Taha 20:18
Ta-Ha · Juz 16 · Page 313
قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّؤُاْ عَلَيۡهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَـَٔارِبُ أُخۡرَىٰ ١٨
He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses."
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 20:18–19
قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ (He said, “ It is my staff” – 20:18. The simple question which was put to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) i.e. "What is in your hand?" called for an equally brief answer, such as, "It is a staff'. But he volunteered additional information which was outside the scope of the question put to him. First, he said that the staff belonged to him; second, that it served him many purposes, namely that he often reclined on it, and also beat down leaves from trees for his goats; third, that he put it to many other uses. This long and detailed reply is a perfect combination of extreme love and adoration on the one hand and profound reverence on the other. It is a natural human instinct that when a person finds the object of his adoration to be kind and attentive, he wishes to prolong the conversation in order to get the best advantage. At the same time the dictates of extreme respect require that the conversation should remain within proper limits and not become too lengthy. For this reason he ended his reply with a brief statement وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَآرِبُ أُخْرَىٰ i.e. "And for me it has many other uses", but he did not give any detail of those "other uses". (Ruh and Mazhari)
From this verse Qurtubi has deduced in his Tafsir that when needed, it is permissible, while answering a question, to include matters which are not specifically covered in the question.
Rule
This verse also shows that carrying a staff is a practice followed by the prophets. The Holy Prophet ﷺ also used to carry a staff in his hand and this practice has numerous religious as well as mundane advantages.
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20:13
وَأَنَا ٱخۡتَرۡتُكَ فَٱسۡتَمِعۡ لِمَا يُوحَىٰٓ ١٣
And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed [to you].
20:14
إِنَّنِيٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِي وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكۡرِيٓ ١٤
Indeed, I am Allāh. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.
20:15
إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ ءَاتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخۡفِيهَا لِتُجۡزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا تَسۡعَىٰ ١٥
Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it1 - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives.
1 translator’s note
- Meaning that Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) keeps knowledge of the Hour hidden from everyone except Himself. ↩
20:16
فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنۡهَا مَن لَّا يُؤۡمِنُ بِهَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ فَتَرۡدَىٰ ١٦
So do not let one avert you from it1 who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish.
1 translator’s note
- From preparation for the Hour or for the Hereafter. ↩
20:17
وَمَا تِلۡكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ ١٧
And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?"
20:18
قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّؤُاْ عَلَيۡهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَـَٔارِبُ أُخۡرَىٰ ١٨
He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses."
20:19
قَالَ أَلۡقِهَا يَٰمُوسَىٰ ١٩
[Allāh] said, "Throw it down, O Moses."
20:20
فَأَلۡقَىٰهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٞ تَسۡعَىٰ ٢٠
So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving swiftly.
20:21
قَالَ خُذۡهَا وَلَا تَخَفۡۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ٢١
[Allāh] said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition.
20:22
وَٱضۡمُمۡ يَدَكَ إِلَىٰ جَنَاحِكَ تَخۡرُجۡ بَيۡضَآءَ مِنۡ غَيۡرِ سُوٓءٍ ءَايَةً أُخۡرَىٰ ٢٢
And draw in your hand to your side; it will come out white without disease - another sign,
20:23
لِنُرِيَكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا ٱلۡكُبۡرَى ٢٣
That We may show you [some] of Our greater signs.
20:24
ٱذۡهَبۡ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ٢٤
Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed [i.e., tyrannized]."
20:25
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِي صَدۡرِي ٢٥
[Moses] said, "My Lord, expand [i.e., relax] for me my breast [with assurance]
20:26
وَيَسِّرۡ لِيٓ أَمۡرِي ٢٦
And ease for me my task
20:27
وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةٗ مِّن لِّسَانِي ٢٧
And untie the knot from my tongue
20:28
يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِي ٢٨
That they may understand my speech.
20:29
وَٱجۡعَل لِّي وَزِيرٗا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِي ٢٩
And appoint for me a minister [i.e., assistant] from my family -
20:30
هَٰرُونَ أَخِي ٣٠
Aaron, my brother.
20:31
ٱشۡدُدۡ بِهِۦٓ أَزۡرِي ٣١
Increase through him my strength
20:32
وَأَشۡرِكۡهُ فِيٓ أَمۡرِي ٣٢
And let him share my task
20:33
كَيۡ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرٗا ٣٣
That we may exalt You much
20:34
وَنَذۡكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا ٣٤
And remember You much.
20:35
إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرٗا ٣٥
Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing."
20:36
قَالَ قَدۡ أُوتِيتَ سُؤۡلَكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ ٣٦
[Allāh] said, "You have been granted your request, O Moses.
20:37
وَلَقَدۡ مَنَنَّا عَلَيۡكَ مَرَّةً أُخۡرَىٰٓ ٣٧
And We had already conferred favor upon you another time,