سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 28
قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا ٱلْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَٰنَ عَلَىَّ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ ﴿28﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He [Mûsâ (Moses)] said: "That (is settled) between me and you: whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there will be no injustice to me, and Allâh is Surety over what we say."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
بَيْنِى
baynī
(is) between me
وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ
wabaynaka
and between you
أَيَّمَا
ayyamā
Whichever
ٱلْأَجَلَيْنِ
l-ajalayni
(of) the two terms
قَضَيْتُ
qaḍaytu
I complete
فَلَا
falā
then no
عُدْوَٰنَ
ʿud'wāna
injustice
عَلَىَّ ۖ
ʿalayya
to me
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
مَا
mā
what
نَقُولُ
naqūlu
we say
وَكِيلٌۭ
wakīlun
(is) a Witness
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 28) ➊ { قَالَ ذٰلِكَ بَيْنِيْ وَ بَيْنَكَ…:} Musa (peace be upon him) said to his father-in-law, "What you have said, that I should work for you for eight years, has been agreed upon between me and you. Now it is up to me whether, after eight years, I serve for two more years or, after eight years, I take my wife and leave. In both cases, you will not compel me to serve further."
➋ { وَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مَا نَقُوْلُ وَكِيْلٌ:} This phrase is used to make a covenant firm. After this agreement, the elder married one of his daughters to Musa (peace be upon him), and Allah provided all the "good" things for him that he needed.
➌ Sa'id bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a Jew from the people of Hira asked me, "Which of the two terms did Musa (peace be upon him) complete?" I said, "I do not know until I go to an Arab scholar and ask." So I went to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and asked him, and he said: "He completed the term which was greater and better of the two (i.e., ten years). When Allah's Messenger speaks, he fulfills it (meaning, a person who is to become a Messenger in the future will fulfill the more complete term)." [ بخاري، الشہادات، باب : ۲۶۸۴ ] This is the statement of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and apparently, it is his ijtihad. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has also narrated several reports of this meaning from the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), but there is discussion regarding their chains of narration, although they do strengthen the statement of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Hafiz Ibn Kathir said: From {’’ فَلَمَّا قَضٰى مُوْسَى الْاَجَلَ ‘‘} it is also understood that Musa (peace be upon him) completed the more perfect term, and in which there was greater kindness towards his father-in-law, because in {’’ الْاَجَلَ ‘‘} the definite article "al" means the complete term, and that term is ten years, as it is said: «{ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِيْ يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَاۤ اِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ تَاَخَّرَ فَلَاۤ اِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقٰى }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۰۳ ] "Then whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him, for the one who fears." It is clear that the one who completes the third day of the days of Tashreeq is more complete.
➍ Shah Abdul Qadir says: "Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also left his homeland, so after eight years he returned and conquered Makkah. If he wished, he could have evacuated the city from the disbelievers at that time. After ten years, he purified it." (Mawdhih)
➋ { وَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مَا نَقُوْلُ وَكِيْلٌ:} This phrase is used to make a covenant firm. After this agreement, the elder married one of his daughters to Musa (peace be upon him), and Allah provided all the "good" things for him that he needed.
➌ Sa'id bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a Jew from the people of Hira asked me, "Which of the two terms did Musa (peace be upon him) complete?" I said, "I do not know until I go to an Arab scholar and ask." So I went to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and asked him, and he said: "He completed the term which was greater and better of the two (i.e., ten years). When Allah's Messenger speaks, he fulfills it (meaning, a person who is to become a Messenger in the future will fulfill the more complete term)." [ بخاري، الشہادات، باب : ۲۶۸۴ ] This is the statement of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and apparently, it is his ijtihad. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has also narrated several reports of this meaning from the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), but there is discussion regarding their chains of narration, although they do strengthen the statement of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Hafiz Ibn Kathir said: From {’’ فَلَمَّا قَضٰى مُوْسَى الْاَجَلَ ‘‘} it is also understood that Musa (peace be upon him) completed the more perfect term, and in which there was greater kindness towards his father-in-law, because in {’’ الْاَجَلَ ‘‘} the definite article "al" means the complete term, and that term is ten years, as it is said: «{ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِيْ يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَاۤ اِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ تَاَخَّرَ فَلَاۤ اِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقٰى }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۰۳ ] "Then whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him, for the one who fears." It is clear that the one who completes the third day of the days of Tashreeq is more complete.
➍ Shah Abdul Qadir says: "Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also left his homeland, so after eight years he returned and conquered Makkah. If he wished, he could have evacuated the city from the disbelievers at that time. After ten years, he purified it." (Mawdhih)
