سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 10
وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَا تَخَفْ إِنِّى لَا يَخَافُ لَدَىَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And throw down your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and did not look back. (It was said:) "O Mûsâ (Moses)! Fear not: verily the Messengers fear not in front of Me.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَلْقِ
wa-alqi
And, "Throw
عَصَاكَ ۚ
ʿaṣāka
your staff
فَلَمَّا
falammā
But when
رَءَاهَا
raāhā
he saw it
تَهْتَزُّ
tahtazzu
moving
كَأَنَّهَا
ka-annahā
as if it
جَآنٌّۭ
jānnun
(were) a snake
وَلَّىٰ
wallā
he turned back
مُدْبِرًۭا
mud'biran
(in) flight
وَلَمْ
walam
and (did) not
يُعَقِّبْ ۚ
yuʿaqqib
look back
يَـٰمُوسَىٰ
yāmūsā
O Musa
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَخَفْ
takhaf
fear
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed, [I]
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَخَافُ
yakhāfu
fear
لَدَىَّ
ladayya
(in) My presence
ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ
l-mur'salūna
the Messengers
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 10) ➊ {وَ اَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَاٰهَا تَهْتَزُّ … : ’’ جَآنٌّ ‘‘} actually refers to a small white snake. In Surah Al-A'raf (107) and Ash-Shu'ara (32), the word {’’ ثُعْبَانٌ ‘‘} is used for it, which means a big snake (python). The reason for this is either that it was initially {’’ جَآنٌّ ‘‘}, then became {’’ ثُعْبَانٌ ‘‘}. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "At first it became like a stick, thin; when it was thrown before Pharaoh, it became a cobra, growing larger." (Mawdhih) Or the reason is that the snake was in size like a python, but in swiftness like a small snake.
➋ { يٰمُوْسٰى لَا تَخَفْ …:} The fact that Musa (peace be upon him) turned his back and fled in fear shows that he did not know before this that he had been made a prophet, nor that these miracles had been granted to him. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was also greatly frightened at the first revelation. Allah Almighty comforted Musa (peace be upon him) by saying: "O Musa! Do not fear, messengers do not fear in My presence." Some people insist on proving that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was aware of the unseen even before his birth.
➋ { يٰمُوْسٰى لَا تَخَفْ …:} The fact that Musa (peace be upon him) turned his back and fled in fear shows that he did not know before this that he had been made a prophet, nor that these miracles had been granted to him. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was also greatly frightened at the first revelation. Allah Almighty comforted Musa (peace be upon him) by saying: "O Musa! Do not fear, messengers do not fear in My presence." Some people insist on proving that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was aware of the unseen even before his birth.
