20:17 Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)

لما بين الله لموسى أصل الإيمان، أراد أن يبين له ويريه من آياته ما يطمئن به قلبه، وتقر به عينه، ويقوي إيمانه، بتأييد الله له على عدوه فقال: { وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَى } هذا، مع علمه تعالى، ولكن لزيادة الاهتمام في هذا الموضع، أخرج الكلام بطريق الاستفهام .

هذا برهان من الله تعالى لموسى عليه السلام ومعجزة عظيمة وخرق للعادة باهر دل على أنه لا يقدر على مثل هذا إلا الله عز وجل وأنه لا يأتي به إلا نبي مرسل وقوله وما تلك بيمينك يا موسى قال بعض المفسرين إنما قال له ذلك على سبيل الإيناس له وقيل إنما قال له ذلك على وجه التقرير أي أما هذه التي في يمينك عصاك التي تعرفها فسترى ما نصنع بها الآن "وما تلك بيمنك يا موسى" استفهام تقرير.

The Stick of Musa turned into a Snake

This was a proof from Allah for Musa and a great miracle. This was something that broke through the boundaries of what is considered normal, thus, it was a brilliant evidence that none but Allah could do. It was also a proof that no one could come with the likes of this (from mankind) except a Prophet who was sent (by Allah). Concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يمُوسَى

(And what is that in your right hand, O Musa) Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said, "He (Allah) only said this to him in order to draw his attention to it." It has also been said, "He only said this to him in order to affirm for him what was in his hand. In other words, that which is in your right hand is a stick that you are familiar with. You will see what We are about to do to it now."

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يمُوسَى

(And what is that in your right hand, O Musa) This is an interrogative phrase for the purpose of affirmation.

قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّؤُا عَلَيْهَا

(He said: "This is my stick, whereon I lean...") I lean on it while I am walking.

وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِى

(and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep,) This means, `I use it to shake the branches of trees so that the leaves will fall for my sheep to eat them. ' `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Imam Malik that he said, "It is when a man places his staff into a branch and shakes it so that its leaves and fruit will fall without breaking the stick. It is not the same as striking or beating." Maymun bin Mahran also said the same. Concerning his statement,

وَلِىَ فِيهَا مَأَرِبُ أُخْرَى

(and wherein I find other uses.) This means other benefits, services and needs besides this. Some of the scholars took upon themselves the burden of mentioning many of these obscure uses. Concerning Allah's statement,

قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يمُوسَى

((Allah) said: "Cast it down, O Musa!") "Throw down this stick that is in your right hand, O Musa."

فَأَلْقَـهَا فَإِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى

(He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.) This means that the stick changed into a huge snake, like a long python, and it moved with rapid movements. It moved as if it were the fastest type of small snake. Yet, it was in the form of the largest snake, while still having the fastest of movements.

تَسْعَى

(moving quickly.) moving restlessly. Concerning Allah's statement,

سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيَرتَهَا الاٍّولَى

(We shall return it to its former state. ) the form that it was in, as you recognized it before.

And what is that that happens to be in your right hand O Moses?’ the interrogative is meant as an affirmative but it is expressed as an interrogative in order that the miracle to be manifested in it be shown as consequent upon it.

Commentary

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ The question: "What is in your right hand, 0 Musa"? - 20:17 marks the beginning of the special favour which Allah Ta` ala showed towards Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) in order to dispel the fear created by the unusual sights that he had seen and the Divine Word that he had heard. The style in which Allah Ta` ala addressed him was friendly, inquiring from him what he held in his hand. Besides there was a subtle purpose in the question, namely to make him aware that what he held in his hand was a staff made of wood and nothing more. And when he had satisfied himself again that it was indeed a wooden staff, then the miracle of turning it into a serpent was revealed, thus precluding any doubt in his mind that in the darkness of the night he might have picked up a serpent instead of his staff.

What is that in thy right hand, O Moses? When Moses heard the address, “Surely I am thy Lord,” the ruling power of awe began to attack and he fell into bewilderment and confoundedness. Because of the force of that awe, ease did not remain in its place. His body was not able to bear it with patience, and his heart was not able to busy itself with intellect. The Lord of the Worlds attended to his heart with the call of gentleness; He began speaking about his staff. He said, “What is that in thy right hand, O Moses?” He said, “It is my staff” [20:18]. The command came, “Throw it down, O Moses! [20:19]. Throw down this staff concerning which you say that it is your staff.” Moses threw it down and it became a snake. When he saw that the snake aimed to come after him, he was frightened and fled. The call came, “Take it, and fear not! [20:21]. O Moses, pick up the snake and do not fear. This is that very staff of which you spoke, claiming it was your staff. O Moses, what do you have to do with making claims? The men of the road make no claims and ascribe nothing to themselves.” It was the attribute of Moses' own being and the traces of his claim that turned toward him in that Presence, for the claims of mortal nature were still staining his innate disposition. The stain appeared with the claim my staff, so it was said to him, “O Moses, there is still something of ego- ism in you.” It was a mercy from the Real to Moses that He said, “What is that in thy right hand, O Moses?,” for the claim appeared from his makeup, and when he was made aware of it, he left the claim behind and shook the dust from the cloak of his sinlessness.