سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 77
وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ ﴿77﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed We revealed to Mûsâ (Moses) (saying): "Travel by night with Ibâdi (My slaves) and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken [by Fir‘aun (Pharaoh)] nor being afraid (of drowning in the sea)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And verily
أَوْحَيْنَآ
awḥaynā
We inspired
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
Musa
أَنْ
an
that
أَسْرِ
asri
Travel by night
بِعِبَادِى
biʿibādī
with My slaves
فَٱضْرِبْ
fa-iḍ'rib
and strike
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
طَرِيقًۭا
ṭarīqan
a path
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْبَحْرِ
l-baḥri
the sea
يَبَسًۭا
yabasan
dry
لَّا
lā
not
تَخَـٰفُ
takhāfu
fearing
دَرَكًۭا
darakan
to be overtaken
وَلَا
walā
and not
تَخْشَىٰ
takhshā
being afraid
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 77) ➊ { وَ لَقَدْ اَوْحَيْنَاۤ اِلٰى مُوْسٰۤى …:} After the magicians of Pharaoh failed in the contest and accepted faith, a long period passed during which many mountains of oppression continued to fall upon the Children of Israel. Along with this, Pharaoh and his people were afflicted with several punishments as miracles in the form of famine, storm, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood. With the coming of each punishment, they would promise to believe and to free the Children of Israel, but after the punishment was lifted, they would openly break their promise. In the end, Allah Almighty commanded Musa (peace be upon him) to take the Children of Israel with him by night. This is mentioned in detail in Surah Al-A'raf (130 to 135). Here, all that has been omitted and only the end of Pharaoh is mentioned. Therefore, this verse is connected to verse (56) «{وَ لَقَدْ اَرَيْنٰهُ اٰيٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَ اَبٰى }» regarding what was the outcome of Pharaoh's denial and rejection of all the signs (miracles)? Its connection is not to the incident of Musa (peace be upon him) and the contest with the magicians. (Biqā‘ī)
➋ {اَنْ اَسْرِ بِعِبَادِيْ … :} This story is mentioned in detail in Surah Ash-Shu‘ara (52 to 66) and Yunus (90 to 92). Here, instead of {’’ فَاجْعَلْ لَهُمْ طَرِيْقًا ‘‘} (So make a way for them), it is said {’’ فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيْقًا فِي الْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا ‘‘} (So strike for them a dry path in the sea), the purpose is to make a long story short, that is, {’’ اِجْعَلْ لَهُمْ بِضَرْبِ الْبَحْرِ بِعَصَاكَ طَرِيْقًا ‘‘} (By striking your staff on the sea, make for them a dry path in it). Thus, in {’’اِضْرِبْ‘‘}, the meaning of {’’اِجْعَلْ‘‘} is included; this is called tadmeen (inclusion).
➌ The object of {لَا تَخٰفُ دَرَكًا وَّ لَا تَخْشٰى : ’’ لَا تَخْشٰى ‘‘} is not mentioned, so that it remains general. The meaning will be that neither will you fear being caught, nor will you fear any other thing, such as drowning, losing the way, dying of hunger or thirst, or any other enemy attack; in short, you will not fear any danger. Some commentators have considered its object { ’’غَرْقًا‘‘ } as omitted, meaning you will not fear drowning, but the omitted object can be anything suitable to the context, so it is better to keep it general, and thus drowning is also included in it.
➋ {اَنْ اَسْرِ بِعِبَادِيْ … :} This story is mentioned in detail in Surah Ash-Shu‘ara (52 to 66) and Yunus (90 to 92). Here, instead of {’’ فَاجْعَلْ لَهُمْ طَرِيْقًا ‘‘} (So make a way for them), it is said {’’ فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيْقًا فِي الْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا ‘‘} (So strike for them a dry path in the sea), the purpose is to make a long story short, that is, {’’ اِجْعَلْ لَهُمْ بِضَرْبِ الْبَحْرِ بِعَصَاكَ طَرِيْقًا ‘‘} (By striking your staff on the sea, make for them a dry path in it). Thus, in {’’اِضْرِبْ‘‘}, the meaning of {’’اِجْعَلْ‘‘} is included; this is called tadmeen (inclusion).
➌ The object of {لَا تَخٰفُ دَرَكًا وَّ لَا تَخْشٰى : ’’ لَا تَخْشٰى ‘‘} is not mentioned, so that it remains general. The meaning will be that neither will you fear being caught, nor will you fear any other thing, such as drowning, losing the way, dying of hunger or thirst, or any other enemy attack; in short, you will not fear any danger. Some commentators have considered its object { ’’غَرْقًا‘‘ } as omitted, meaning you will not fear drowning, but the omitted object can be anything suitable to the context, so it is better to keep it general, and thus drowning is also included in it.
