7:107 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

فَأَلْقَى موسى عَصَاهُ في الأرض فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُبِينٌ أي: حية ظاهرة تسعى، وهم يشاهدونها.

قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس في قوله "ثعبان مبين" الحية الذكر وكذا قال السدي والضحاك وفي حديث الفتون من رواية يزيد بن هارون بن الأصبغ بن زيد عن القاسم بن أبي أيوب عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال "فألقى عصاه" فتحولت حية عظيمة فاغرة فاها مسرعة إلى فرعون فلما رآها فرعون أنها قاصدة إليه أقتحم عن سريره و استغاث بموسى أن يكفها عنه ففعل وقال قتادة: تحولت حية عظيمة مثل المدينة. وقال السدي في قوله "فإذا هي ثعبان مبين" الثعبان الذكر من الحيات فاتحة فاها واضعة لحيها الأسفل في الأرض والآخر على سور القصر ثم توجهت نحو فرعون لتأخذه فلما رآها ذعر منها ووثب وأحدث ولم يكن يحدث قبل ذلك وصاح يا موسى خذها وأنا أومن بك وأرسل معك بني إسرائيل فأخذها موسى عليه السلام فعادت عصا وروي عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس نحو هذا وقال وهب بن منبه لما دخل موسى على فرعون قال له فرعون أعرفك قال نعم قال "ألم نربك فينا وليدا" قال فرد إليه موسى الذي رد فقال فرعون خذوه فبادر موسى "فألقى عصاه فإذا هي ثعبان مبين" فحملت على الناس فانهزموا منها فمات منهم خمسة وعشرون ألفا قتل بعضهم بعضا وقام فرعون منهزما حتى دخل البيت. رواه ابن جرير والإمام أحمد في كتابه الزهد وابن أبي حاتم وفيه غرابة في سياقه والله أعلم.

ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ

(a Thu`ban serpent, manifest), refers to "The male snake." As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak said similarly. A report from Ibn `Abbas said,

فَأَلْقَى عَصَاهُ

"(Then (Musa) threw his staff), and it turned into a huge snake that opened its mouth and rushed towards Fir`awn. When Fir`awn saw the snake rushing towards him, he jumped from his throne and cried to Musa for help, so that Musa would remove the snake from his way. Musa did that." As-Suddi commented,

فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ

(and behold! It was a Thu`ban serpent, manifest!) "This Thu`ban refers to male snakes. The snake opened its mouth and headed towards Fir`awn to swallow him, placing its lower jaw on the ground and its upper jaw reaching the (top of the) wall of the palace. When Fir`awn saw the snake, he was frightened, so he jumped and wet himself and he never wet himself before this incident. He cried, `O Musa! Take it away and I will believe in you and release the Children of Israel to you.' So Musa, peace be on him, took it, and it became a staff again. "

وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ بَيْضَآءُ لِلنَّـظِرِينَ

(And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was white (with radiance) for the beholders.) Musa took his hand out of his cloak after he inserted his hand in it and it was shining, not because of leprosy or sickness. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ

(And put your hand into your bosom, it will come forth white without hurt.) 27:12 Ibn `Abbas said, "without hurt', means, `not because of leprosy'. Musa inserted his hand again in his sleeve and it returned back to its normal color." Mujahid and several others said similarly.

Then he cast down his staff and lo! it was a serpent manifest for all to see an enormous snake.

The prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) in response to his demand, threw down his staff on the earth, instantly it turned into a serpent: فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ. The word 'thu` ban' in Arabic signifies a huge serpent. The use of the word 'mubin' as an adjective which means 'clear or prominent' is quite descriptive of the fact that this miraculous event took place manifestly before the eyes of the people of the Pharaoh, and it was not performed secretly in a hidden or secluded place as is usually done by magicians. In some historical traditions it has been cited on the authority of the Companion Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that as the serpent moved towards Pharaoh, he jumped from his throne and sought shelter near the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) and many of his courtiers died of extreme fear. (Tafsir Kabir)

Transformation of the staff into a real serpent is not, in fact, totally impossible as it apparently seems. It is, however, surprising due to being unusual. The miracle has to be an unusual act, beyond the power of a common individual. Allah shows the miracles through His prophets to make people understand that they possess some divine powers and are true prophets of Allah.