Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 52

(Ayah 52) ➊ {وَ نَادَيْنٰهُ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّوْرِ … :} means mountain; some specific mountains are also named Tur, such as a mountain near Eila in the Sinai desert, which is called Tur Saina or Tur Sinin. The author of Qamus has also mentioned some other locations where mountains are called Tur. This incident occurred when Musa (peace be upon him) was returning from Madyan to Egypt. Its details are present in Surah Ta-Ha (9 to 36), Naml (7 to 14), and Qasas (29 to 35). Ibn Kathir, in the commentary of Surah Qasas, verse (30) «{ نُوْدِيَ مِنْ شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْاَيْمَنِ }», said: "That is, from the side of the valley which was on the right of Musa (peace be upon him) and met the western edge of the mountain, as Allah Almighty said: «{ وَ مَا كُنْتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ اِذْ قَضَيْنَاۤ اِلٰى مُوْسَى الْاَمْرَ }» [ القصص : ۴۴ ] 'And you were not on the western side when We decreed the command to Musa.'" From this, it is understood that Musa (peace be upon him) faced the fire in the direction of the qiblah and had made the western part of the mountain to his right." Alusi said: By {’’ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّوْرِ الْاَيْمَنِ ‘‘} is meant the side of the mountain which was on the right of Musa (peace be upon him), because the mountain itself has neither a right nor a left. It can also be from {’’ الْاَيْمَنِ ‘‘ ’’ يُمْنٌ ‘‘}, which means blessing, i.e., from its blessed side; in this sense, the blessed side of the mountain can also be meant, but the first meaning is better. {’’ نَادَيْنٰهُ ‘‘} (We called him) means the manifestation of Allah's speech from that side. It is evident that Musa (peace be upon him) heard Allah's speech in the form of words. Some people say that what Musa (peace be upon him) heard had neither letters nor sound. He heard not only with his ears but with all his limbs, from which he became certain that this was Allah's speech; that is why it is said that the meaning is that We called him with a voice coming from the blessed side of Tur, but this matter is beyond the reach of intellect and the evidence of hadith is clearly against it. From this verse, it is established that Allah called and spoke. Those who deny the attributes of Allah also deny His speech, so they neither accept letters in it, nor sound, nor that it is heard by ears. But to call something speech that is devoid of words and sound is as far from reason as it is clearly against the Qur'an and hadith. For more details, see Surah A'raf (143), Kahf (109), and Tawbah (6).
➋ {وَ قَرَّبْنٰهُ نَجِيًّا : ’’ نَجِيًّا ‘‘ ’’فَعِيْلٌ‘‘} means {’’مُفَاعِلٌ‘‘}, just as {’’جَلِيْسٌ‘‘} means {’’مُجَالِسٌ‘‘} and {’’نَدِيْمٌ‘‘} means {’’مُنَادِمٌ‘‘}. {’’مُنَاجَاةٌ‘‘} means to speak in a hidden voice, to whisper, i.e., We brought him near while whispering. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "He was spoken to, there was no angel in between." (Mawduh) The way Allah Almighty has mentioned speaking directly to Musa (peace be upon him) in clear words, no one else has been granted this honor.