and those who follow you will be the victors."}