سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 15
وَدَخَلَ ٱلْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَـٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ وَهَـٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ ۖ فَٱسْتَغَـٰثَهُ ٱلَّذِى مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ عَلَى ٱلَّذِى مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ فَوَكَزَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people: and he found there two men fighting, - one of his party (his religion - from the Children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Mûsâ (Moses) struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: "This is of Shaitan’s (Satan) doing: verily, he is a plain misleading enemy."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَدَخَلَ
wadakhala
And he entered
ٱلْمَدِينَةَ
l-madīnata
the city
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
at
حِينِ
ḥīni
a time
غَفْلَةٍۢ
ghaflatin
(of) inattention
مِّنْ
min
of
أَهْلِهَا
ahlihā
its people
فَوَجَدَ
fawajada
and found
فِيهَا
fīhā
therein
رَجُلَيْنِ
rajulayni
two men
يَقْتَتِلَانِ
yaqtatilāni
fighting each other
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
مِن
min
of
شِيعَتِهِۦ
shīʿatihi
his party
وَهَـٰذَا
wahādhā
and this
مِنْ
min
of
عَدُوِّهِۦ ۖ
ʿaduwwihi
his enemy
فَٱسْتَغَـٰثَهُ
fa-is'taghāthahu
And called him for help
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one who
مِن
min
(was) from
شِيعَتِهِۦ
shīʿatihi
his party
عَلَى
ʿalā
against
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one who
مِنْ
min
(was) from
عَدُوِّهِۦ
ʿaduwwihi
his enemy
فَوَكَزَهُۥ
fawakazahu
so Musa struck him with his fist
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
so Musa struck him with his fist
فَقَضَىٰ
faqaḍā
and killed him
عَلَيْهِ ۖ
ʿalayhi
and killed him
قَالَ
qāla
He said
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
This (is)
مِنْ
min
of
عَمَلِ
ʿamali
(the) deed
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۖ
l-shayṭāni
(of) Shaitaan
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, he
عَدُوٌّۭ
ʿaduwwun
(is) an enemy
مُّضِلٌّۭ
muḍillun
one who misleads
مُّبِينٌۭ
mubīnun
clearly
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 15) ➊ {وَ دَخَلَ الْمَدِيْنَةَ عَلٰى حِيْنِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ اَهْلِهَا:} "He entered the city" indicates that the royal palaces were located outside the general population, from where he entered the city. In {’’ غَفْلَةٍ ‘‘}, due to the use of tanween, it has been translated as "a time of some heedlessness." Once, he came to the city at such a time which was a time of some heedlessness. This could have been early morning, after 'Isha, or at noon, but most likely it was noon when the streets are deserted and people are resting in their homes due to the heat. Thus, Ibn Abi Hatim has mentioned with his authentic chain from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): {’’ نِصْفُ النَّهَارِ‘‘} "(That is, it was) the time of noon." [ ابن أبي حاتم : ۱۶۷۵۵ ]
➋ { فَوَجَدَ فِيْهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلٰنِ …:} Musa (peace be upon him) knew that he was from the Children of Israel, he was also aware of the oppression of the Copts upon the Children of Israel, and he witnessed these oppressions with his own eyes every day, so naturally his sympathies were with his own people. The people also knew that he was one of them. Now Musa (peace be upon him) saw that two men were fighting, one of them was from his own people and the other was a Copt, who were their enemies. The Copt, as usual, was oppressing the Israelite considering him a slave. If the Israelite had been able to resist, he would not have needed to ask for help. When he became helpless, he called Musa (peace be upon him) for help. Musa (peace be upon him) was naturally sympathetic to the weak and the oppressed. Now, seeing the oppression, he stepped forward to save the oppressed and struck the Copt with a punch, which ended his life. Musa (peace be upon him) neither intended to kill him nor did it ever occur to him that he would die from a single punch. When this incident happened suddenly and Musa (peace be upon him) reflected on its consequences for himself and his people, he became very worried and said that this is the work of Satan, who incited me to anger to do this for great corruption. Indeed, he is an open enemy who clearly leads astray.
➋ { فَوَجَدَ فِيْهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلٰنِ …:} Musa (peace be upon him) knew that he was from the Children of Israel, he was also aware of the oppression of the Copts upon the Children of Israel, and he witnessed these oppressions with his own eyes every day, so naturally his sympathies were with his own people. The people also knew that he was one of them. Now Musa (peace be upon him) saw that two men were fighting, one of them was from his own people and the other was a Copt, who were their enemies. The Copt, as usual, was oppressing the Israelite considering him a slave. If the Israelite had been able to resist, he would not have needed to ask for help. When he became helpless, he called Musa (peace be upon him) for help. Musa (peace be upon him) was naturally sympathetic to the weak and the oppressed. Now, seeing the oppression, he stepped forward to save the oppressed and struck the Copt with a punch, which ended his life. Musa (peace be upon him) neither intended to kill him nor did it ever occur to him that he would die from a single punch. When this incident happened suddenly and Musa (peace be upon him) reflected on its consequences for himself and his people, he became very worried and said that this is the work of Satan, who incited me to anger to do this for great corruption. Indeed, he is an open enemy who clearly leads astray.
