سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 143
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿143﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when Mûsâ (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allâh said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Mûsâ (Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَمَّا
walammā
And when
جَآءَ
jāa
came
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا
limīqātinā
to Our appointed place
وَكَلَّمَهُۥ
wakallamahu
and spoke to him
رَبُّهُۥ
rabbuhu
his Lord
قَالَ
qāla
he said
رَبِّ
rabbi
O my Lord
أَرِنِىٓ
arinī
Show me
أَنظُرْ
anẓur
(that) I may look
إِلَيْكَ ۚ
ilayka
at You
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَن
lan
Never
تَرَىٰنِى
tarānī
you (can) see Me
وَلَـٰكِنِ
walākini
but
ٱنظُرْ
unẓur
look
إِلَى
ilā
at
ٱلْجَبَلِ
l-jabali
the mountain
فَإِنِ
fa-ini
[then] if
ٱسْتَقَرَّ
is'taqarra
it remains
مَكَانَهُۥ
makānahu
in its place
فَسَوْفَ
fasawfa
then
تَرَىٰنِى ۚ
tarānī
you (will) see Me
فَلَمَّا
falammā
But when
تَجَلَّىٰ
tajallā
revealed (His) Glory
رَبُّهُۥ
rabbuhu
his Lord
لِلْجَبَلِ
lil'jabali
to the mountain
جَعَلَهُۥ
jaʿalahu
He made it
دَكًّۭا
dakkan
crumbled to dust
وَخَرَّ
wakharra
and fell down
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
Musa
صَعِقًۭا ۚ
ṣaʿiqan
unconscious
فَلَمَّآ
falammā
And when
أَفَاقَ
afāqa
he recovered
قَالَ
qāla
he said
سُبْحَـٰنَكَ
sub'ḥānaka
Glory be to You
تُبْتُ
tub'tu
I turn (in repentance)
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to you
وَأَنَا۠
wa-anā
and I am
أَوَّلُ
awwalu
(the) first
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
(of) the believers
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.
143. And when Musa came at the appointed time and place set by Us, and his Lord spoke to him [138], Musa said: "My Lord! Show Yourself to me so that I may look at You." Allah said: "You will never be able to see Me. But look at the mountain; if it remains firm in its place, then you will be able to see Me." Then when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble to dust, and Musa fell down unconscious. When he recovered, he said: "Glory be to You! I turn to You in repentance, and I am the first of the believers."
[138]
The Request of Sayyiduna Musa (Moses) ؑ for the Vision (of Allah) and His Falling Unconscious:
After forty days and nights of continuous worship and spiritual exercise, Allah granted Musa ؑ the special and unique honor of direct conversation. The pleasure Musa ؑ experienced from hearing Allah’s words directly was so profound that it stirred in his heart the desire to see the One speaking. Spontaneously, he requested to see Allah, saying: “O Lord! Remove this veil and these barriers so that I may behold You.” The reply came: “You will never be able to bear My vision with this mortal body and these perishable eyes. If you are so eager, then look at that mountain. I will cast a small portion of My manifestation upon it. If the mountain can withstand that manifestation and remains in its place, then perhaps you too will be able to bear it.” And Allah knew well that neither the mountain nor Musa ؑ would be able to withstand this manifestation, as He had already stated. This was said only so that Sayyiduna Musa ؑ would not feel disheartened. Thus, when Allah cast His manifestation upon the mountain, it was shattered into pieces and leveled to the ground, and Musa ؑ, who was standing nearby witnessing this scene, fell unconscious from terror. When he regained consciousness, the first thing he said was: “I repent from having made such an inappropriate request, I acknowledge Your greatness and majesty, and I believe that in this mortal world and with these perishable eyes, seeing You is impossible.” However, when this mortal world is transformed and human faculties—especially the eyes—are changed in such a way that they can bear the vision of Allah, then people will experience a state of unconsciousness similar to what befell Musa ؑ in this world, as is made clear by the following hadith.
[138]
The Request of Sayyiduna Musa (Moses) ؑ for the Vision (of Allah) and His Falling Unconscious:
After forty days and nights of continuous worship and spiritual exercise, Allah granted Musa ؑ the special and unique honor of direct conversation. The pleasure Musa ؑ experienced from hearing Allah’s words directly was so profound that it stirred in his heart the desire to see the One speaking. Spontaneously, he requested to see Allah, saying: “O Lord! Remove this veil and these barriers so that I may behold You.” The reply came: “You will never be able to bear My vision with this mortal body and these perishable eyes. If you are so eager, then look at that mountain. I will cast a small portion of My manifestation upon it. If the mountain can withstand that manifestation and remains in its place, then perhaps you too will be able to bear it.” And Allah knew well that neither the mountain nor Musa ؑ would be able to withstand this manifestation, as He had already stated. This was said only so that Sayyiduna Musa ؑ would not feel disheartened. Thus, when Allah cast His manifestation upon the mountain, it was shattered into pieces and leveled to the ground, and Musa ؑ, who was standing nearby witnessing this scene, fell unconscious from terror. When he regained consciousness, the first thing he said was: “I repent from having made such an inappropriate request, I acknowledge Your greatness and majesty, and I believe that in this mortal world and with these perishable eyes, seeing You is impossible.” However, when this mortal world is transformed and human faculties—especially the eyes—are changed in such a way that they can bear the vision of Allah, then people will experience a state of unconsciousness similar to what befell Musa ؑ in this world, as is made clear by the following hadith.
