سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 86
فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُم مَّوْعِدِى ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then Mûsâ (Moses) returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow. He said: "O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, that you broke your promise to me (i.e disbelieving in Allâh and worshipping the calf)?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَرَجَعَ
farajaʿa
Then Musa returned
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
Then Musa returned
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
قَوْمِهِۦ
qawmihi
his people
غَضْبَـٰنَ
ghaḍbāna
angry
أَسِفًۭا ۚ
asifan
(and) sorrowful
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰقَوْمِ
yāqawmi
O my people
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
يَعِدْكُمْ
yaʿid'kum
promise you
رَبُّكُمْ
rabbukum
your Lord
وَعْدًا
waʿdan
a promise
حَسَنًا ۚ
ḥasanan
good
أَفَطَالَ
afaṭāla
Then, did seem long
عَلَيْكُمُ
ʿalaykumu
to you
ٱلْعَهْدُ
l-ʿahdu
the promise
أَمْ
am
or
أَرَدتُّمْ
aradttum
did you desire
أَن
an
that
يَحِلَّ
yaḥilla
descend
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
غَضَبٌۭ
ghaḍabun
(the) Anger
مِّن
min
of
رَّبِّكُمْ
rabbikum
your Lord
فَأَخْلَفْتُم
fa-akhlaftum
so you broke
مَّوْعِدِى
mawʿidī
(the) promise to me
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 86) ➊ { فَرَجَعَ مُوْسٰۤى اِلٰى قَوْمِهٖ … : ’’ غَضْبَانَ ‘‘} is on the intensive form, so it has been translated as "filled with anger." {’’ اَسِفًا ‘‘ ’’أَسِفَ يَأْسَفُ‘‘} is an adjective derived from (ع), and it means both "one who grieves deeply" and "one who is angry." (Qamus) Here, after {’’ غَضْبَانَ ‘‘ }, "grief" is more appropriate. The letter "fa" indicates that Allah informed Musa (peace be upon him) about his people's misguidance at the end of His conversation and giving of the Book. {’’ فَرَجَعَ مُوْسٰۤى اِلٰى قَوْمِهٖ ‘‘} So as soon as he heard this news, Musa (peace be upon him) set out to return to his people.
➋ {قَالَ يٰقَوْمِ اَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا :} This promise refers to the promise of forgiveness for those who repent, believe, and remain steadfast in righteous deeds; the promise of speaking to Musa (peace be upon him) on the right side of the Mount; the promise of giving the Torah for the guidance of the Children of Israel; and the promise of sending down manna and quails. (Tabari)
➌ { اَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ …: ’’ الْعَهْدُ ‘‘} means will, making an agreement with someone, a firm promise, oath, consideration of sanctity, security, responsibility, meeting, recognition, time, fulfillment, Allah's oneness, etc. (Qamus) Here, it can mean "meeting" or "duration," as in: "Had it been such a long time since our meeting that you broke the promise you made to me?" Only ten days had passed beyond the thirty days; what long period was it that you broke all the promises you made to me? The breach of promise refers to their stopping on the way instead of following Musa (peace be upon him) to the foot of the Mount, worshipping the calf and persisting in its service, and when Harun (peace be upon him) insisted that they keep moving and advised them to abandon the worship of the calf, they said: {’’ لَنْ نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عٰكِفِيْنَ ‘‘} meaning, "We will remain devoted to this until Musa comes to us." All these actions were breaches of the promise. (Tabari)
➋ {قَالَ يٰقَوْمِ اَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا :} This promise refers to the promise of forgiveness for those who repent, believe, and remain steadfast in righteous deeds; the promise of speaking to Musa (peace be upon him) on the right side of the Mount; the promise of giving the Torah for the guidance of the Children of Israel; and the promise of sending down manna and quails. (Tabari)
➌ { اَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ …: ’’ الْعَهْدُ ‘‘} means will, making an agreement with someone, a firm promise, oath, consideration of sanctity, security, responsibility, meeting, recognition, time, fulfillment, Allah's oneness, etc. (Qamus) Here, it can mean "meeting" or "duration," as in: "Had it been such a long time since our meeting that you broke the promise you made to me?" Only ten days had passed beyond the thirty days; what long period was it that you broke all the promises you made to me? The breach of promise refers to their stopping on the way instead of following Musa (peace be upon him) to the foot of the Mount, worshipping the calf and persisting in its service, and when Harun (peace be upon him) insisted that they keep moving and advised them to abandon the worship of the calf, they said: {’’ لَنْ نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عٰكِفِيْنَ ‘‘} meaning, "We will remain devoted to this until Musa comes to us." All these actions were breaches of the promise. (Tabari)
