سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 142
۞ وَوَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَـٰثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَـٰهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَـٰتُ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ۚ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَـٰرُونَ ٱخْلُفْنِى فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿142﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We appointed for Mûsâ (Moses) thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more), and he completed the term, appointed by his Lord, of forty nights. And Mûsâ (Moses) said to his brother Hârûn (Aaron): "Replace me among my people, act in the Right Way (by ordering the people to obey Allâh and to worship Him Alone) and follow not the way of the Mufsidûn (mischief-makers)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَوَٰعَدْنَا
wawāʿadnā
And We appointed
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
(for) Musa
ثَلَـٰثِينَ
thalāthīna
thirty
لَيْلَةًۭ
laylatan
nights
وَأَتْمَمْنَـٰهَا
wa-atmamnāhā
and We completed them
بِعَشْرٍۢ
biʿashrin
with ten (more)
فَتَمَّ
fatamma
so was completed
مِيقَـٰتُ
mīqātu
(the) set term
رَبِّهِۦٓ
rabbihi
(of) his Lord
أَرْبَعِينَ
arbaʿīna
(of) forty
لَيْلَةًۭ ۚ
laylatan
night(s)
وَقَالَ
waqāla
And said
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
لِأَخِيهِ
li-akhīhi
to his brother
هَـٰرُونَ
hārūna
Harun
ٱخْلُفْنِى
ukh'luf'nī
Take my place
فِى
fī
in
قَوْمِى
qawmī
my people
وَأَصْلِحْ
wa-aṣliḥ
and do right
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَتَّبِعْ
tattabiʿ
follow
سَبِيلَ
sabīla
(the) way
ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
l-muf'sidīna
(of) the corrupters
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.
142. And We made a promise to Musa for thirty nights [136], then completed it with ten more, so the appointed time of his Lord was fulfilled as forty nights in all. And (when leaving) Musa said to his brother Harun: "Be my deputy among my people, keep on reforming [137], and do not follow the way of those who spread corruption."
[136]
Forty Nights at the Foot of Mount Tur:
When the Children of Israel were freed from a life of slavery, they now needed a code or a Shariah. For this purpose, Allah Almighty called Musa (Moses) ؑ to Mount Sinai so that he may come to this blessed valley and worship Allah in solitude. For this, the minimum period was set as one month and the maximum as forty days. However, in Surah Al-Baqarah, only forty nights are mentioned. For this period, he was commanded to fast during the day and to spend day and night in worship, reflection, and contemplation of Allah, focusing his heart and mind, and thus developing within himself the capacity to receive the Shariah (the Tablets) revealed by Allah Almighty.
[137]
The Deputation of Sayyiduna Harun ؑ and the Calf-Worship of the People:
Musa ؑ had full experience of his people’s fickleness and weak faith, so before departing for Mount Sinai, he especially instructed his brother Sayyiduna Harun ؑ that if these people tried to create any mischief after him, he should keep striving to reform them and never listen to those who cause corruption. In other words, the leadership powers that Sayyiduna Musa ؑ possessed were delegated to Sayyiduna Harun ؑ in front of everyone. Sayyiduna Musa’s ؑ apprehension about his people turned out to be one hundred percent correct. After Musa ؑ left, these people soon began calf-worship. Sayyiduna Harun ؑ tried his utmost to explain to them, but these people were so stubborn that they gave no importance to Harun’s ؑ command. Then, upon the return of Sayyiduna Musa ؑ, the detailed conversation that took place between the two brothers is mentioned ahead.
[136]
Forty Nights at the Foot of Mount Tur:
When the Children of Israel were freed from a life of slavery, they now needed a code or a Shariah. For this purpose, Allah Almighty called Musa (Moses) ؑ to Mount Sinai so that he may come to this blessed valley and worship Allah in solitude. For this, the minimum period was set as one month and the maximum as forty days. However, in Surah Al-Baqarah, only forty nights are mentioned. For this period, he was commanded to fast during the day and to spend day and night in worship, reflection, and contemplation of Allah, focusing his heart and mind, and thus developing within himself the capacity to receive the Shariah (the Tablets) revealed by Allah Almighty.
[137]
The Deputation of Sayyiduna Harun ؑ and the Calf-Worship of the People:
Musa ؑ had full experience of his people’s fickleness and weak faith, so before departing for Mount Sinai, he especially instructed his brother Sayyiduna Harun ؑ that if these people tried to create any mischief after him, he should keep striving to reform them and never listen to those who cause corruption. In other words, the leadership powers that Sayyiduna Musa ؑ possessed were delegated to Sayyiduna Harun ؑ in front of everyone. Sayyiduna Musa’s ؑ apprehension about his people turned out to be one hundred percent correct. After Musa ؑ left, these people soon began calf-worship. Sayyiduna Harun ؑ tried his utmost to explain to them, but these people were so stubborn that they gave no importance to Harun’s ؑ command. Then, upon the return of Sayyiduna Musa ؑ, the detailed conversation that took place between the two brothers is mentioned ahead.
