- [I swear by] Taa Haa (20:1)
Note: Taa Haa. is an oath of God being at the beginning of the surah affirms that God has sent down the Quran, which is a reminder for whoever fears the One Who has created the earth and the high heavens. However, the initial Taa Haa prefixes Surah 20, while the initial Taa Seen prefixes surah 27 and the initial Taa Seen Meem prefixes its surrounding surahs 26 & 28. The letter Haa is also found in surah 19. Thus, an intricate interlocking relationship links these overlapping Quranic Initials produce a total which is a multiple of 19 => 1767 = 19x93 as shown in the table below. The interlocking initials H, TH, TS and TSM prefix surahs describing the miracles of Moses, Jesus, and the uncommon occurrences surrounding Solomon and his jinns.
- We had not sent down the Qur’an to you that you distress (20:2), except a reminder for whoever fears (20:3). A revelation from Him Who has created the earth and the high heavens (20:4). The Gracious — He had established over the Throne (20:5). To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and what is between them both, and what is beneath the ground.(20:6). And if you speak aloud with the speech, then indeed, He knows the secret and what is more hidden (20:7). God — there is no god except He. To Him belongs the most beautiful names (20:8).
Note: The Quran is from the Creator of the earth and the high heavens as well as the Gracious Who established Himself upon the Throne to remind those who fear Him. God knows the secret and hidden, and there is no other god other than He Who has the most beautiful names.
- And had there come to you the story of Moses? (20:9). When he had seen a fire, then he said to his family, “Stay! Indeed, I had perceived a fire; that I bring you from it a burning brand or I find guidance at the fire.” (20:10).
Note When Moses saw a fire he had left his people and had come to a fire if he could bring a light of a guidance from it.
- Then when he had come to it, he was called, “O Moses!”(20:11). Indeed I — I am your Lord, so take off your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa (20:12). And I had chosen you, so listen closely to what is revealed (20:13). Indeed, I am God; there is no god except I. So worship Me and establish the salat prayer for the remembering of Me (20:14). Indeed, the Hour is coming —I almost hide it — that each soul is recompensed for what it strives (20:15). So let not avert you from it whoever does not believe in it and has followed his desire, so you perish (20:16).
Note: God informed Moses when he was in the sacred valley of Tuwa that the Hour (the end of the world) is surely coming but He will keep it hidden from the people until certain time while whoever has disbelieved in it will perish.
- And what is that in your right hand, O Moses? (20:17). He said, “It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I beat down leaves with it upon my sheep, and there is for me in it other uses.” (20:18). He said, “Throw it down, O Moses!” (20:19). So he threw it down, then behold, it was a serpent moving (20:20). He said, “Grasp it and do not fear; We shall return it to its former state.” (20:21). And draw your hand to your flank—it comes out white without any blemish—as another sign (20:22). That We show you of Our signs the greatest (20:23).
Note: God showed Moses some of His great signs when he physically spoke to Him.
- “Go to Pharaoh; indeed, he has transgressed.” (20:24). He said, “My Lord, expand my breast for me.” (20:25). And ease my task for me (20:26). And untie a knot from my tongue (20:27). That they understand my speech (20:28). And appoint an assistant for me from my family (20:29). Aaron – my brother (20:30). Strengthen my strength through him (20:31). And make him a partner in my task (20:32). That We glorify You much,(20:33). And We remember You much (20:34). Indeed You—You had been a Seer of us.” (20:35). He said, “Certainly, you had been granted your request, O Moses.” (20:36).
Note: Moses’ request was granted when he asked for support to face with Pharaoh, a great tyrant.
- And We had certainly bestowed favor upon you another time (20:37), when we had inspired to your mother what is inspired (20:38). That cast him into the box, then throw it into the river; then let the river cast it onto the shore, that an enemy to Me and an enemy to him takes him. And I had bestowed love upon you from Me, and that you are raised under My eye (20:39). When your sister walks, then she says, “Shall I direct you to whoever nurses him?” Thus, We had returned you to your mother, that her eye cools and she does not grieve. And you had killed a soul, then We had saved you from the distress, and We had tested you with a testing. Then you had stayed years among the people of Madyan. Then you had come at a decree, O Moses. (20:40).
Note: Moses had been favored in several occasions.
- And I had prepared you for Myself (20:41). Go, you and your brother with My signs, and do not slacken in My remembering (20:42). Go, both of you to Pharaoh; indeed, he had transgressed (20:43). Then speak, both of you to him a gentle speech; that he takes heed or fears (20:44). They both said, “Our Lord! Indeed we—we fear that he hastens against us or that he transgresses.” (20:45). He said, “Do not fear; indeed I—I am with you both. I hear and I see.” (20:46). So come, both of you to him and say, both of you, “Indeed we are messengers of your Lord. So send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them. Certainly, we had come to you with a sign from your Lord; and the peace be upon whoever followed the guidance. (20:47). Indeed, we certainly, it had been inspired to us that the punishment is upon whoever denied and turned away.” (20:48).
Note: Moses was commanded to go to Pharaoh with his brother, Aaron to show him a sign of God to prevent him from persecuting the Children of Israel.
- He said, “Then who is the Lord of you both, O Moses?” (20:49). He said, “Our Lord is He Who had given each thing its creation, then had guided.” (20:50). He said, “What about the past generations?” (20:51). He said, “Its knowledge is with my Lord in a record. My Lord does not err, nor does He forget.” (20:52).
Note: Moses’s solid belief is confirmed here.
- He Who had made for you the earth a resting place, and had inserted for you in it paths, and had sent down from the sky water; then We had brought forth with it pairs of diverse plants (20:53). Eat and pasture your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for possessors of intelligence (20:54). From it We had created you, and into it We return you, and from it We bring you out another time (20:55).
Note: We are created from earth, we are returning into it and we will be brought out of it.
- And We had certainly shown him Our signs—all of them—but he denied and refused (20:56). He said, “Had you come to us that you drive us out from our land with your magic, O Moses?” (20:57). So We bring you with magic similar to it; so appoint between us and between you an appointment — we do not fail it, we and nor you—at a level place (20:58).He said, “Your appointment is the day of the festival, and that the people are assembled at forenoon.” (20:59). Then Pharaoh had turned away, so he had gathered his plot, then he had come (20:60). Moses said to them, “Woe to you! Do not invent against God a lie, so He destroys you with a punishment; and certainly, he failed whoever had invented.” (20:61). Then they had disputed their matter among themselves, and they had kept secret their private conversation (20:62). They had said, “Indeed, these two are certainly magicians; they want that they drive you out from your land with their magic, and they do away with your exemplary way.” (20:63). So gather your plot, then come in a line; and certainly, he succeeded today whoever had surpassed.” (20:64). They had said, “O Moses! Either that you throw, or that We be the first who threw.” (20:65). He said, “Rather, throw!” Then behold, their ropes and their staffs — it was made to appear to him from their magic that they are moving (20:66). So Moses had sensed a fear within himself (20:67). We had said, “Do not fear! Indeed, you are the superior.” (20:68). And throw what is in your right hand—it swallows what they had produced. Indeed, what they had produced is a plot of a magician, and the magician does not succeed wherever he came (20:69). So the magicians had been thrown down prostrating. They had said, “We had believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.” (20:70).
Note: God strengthened Moses when he was with the magicians and he became the winner as the magicians fell prostrate and believed in the Lord of Moses and Aaron by the grace of God.
- He said, “Had you believed in him before that I give permission to you? Indeed, he is certainly your chief who had taught you the magic. So I cut off your hands and your feet from alternate sides, and I crucify you on trunks of the date-palms, and you know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting!” (20:71). They had said, “We never prefer you over what had come to us of the clear proofs and He Who had created us. So decree what you are decreeing; indeed, you only decree this—the life of the world. (20:72). Indeed, we had believed in our Lord that He forgives for us our sins, and what you had compelled us upon it of the magic. And God is better and more lasting.” (20:73).
Note: The magicians found the truth that made them believers in God and their belief was so firm that they were not even afraid of any punishment enforced by Pharaoh.
- Indeed, he—whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal, then indeed, for him is Hell; he does not die in it, nor does he live (20:74). And whoever comes to Him as a believer — he had done the righteous deeds—then those, for them are the high ranks (20:75). Gardens of Eden — flow from beneath them the rivers, as dwellers therein forever; and that is the recompense of whoever had purified himself (20:76).
Note: The destination of the guilty is Hell while the destination of the righteous is gardens of Eden wherein they will abide forever.
- And certainly, We had inspired to Moses, “That travel by night with My servants, so strike for them a dry path in the sea; do not fear overtaking, nor do you fear.” (20:77). Then Pharaoh had followed them with his soldiers, so had covered them from the water what had covered them (20:78). And Pharaoh had led astray his people, and he had not guided (20:79).
- O Children of Israel! We had certainly saved you from your enemy, and We had appointed with you the right side of the Mount, and We had sent down upon you the manna and the quails (20:80). Eat from the good things of what We had provided you, and do not transgress in it, so descends upon you My wrath; and whoever descends upon him My wrath, then certainly, he had perished (20:81). And indeed, I am surely Forgiving for whoever had repented, and had believed, and had done righteousness, then had been guided (20:82).
Note: God bestowed many favors on the Children of Israel to guide them to the right path. While whoever among them has transgressed but has repented and has believed and has done righteous deeds, then He is forgiving for him.
- And what had made you hasten away from your people, O Moses?” (20:83). He said, “They are those on my tracks, and I had hastened to You, my Lord, that You are pleased.” (20:84). He said, “Then indeed, We had certainly tested your people after you, and the Samarian had misled them.” (20:85).
Note: The people of Moses were tested when he was away from them and Samarian misled them.
- So Moses had returned to his people, angry and sorrowful. He had said, “O my people! Had your Lord not promised you a fair promise? Had then the covenant prolonged upon you, or had you desired that descends upon you wrath from your Lord, so you had broken my appointment?” (20:86). They had said, “we had not broken your appointment by our will, but we had been made to carry heavy weights from the jewelry of the people, so we had cast them, then thus had thrown the Samarian.” (20:87). Then he had brought forth for them a calf — a body having a lowing sound. Then they had said, “this is your god and the god of Moses, but he had forgotten.”(20:88). Do they not then see that it does not return to them a speech, nor does it possess for them any harm or any benefit? (20:89). And certainly, Aaron had said to them before, “O my people! Indeed, you had only been tested with it, and indeed, your Lord is the Gracious. So follow me and obey my order.” (20:90). They had said, “we never cease staying upon it as devotees until Moses returns to us.” (20:91).
Note: Moses became angry when he found that his people had gone astray by worshiping a statue of calf even disobeying Aaron’s order.
- He had said, “O Aaron! What had prevented you, when you had seen them they had gone astray,” (20:92). That you do not follow me? Had you then disobeyed my command?” (20:93). He had said, “O son of my mother! Do not seize by my beard nor my head. Indeed, I had feared that you would say, ‘you had caused division between the Children of Israel, and you did not observe my word.'”(20:94).
Note: Moses also became angry with his brother, Aaron but Aaron explained to him that it was not his fault and he tried his best to stay them away from the idol wor shiping in his absence.
- He had said, “Then what is your matter, O Samarian? (20:95). He had said, “I had perceived what they did not perceive with it, so I had grabbed a handful from the track of the messenger, then I had thrown it; and thus had enticed to me my soul.” (20:96). He had said, “So go! Then indeed, for you in the life is that you say, ‘No touch.’ And indeed, for you is an appointment—you are never failed it. And look towards your god which you had remained devoted upon it; so we certainly burn it, then we certainly scatter it into the water thoroughly.” (20:97). Only your god is God — Who: there is no god except He; He has encompassed everything in knowledge. (20:98).
Note: Moses also became angry with Samarian while Samarian explained to him what he has done to misguide the people. Moses let him know that now he is to wait for the consequence. But the statue of the calf was burnt and its pieces were thrown into the sea while this event teaches us that there is no other god except God.
- Thus We relate to you from the news of what had certainly preceded; and We had certainly given you a reminder from Us (20:99). Whoever had turned away from it — then indeed, he bears a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection (20:100). As dwellers therein forever; and had been evil for them a load on the Day of Resurrection (20:101). The Day the Trumpet is blown, and We gather the criminals that Day, blue-eyed (20:102). They whisper among themselves, “had you stayed not except ten (20:103). We are Knower of what they say, when the most exemplary of them in way says, “had you stayed not except a day (20:104).
Note: The reminder that comes with the news from the past confirms the consequence of those who turn away from it on the day when the horn will be blown. The criminals will whisper between them that they had not stayed on the earth except for 10 days, while those who have the best way of life will say they had not stayed on it except for a day.
- And they ask you about the mountains; so say, “my Lord scatters them a thorough scattering.” (20:105). So he leaves it a smooth, leveled plain (20:106). You do not see any low depression nor high elevation in it.” (20:107) That Day, they follow the caller—no crookedness for him; and had been humbled the voices for the Gracious, so you hear not except a whisper (20:108). That Day, intercession does not benefit except whom the Gracious had given permission for him and He had accepted for him a word (20:109). He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not encompass Him in knowledge (20:110). And the faces had been humbled for the Living, the Eternal; and certainly, he had failed whoever had carried wickedness (20:111). And whoever does from the righteous deeds, while he is a believer—then he fears not any injustice nor any deprivation (20:112). And thus We had sent it down, an Arabic Quran, and We had turned about in it from the warnings — so that they fear, or it brings for them a reminder (20:113). So had been High God — the King, the Truth. And do not hasten with the Quran before that its revelation is completed to you; and say, “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge (20:114).
Note: The events of the day are detailed out indicating no benefit from intercession. The prophet has been warned not to hasten with the Quran before its revelation is completed to him. He has also been reminded to ask God for increasing his knowledge to stay in the right path.
- And certainly, We had pledged to Adam before, but he forgot, and We did not find in him determination (20:115). And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam”, then they prostrated, except Iblis; he had refused(20:116). Then We said, “O Adam, indeed, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So do not let him drive you both out from the Paradise, lest you suffer.” (20:117). Indeed, for you it is guaranteed that you will not hunger in it, nor will you be unclothed (20:118). And that you will not suffer from thirst in it, nor will you be exposed to heat (20:119). Then Satan had whispered to him, saying, “O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and a kingdom that will not decay?” (20:120). Then they both had eaten from it, so their shame became visible to them, and they began to fasten around themselves with leaves of the Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord, thus, he erred (20:121). Then his Lord had chosen him, so He turned to him and guided (him) (20:122). He had said, “Go down, both of you, from it together, each of you to other an enemy. Then when guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever has followed My guidance, then he will not go astray, nor will he suffer.” (20:123).
Note: The Heavenly dispute is explained to inform us our first life as well as to understand why we are on the earth.
- And whoever has turned away from My reminder, then indeed, for him is a straitened life, and We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” (20:124). He had said, “My Lord, why have You raised me blind, while I had possessed vision?” (20:125). He had said, “Thus it is; there had come to you Our revelations, then you forgot them; and thus today, you are forgotten.” (20:126). And thus We recompense whoever has transgressed and does not believe in the revelations of his Lord. And surely the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more everlasting (20:127). Does it not then guide for them how many of the generations We have destroyed before them, while they walk in their dwelling places? Indeed, in that surely are signs for possessors of intelligence (128). And if it had not been for a word that had preceded from your Lord, surely it would have been an obligation [due immediately], and a determined term (20:129).
Note: There are signs and proofs that can be found in the reminder to guide them to the right path and those who disregard them they cannot evade the punishment on a Day of the Resurrection.
- So be patient over what they say, and glorify with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and of the hours of the night, so glorify [Him], and at the ends of the day, so that you may be well-pleased (20:130). And do not extend your eyes toward what We have given as an enjoyment with it to categories of them — the splendor of the life of the world, that We may test them in it; while your Lord’s provision is better and more everlasting (20:131). And enjoin your family to the salat prayer, and be steadfast in it. We do not ask you for any provision; We provide for you, and the good end is for righteousness (20:132).
Note: The prophet was asked to be patient in all his circumstances, and to glorify with praise his Lord before the rising of the sun (Fajr) and before setting of it (Asr), during the part of the night (Maghrib and Isha) and at both ends of the day (Zahur) to please Him as well as to enjoin his family to do the same, which is the way to achieve righteousness.
- And they had said, ‘Why does he not bring us a miracle from his Lord?’ Has there not come to them a clear proof of what was in the previous scrolls? (20:133)? And if We had destroyed them with a punishment before him, they surely would have said, “Our Lord, if only You had sent a messenger to us, then we could have followed Your revelations before we were humiliated and disgraced.” (20:134). Say, “Everyone is waiting, so you shall wait; then you will know who are the people of the even path, and who has been guided.”(20:135).
Conclusion
The story of Moses with God, Pharaoh and his people is highlighted in the surah. But the most unusual event is God directly spoke to Moses and gave him certain miracles and commands. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh to show him a sign of God but he denied it to be a magic and arranged for a contest with his magicians. In the contest Moses was the winner by the grace of God and the magicians fell prostrate and believed in the Lord of Moses and Aaron, even they disregarded any punishment to be enforced by Pharaoh. However, when he returned to his people, he found them astray for worshiping a statue of calf made by Samarian. He informed Samarian about his consequence and destroyed the statue of calf and scattered its pieces into the sea.
The events on the promised day and the consequences of the disbelievers on that day are stated including the matters related to the Heavenly disputes at our first life letting us know that Satan is our great enemy. He was not only our enemy for evicting us from the Heaven but also he is our enemy in the worldly life for misguiding us to lead to Hell as promised with God.
An Arabic Quran is revealed with warnings and signs that it may serve as a reminder for those who wish to avoid the painful retribution on the Day of Resurrection through worshiping God alone. The prophet was asked not to hasten with the Quran before completion of its revelation to him and to pray, “My Lord, increase my knowledge.” to stay in the right path. He was also asked to be patient in the face of the utterances of the disbelievers and to establish the salat prayer 5 times at day and night to glorify and praise his Lord as well as to enjoin his family to do the same to achieve righteousness. However, we all are waiting to come to know who we are in the straight path as well as who we are the guided ones.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (5/6/2016).