سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 65
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ ﴿65﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They said: "O Mûsâ (Moses)! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ
yāmūsā
O Musa
إِمَّآ
immā
Either
أَن
an
[that]
تُلْقِىَ
tul'qiya
you throw
وَإِمَّآ
wa-immā
or
أَن
an
[that]
نَّكُونَ
nakūna
we will be
أَوَّلَ
awwala
the first
مَنْ
man
who
أَلْقَىٰ
alqā
throws
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 65){ قَالُوْا يٰمُوْسٰۤى اِمَّاۤ اَنْ تُلْقِيَ … :} When Pharaoh saw the staff of Musa (peace be upon him) turning into a serpent, in order to diminish its value in the eyes of the people, he declared it to be magic and said that they too would bring similar magic in response. Accordingly, magicians prepared tricks to make their staffs and ropes appear as serpents, and when they came to the field, they made the offer mentioned in this verse. The words of this offer express their confidence in their magic and also indicate that if you are not ready to begin, we are fully prepared for it. In reality, whatever their intention behind this offer, Allah Almighty’s wisdom was hidden in it: after all the excellence of their magic was displayed before the people, it would be proven baseless in comparison to the truth, just as earlier Pharaoh himself was made to allow Musa (peace be upon him) to choose the place and day of the contest.
