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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And Musa entered the city at a time [22] when its people were unaware [23], and he found two men fighting—one from his own people and the other from his enemies. The one from his own people called out to him for help against the one from his enemies. So Musa struck him with his fist and killed him. Musa said, “This is from the work of Satan [25]. Surely, he is a manifest, misleading enemy.”
[22] From this verse, it is understood that royal palaces were somewhat distant from the city or the residential areas of common people. As is generally customary, prominent people do not like to live mingled among ordinary people; rather, they have their residences, bungalows, mansions, and palaces built outside the city in open spaces.
[23] That is, when people were sleeping and the roads and streets appeared deserted and uninhabited. Such a time is usually early in the morning, well before sunrise, or in the afternoons during summer when most people are resting.
[24]
The Fight Between a Copt and an Israelite, and Musa (Moses) ؑ Striking the Copt and Causing His Death:
When Musa ؑ entered such a city, he saw two men fighting with each other. One of them was a Copt, meaning a native Egyptian or someone belonging to the ruling class, and the other was an Israelite, that is, from the Children of Israel. Musa ؑ had observed since childhood the various oppressions the ruling government was inflicting upon the Children of Israel, and how they were being humiliated and disgraced in society. Among those fighting, the Israelite called out to him for help, asking to be rescued from the oppression of the Copt. This Copt was a servant in the royal kitchen, who wanted to force the Israelite to carry a bundle of firewood to the kitchen without payment. Hatred against the Copts was already present in the heart of Musa ؑ. Upon the Israelite’s plea, he arrived there, and when he found out that the Copt was indeed the one committing excess, his sense of honor was stirred, and he struck him with a fist. By the grace of Allah, he was a very strong young man. As soon as the punch landed, the Copt’s life ended.
[25] The killing of a Copt in this manner by Musa ؑ could actually have become the cause of a great turmoil. Now, it so happened that there were no witnesses present nearby, and the matter remained a secret as to who the killer of this Copt was. And even if it had been discovered, the lives of the Children of Israel would have been made even more miserable. When Musa ؑ realized the outcome of this killing, he immediately cried out that this act was caused by Satan. Indeed, it is he who desires that such strife continues to arise.
[22] From this verse, it is understood that royal palaces were somewhat distant from the city or the residential areas of common people. As is generally customary, prominent people do not like to live mingled among ordinary people; rather, they have their residences, bungalows, mansions, and palaces built outside the city in open spaces.
[23] That is, when people were sleeping and the roads and streets appeared deserted and uninhabited. Such a time is usually early in the morning, well before sunrise, or in the afternoons during summer when most people are resting.
[24]
The Fight Between a Copt and an Israelite, and Musa (Moses) ؑ Striking the Copt and Causing His Death:
When Musa ؑ entered such a city, he saw two men fighting with each other. One of them was a Copt, meaning a native Egyptian or someone belonging to the ruling class, and the other was an Israelite, that is, from the Children of Israel. Musa ؑ had observed since childhood the various oppressions the ruling government was inflicting upon the Children of Israel, and how they were being humiliated and disgraced in society. Among those fighting, the Israelite called out to him for help, asking to be rescued from the oppression of the Copt. This Copt was a servant in the royal kitchen, who wanted to force the Israelite to carry a bundle of firewood to the kitchen without payment. Hatred against the Copts was already present in the heart of Musa ؑ. Upon the Israelite’s plea, he arrived there, and when he found out that the Copt was indeed the one committing excess, his sense of honor was stirred, and he struck him with a fist. By the grace of Allah, he was a very strong young man. As soon as the punch landed, the Copt’s life ended.
[25] The killing of a Copt in this manner by Musa ؑ could actually have become the cause of a great turmoil. Now, it so happened that there were no witnesses present nearby, and the matter remained a secret as to who the killer of this Copt was. And even if it had been discovered, the lives of the Children of Israel would have been made even more miserable. When Musa ؑ realized the outcome of this killing, he immediately cried out that this act was caused by Satan. Indeed, it is he who desires that such strife continues to arise.
