سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 16
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿16﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me." Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
رَبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed, I
ظَلَمْتُ
ẓalamtu
[I] have wronged
نَفْسِى
nafsī
my soul
فَٱغْفِرْ
fa-igh'fir
so forgive
لِى
lī
[for] me
فَغَفَرَ
faghafara
Then He forgave
لَهُۥٓ ۚ
lahu
[for] him
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed He
هُوَ
huwa
He (is)
ٱلْغَفُورُ
l-ghafūru
the Oft-Forgiving
ٱلرَّحِيمُ
l-raḥīmu
the Most Merciful
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 16) ➊ {قَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ …:} Although Musa (peace be upon him) did not kill intentionally, the status of prophets is very high, and even such carelessness is not appropriate for their rank. Therefore, Musa (peace be upon him) considered it a sin and sought forgiveness from Allah Almighty. Thus, Allah Almighty forgave him, but Musa (peace be upon him) remained remorseful even after that, and on the Day of Resurrection, when people will come to him and ask him to intercede with Allah Almighty, he will express his remorse in these words: [ إِنِّيْ قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا لَمْ أُوْمَرْ بِقَتْلِهَا ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب أدنٰی أھل الجنۃ منزلۃ فیھا : ۱۹۴ ] "I killed a person whom I was not commanded to kill."
➋ It is evident from the statement of the Quran that this killing by Musa (peace be upon him) was unintentional, but the Bible declares Musa (peace be upon him) guilty of deliberate murder. Its narration is that "When Musa (peace be upon him) saw the Egyptian and the Israelite fighting, he looked this way and that, and when he saw that there was no one else there, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand." (Exodus: 2:12) This is among those distortions of the Jews which the Quran has corrected, as it is a guardian over all previous books.
➌ In the supplication of Musa (peace be upon him) {’’ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ‘‘}, along with the request for forgiveness, the meaning of requesting concealment is also included. {’’مِغْفَرٌ ‘‘} refers to the helmet with which the head is covered in battle. Thus, Allah Almighty forgave Musa (peace be upon him) and also concealed this incident, and until the event that occurred the next day, no one knew who had committed the killing.
➋ It is evident from the statement of the Quran that this killing by Musa (peace be upon him) was unintentional, but the Bible declares Musa (peace be upon him) guilty of deliberate murder. Its narration is that "When Musa (peace be upon him) saw the Egyptian and the Israelite fighting, he looked this way and that, and when he saw that there was no one else there, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand." (Exodus: 2:12) This is among those distortions of the Jews which the Quran has corrected, as it is a guardian over all previous books.
➌ In the supplication of Musa (peace be upon him) {’’ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ‘‘}, along with the request for forgiveness, the meaning of requesting concealment is also included. {’’مِغْفَرٌ ‘‘} refers to the helmet with which the head is covered in battle. Thus, Allah Almighty forgave Musa (peace be upon him) and also concealed this incident, and until the event that occurred the next day, no one knew who had committed the killing.
