سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 143
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿143﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when Mûsâ (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allâh said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Mûsâ (Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَمَّا
walammā
And when
جَآءَ
jāa
came
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا
limīqātinā
to Our appointed place
وَكَلَّمَهُۥ
wakallamahu
and spoke to him
رَبُّهُۥ
rabbuhu
his Lord
قَالَ
qāla
he said
رَبِّ
rabbi
O my Lord
أَرِنِىٓ
arinī
Show me
أَنظُرْ
anẓur
(that) I may look
إِلَيْكَ ۚ
ilayka
at You
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَن
lan
Never
تَرَىٰنِى
tarānī
you (can) see Me
وَلَـٰكِنِ
walākini
but
ٱنظُرْ
unẓur
look
إِلَى
ilā
at
ٱلْجَبَلِ
l-jabali
the mountain
فَإِنِ
fa-ini
[then] if
ٱسْتَقَرَّ
is'taqarra
it remains
مَكَانَهُۥ
makānahu
in its place
فَسَوْفَ
fasawfa
then
تَرَىٰنِى ۚ
tarānī
you (will) see Me
فَلَمَّا
falammā
But when
تَجَلَّىٰ
tajallā
revealed (His) Glory
رَبُّهُۥ
rabbuhu
his Lord
لِلْجَبَلِ
lil'jabali
to the mountain
جَعَلَهُۥ
jaʿalahu
He made it
دَكًّۭا
dakkan
crumbled to dust
وَخَرَّ
wakharra
and fell down
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
صَعِقًۭا ۚ
ṣaʿiqan
unconscious
فَلَمَّآ
falammā
And when
أَفَاقَ
afāqa
he recovered
قَالَ
qāla
he said
سُبْحَـٰنَكَ
sub'ḥānaka
Glory be to You
تُبْتُ
tub'tu
I turn (in repentance)
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to you
وَأَنَا۠
wa-anā
and I am
أَوَّلُ
awwalu
(the) first
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
(of) the believers
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
143. 1. When Musa (Moses) ﷺ went to the Mount and there Allah spoke to him directly, Musa ﷺ expressed his desire to see Allah by saying رَ بِ اَرِنِیْ. In response, Allah said لَنْ تَرٰنِیْ — "You will never see Me." Based on this, a sect among the Muslims said that لَنْ is used for absolute negation (perpetual negation), so seeing Allah is neither possible in this world nor in the Hereafter. However, this sect's view is against authentic ahadith. It is established from numerous authentic and strong narrations that on the Day of Resurrection, the believers will see Allah, and in Paradise too, they will be honored with the vision of Allah. This is the belief of all Ahl al-Sunnah. This narration pertains only to this world; no human eye in this world is capable of seeing Allah. But in the Hereafter, Allah will grant such strength to those eyes that they will be able to bear the manifestation of Allah.
143. 2. That is, even the mountain could not bear the manifestation of the Lord, and Musa ﷺ fell unconscious. It is mentioned in a hadith that on the Day of Resurrection, all people will fall unconscious, (According to Imam Ibn Kathir, this unconsciousness will occur on the plain of gathering when Allah the Exalted descends to pass judgment) and when they regain consciousness, I will be the first person to regain consciousness, and I will see Musa (Moses) ؑ holding the leg of the Throne. I will not know whether he regained consciousness before me or if he was exempted from the unconsciousness of the plain of gathering in exchange for his unconsciousness at Mount Tur. (Sahih Bukhari)
143. 3. Of Your greatness and majesty, and of the fact that I am Your humble servant, I am not capable of bearing Your vision in this world.
143. 2. That is, even the mountain could not bear the manifestation of the Lord, and Musa ﷺ fell unconscious. It is mentioned in a hadith that on the Day of Resurrection, all people will fall unconscious, (According to Imam Ibn Kathir, this unconsciousness will occur on the plain of gathering when Allah the Exalted descends to pass judgment) and when they regain consciousness, I will be the first person to regain consciousness, and I will see Musa (Moses) ؑ holding the leg of the Throne. I will not know whether he regained consciousness before me or if he was exempted from the unconsciousness of the plain of gathering in exchange for his unconsciousness at Mount Tur. (Sahih Bukhari)
143. 3. Of Your greatness and majesty, and of the fact that I am Your humble servant, I am not capable of bearing Your vision in this world.
