Al Islam

2260. Important Words:

أزری (my strength); أزر (azrun) is derived from أزر (azara). They say أزرہ i.e. it surrounded or encompassed it. أزرہ and أزرہ (azzara) means, he strengthened him or it. آزرہ (azara) means, he aided, assisted or helped him and strengthened him. آزر الزرع بعضه بعضا means, the seed-produce became tangled or luxuriant, one part reaching to another, and one part strengthening another. أزر and أزر (azara) and آزر (azara) are also used synonymously. أزر (azrun) means, strength; weakness; back; aid, assistance or help. They say شدد أزرہ i.e. he strengthened his back. اشدد به أزری means, (a) strengthen Thou by him my back; (b) strengthen Thou by him my weakness, and (c) through him add Thou to my strength (Lane & Aqrab). (close)

a. 26:16 (close)

a. 26:16. (close)

2261. Important Words:

سؤل (prayer) is derived from سأل which means, he asked for; he begged, he prayed or petitioned. سؤل means, a thing asked for; a prayer; a petition (Aqrab & Lane). (close)

b. 28:8, 9. (close)

1821. Ma being Masdariyyah, the verb following it imparts to it an intensiveness of meaning. The expression Ma yuha thus means, an important revelation; or what was necessary to be revealed at that time. (close)

b. 28:8-9. (close)

2262. Important Words:

In ما یوحی (an important revelation), ما being مصدریة turns the verb following it into an infinitive and imparts to it an intensiveness of meaning. Thus the expression ما یوحی means, an important revelation or what it was necessary to be revealed at that time. (close)

1822. ‘Ain means (1) the eye; (2) inmates of a house; (3) protection (Lane). As Moses was to have been entrusted with the great and difficult task of delivering a people, held in bondage for long by a cruel and powerful monarch, it was necessary that he should have received the requisite training for the great mission under royal tutors and teachers. So it was in fulfilment of this Divine plan that Moses found his way into Pharaoh’s own house. (close)

c. 28:9. (close)

2263. Important Words:

For التابوت see 2:249.

عینی (My eye). عین means, (1) the eye; (2) look or view; (3) the people or inmates of a house or dwelling; (4) brothers from the same father and mother; (5) protection or honour (Lane). The expression علی عینی means, before my eyes, or, under my protection. See also 11:38.

تصنع (be reared) is derived from صنع. They say صنع الشیء i.e. he made the thing. صنع الفرس means, he looked after the horse. صنع ابنته means, he properly brought up his daughter. صنع (sun‘un) means, to do a thing properly and well. اصطنع الشیء means, he ordered the thing to be prepared for him. اصطنعه means, he taught him and trained and brought him up. اصطنع عندہ صنیعة means, he did him a favour. اصطنعه لنفسه means, he chose him for himself. اصطناع means, to mend or reform a thing thoroughly and well (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

As Moses was to have been entrusted with the great and difficult task of delivering a people held in bondage for long by a cruel and powerful monarch, it was necessary that he should have received the requisite training for the great mission under royal tutors and teachers. So it was in fulfilment of this divine plan that he found his way into Pharaoh’s own house.

The reference in the verse is to the Biblical narrative. See Exod. 2:‌1-10.

The expression فلیلقه is in the imperative mood and signifies command, meaning, We commanded that the river should cast it on to the bank. (close)

d. 28:12, 13. (close)

a. 28:14. (close)

b. 28:16, 34. (close)

1823. The sojourn of Moses among the people of Midian fulfilled yet another Divine plan. As he was destined to live with the Israelites in the deserts and forests of the Valley of Sinai, he was made to become used to a hard life by living for several years in Midian. (close)

a. 28:12-13. (close)

b. 28:14. (close)

c. 26:15; 28:16, 34. (close)

2264. Important Words:

قدر (standard) is inf. noun from قدر (qadara). قدرت الشیء means, I measured the thing; computed or determined its quantity, measure, size, value, worth, bulk, proportion, extent, amount, limit or number. قدر (qadrun) or قدر (qadarun) is the quantity, quantum measure, magnitude, size, bulk, proportion and extent, of a thing. They say جاء علی قدر i.e. it came according to measure or as it may be said, he came up to the standard (Aqrab, Mufradat & Lane). See also 15:61.

Commentary:

In what a wonderful way did God fulfil the promise He made to Moses’ mother (when He commanded her to cast him into the river) that he would be restored to her (28:8)! God so managed the whole affair that the baby was soon again in the loving arms of his mother. It is in this way that God demonstrates not only His existence, but also His knowledge and shows His supreme control over all things and it is events like these that inspire a living faith in the hearts of God’s loving and sincere votaries. And it was that living faith which made Moses’ mother cast her baby into the river which was amply rewarded by Moses being restored to her very soon.

The words فتناک فتوناً (We tried thee with various trials) mean that Moses was made to pass through the crucible of trials and tribulations so that his mettle might be tested, and after passing out of these ordeals with flying colours he might be declared fit to be endowed with God’s great gifts and favours.

Midian or Madyan is the name of a town on the east side of the Gulf of ‘Akabah. The name is connected with that of the tribe of Midianites. In the 6th century Ya‘qubi speaks of its position in a district rich in springs, gardens and date-groves. Istakhri describes from his own observation the spring in the town from which Moses watered the flocks of Shu‘aib. It was then covered by a house which had been built over it. The town had then shown signs of gradual decay and decline. In the 12th century Idrisi says, "It is an unimportant little trading centre with scanty resources." In the 14th century Abul-Fida saw that it was in ruins. In recent times it has been visited by Ruppell, Burton and Musil. The extensive ruins which the Arabs call Maghair Shu‘aib after the cave-tombs lie about 16 miles east of the port of Makna, in the southern part of the valley of Al-Bad’ which is rich in streams and palms and other trees. According to Burton the whole district between 29° 28΄ and 27° 40΄ is called Ard Madyan (Enc. of Islam under "Madyan").

The town lay on the trade route from Medina to Syria and caravans going to Syria or Egypt passed through it.

The sojourn of Moses among the people of Midian fulfilled yet another divine plan. As he was destined to live with the Israelites in the deserts and forests of the valley of Sinai, he was made to become used to a hard life by living for several years in Midian. (close)