سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 40
إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونًا ۚ فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"When your sister went and said: ‘Shall I show you one who will nurse him?’ So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial. Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan (Midian). Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Mûsâ (Moses)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
تَمْشِىٓ
tamshī
was going
أُخْتُكَ
ukh'tuka
your sister
فَتَقُولُ
fataqūlu
and she said
هَلْ
hal
Shall
أَدُلُّكُمْ
adullukum
I show you
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
[to]
مَن
man
(one) who
يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ
yakfuluhu
will nurse and rear him
فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ
farajaʿnāka
So We returned you
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
to
أُمِّكَ
ummika
your mother
كَىْ
kay
that
تَقَرَّ
taqarra
may be cooled
عَيْنُهَا
ʿaynuhā
her eyes
وَلَا
walā
and not
تَحْزَنَ ۚ
taḥzana
she grieves
وَقَتَلْتَ
waqatalta
And you killed
نَفْسًۭا
nafsan
a man
فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَ
fanajjaynāka
but We saved you
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْغَمِّ
l-ghami
the distress
وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ
wafatannāka
and We tried you
فُتُونًۭا ۚ
futūnan
(with) a trial
فَلَبِثْتَ
falabith'ta
Then you remained
سِنِينَ
sinīna
(some) years
فِىٓ
fī
with
أَهْلِ
ahli
(the) people
مَدْيَنَ
madyana
(of) Madyan
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
جِئْتَ
ji'ta
you came
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
at
قَدَرٍۢ
qadarin
the decreed (time)
يَـٰمُوسَىٰ
yāmūsā
O Musa
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 41,40) ➊ For the explanation of {’’ اِذْ تَمْشِيْۤ اُخْتُكَ ‘‘}, see Surah Al-Qasas (11 to 13), and for the explanation from {’’ وَ قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا ‘‘} to the end of the verse, see Surah Al-Qasas (14 to 28).
➋ {وَ فَتَنّٰكَ فُتُوْنًا : ’’ فُتُوْنًا ‘‘ ’’فَتَنَ يَفْتِنُ‘‘} is a verbal noun, just like {’’قُعُوْدٌ‘‘} and {’’خُرُوْجٌ‘‘}, etc. Its tanween is for emphasis, so it has been translated as, "And We tested you, a thorough testing." This testing includes, after the comforts of royalty, the unintentional killing of a Copt by his hands, then the fear of being killed himself, then immediate migration in a state of destitution, traveling for several days and nights in hunger, thirst, and intense fear, exile, and ten years of labor—all of which were means of tremendous training. Hafiz Ibn Kathir, after mentioning in full a lengthy hadith, "Hadith Futoon," has stated that most of it is taken from Isra'iliyyat.
➌ { ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلٰى قَدَرٍ يّٰمُوْسٰى :} means your coming to the valley of Tuwa after losing your way, and being honored with conversation with Me and with prophethood and messengership, was not without a predetermined plan or suddenly, but exactly according to My appointed time and decision. Although every action is by Allah's decree, by this { ’’ قَدَرٍ ‘‘ } is meant specifically to determine, as mentioned in the next verse: « وَ اصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِيْ » The meaning of {’’صَنَعَ يَصْنَعُ‘‘ } is to make, {’’اِصْطَنَعَ‘‘} is from the form ifti‘al, the tā’ has been changed to ṭā’ due to the proximity to sad, and with the addition of letters, the meaning has been enhanced, that is, "I have especially prepared you for My task, that is, for messengership and prophethood." This is the summary of all the favors.
➋ {وَ فَتَنّٰكَ فُتُوْنًا : ’’ فُتُوْنًا ‘‘ ’’فَتَنَ يَفْتِنُ‘‘} is a verbal noun, just like {’’قُعُوْدٌ‘‘} and {’’خُرُوْجٌ‘‘}, etc. Its tanween is for emphasis, so it has been translated as, "And We tested you, a thorough testing." This testing includes, after the comforts of royalty, the unintentional killing of a Copt by his hands, then the fear of being killed himself, then immediate migration in a state of destitution, traveling for several days and nights in hunger, thirst, and intense fear, exile, and ten years of labor—all of which were means of tremendous training. Hafiz Ibn Kathir, after mentioning in full a lengthy hadith, "Hadith Futoon," has stated that most of it is taken from Isra'iliyyat.
➌ { ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلٰى قَدَرٍ يّٰمُوْسٰى :} means your coming to the valley of Tuwa after losing your way, and being honored with conversation with Me and with prophethood and messengership, was not without a predetermined plan or suddenly, but exactly according to My appointed time and decision. Although every action is by Allah's decree, by this { ’’ قَدَرٍ ‘‘ } is meant specifically to determine, as mentioned in the next verse: « وَ اصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِيْ » The meaning of {’’صَنَعَ يَصْنَعُ‘‘ } is to make, {’’اِصْطَنَعَ‘‘} is from the form ifti‘al, the tā’ has been changed to ṭā’ due to the proximity to sad, and with the addition of letters, the meaning has been enhanced, that is, "I have especially prepared you for My task, that is, for messengership and prophethood." This is the summary of all the favors.
