[Pooya/Ali Commentary 20:9] These verses narrate the events relating to Musa, Harun, Firawn and the children of Israil some of which have already been stated in the commentary of al Baqarah: 49 to 61; Araf: 103 to 156; Yunus: 75 to 97 and Bani Israil: 101 to 103 When Musa grew up, he left the palace of Firawn and went to Sinai peninsula. He married the daughter of the prophet Shu-ayb, and was now travelling with his family. The night was cool in the open desert. He saw a fire and went to bring an ember from it for his wife and two sons. When he approached it Allah called him "O Musa" in order to give him heart and confidence, and announced: "I am your Lord, so take off your shoes." Tuwa literally means "a thing twice done", or "twice blessed". As a proper noun it is the name of the valley below mount Sinai. The command "to take off the shoes" is interpreted as a mark of humility for self and respect for Allah, or to renounce the thought of family, so as to be present before the Lord in utter devotedness and concentration of heart and mind. According to almost all the Sunni commentators the renunciation of self and family implied in this verse is tabarra, enacted as an article of faith by Shi-ahs. Exodus 3: 2 to 5 also relates this event. Musa was chosen as a prophet and a messenger of Allah to whom Tawrat was revealed. He was commanded to worship Allah alone, because there is no god save He, and establish prayer (salat) for His remembrance. It was made clear to him that the hour of reckoning would certainly come to pass, but its exact time was kept hidden in order that every individual may be recompensed according to that which he or she has strived for in this world. "No one who carries a burden shall bear the burden of another" says verse 15 of Bani Israil. It must be noted that throughout the Quran mostly address has been made to al nas, the people, through the prophets or messengers, because the prophets were sent to the people who are accountable for their deeds. Therefore it was not Musa but the people who are commanded not to be misled by those who follow their own vain desires and lusts in verse 16. Then the miracle of the transformation of the rod, Musa used to carry with him, into a serpent was shown to Musa by Allah. The second miracle given to him was the "white and shining hand". His hand was glorified, and it shone as with a divine light. Refer to Exodus 4: 1 to 9 for the above-noted miracles. Musa, having been prepared, was commanded to go to Firawn, Rameses II, who had transgressed all bounds. Then Musa requested his Lord to appoint for him another person like him to strengthen his back and assist him in his task. Refer to the commentary of Maryam: 53 and Ali Imran: 52 and 53 for parallelism between Musa and Harun and Muhammad and Ali. The task before the Holy Prophet was much more difficult and hazardous. Musa had to face one Firawn but the Holy Prophet had to deal with a great many Firawns; every tribal chief of the Quraysh was more dangerous than the Firawn of Musa. Musa asked for Harun and the Holy Prophet asked for Ali. Allah accepted the prayers of both of them. Refer to Exodus 4: 10, 13 to 16 for the appointment of Harun as the spokesman of Musa by the Lord. The Holy Prophet said: "O Ali, you are to me as Harun was to Musa, but there is no prophethood after me." (Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 51 and Maryam: 53). The following is a traditionally transmitted invocation by the Holy Prophet: "O Allah, my brother Musa begged You saying: 'O my Lord, delight my heart and make my task easy and undo the knot in my tongue so that they may understand my talk and appoint from among my kinsmen Harun, my brother, as my wazir and strengthen my back with him and make him participate in my mission.' You inspired him: 'We shall soon strengthen your arm with your brother and make you both dominant.' O Allah, I am Your servant and Your messenger Muhammad. I beg You to delight my heart and make my task easy and appoint from among my kinsmen Ali, my brother, as my wazir." It is reported that in response to this prayer verse 55 of al Ma-idah was revealed. Refer to its commentary. Abu Is-haq al Thalabi has recorded the above prayer in his Tafsir Kabir while commenting on the verse occurring in al Ma-idah. Al Balakhi in his Yanabi has copied the same version from Ahmad bin Hanbal's Musnad. Please also refer to verses 1 to 6 of al Inshirah which make it known that the Holy Prophet's prayer was accepted by Allah, and in verse 7 He commands the Holy Prophet to establish his successorship. Please refer to the commentary of al Baqarah 52 and 53 to know that the Holy Prophet had appointed Ali as his successor on the first day he made public his mission in the assembly of the "near relatives"; and refer to the commentary of al Ma-idah: 67 to know that the Holy Prophet, under the command of Allah, appointed Ali as the guardian, master and commander of all believing men and believing women, as his successor. In verse 38 awhayna means "We inspired". When Firawn was told by his courtiers that a boy would soon be born to an Israelite woman who would cause his downfall and destroy his kingdom, he ordered Israelite male children to be killed when they were born. So, as soon as Musa was born, Allah inspired his mother to put her child into a chest and send the chest floating down the Nile. It flowed on into a stream that passed through Firawn's garden. It was picked up by Firawn's wife Asiya. Firawn was an enemy to Allah and an enemy to Musa, but Allah made Musa so comely, attractive and loveable as to be adopted by Firawn and Asiya. Refer to Exodus 2 : 3 to 9 for these events. After the child was floated on the water, the anxious mother sent Musa's sister to follow the chest from the bank and see where and by whom it was picked up. When it was picked by Firawn's family and they seemed to love the child, she appeared before them and promised to bring a good wet-nurse for the child. That was exactly what they wanted. Like that Allah's providence looked after Musa in bringing his mother to him, and nourishing him on his mother's milk, and thus the mother's heart was also comforted. Years passed. Musa grew up. He saw the Egyptian oppression under which the Bani Israel laboured. One day He saw an Egyptian smiting an Israelite with impunity. There and then, he smote the Egyptian. He did not intend to kill him, but the Egyptian died of his blow. After this Musa went to the Sinai peninsula and married the daughter of prophet Shu-ayb. After many years spent in grazing his father-in-laws' flocks, one day he came to the valley of Tuwa and the incident of fire took place. He was addressed by Allah and was chosen to be His messenger. He was granted his request that his brother should be his wazir. Then Allah commanded them both to go to Firawn because he had transgressed all bounds. "Speak to him a gentle word (mildly), haply he may take warning or fear (Allah)" is an everlasting lesson for mankind that before taking the final step to correct even a transgressor like Firawn kind exhortation in soft spoken words is the best course. In the first place their mission was to preach the word of Allah to Firawn and the Egyptians so that they might be shown the right path (Allah, in His infinite mercy, always offers peace even to the most hardened sinners) and then stop the oppression inflicted upon the Bani Israil. Firawn refused to accept the Lord of Musa and Harun (who gave to each created thing its form and nature, and further gave it guidance) as his Lord because he preferred the idols worshipped by his ancestors. Musa enumerated all the bounties of the beneficent Lord given to man in this world, but Firawn belied them and refused to believe even when the signs (the miracles of transformation of the rod into a serpent and his "white shining hand") were shown to him. Please refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 49 and 50, 57, 63; Araf: 103 to 137,160 and Yunus : 75 to 92 for the miracle of the rod and the magicians, the children of Israil, crossing the sea; making of a covenant on mount Sinai and commentary of Hud: 96 to 99. When Umer bin Abdawud, a Firawn of his times, at the time of the battle of Khandaq, challenged the Holy Prophet to send some one from the party of his "God" as an answer to his might, the Holy Prophet sent Ali as the sign of Allah to overcome the arrogant infidel. See commentary of al Baqarah: 214 and 251. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: Ali ibn abi Talib says in Nahj al Balagha that the fear mentioned in verse 67 felt by Musa was not the fear of the serpents, nor was Musa afraid of the harm that could occur to him but he was apprehensive of the possible confusion that could mislead the people. Verses 70 and 71 indicate that miracles are real whereas sorcery is unreal and lasts a few moments only. The sinners will abide in hell for ever. They will in vain desire cessation of consciousness to escape the unending and unbearable torment, but there will be no release from the conscious "living through" of the torture. Escape from existence will not be possible, and living will be worse than loss of life. The life in paradise will be a continuous conscious existence amid bliss and grace provided by the Lord of the worlds. Allah forgives the sinners again and again if they repent, believe and make amends and do good deeds. In contrast to this condition of earning divine forgiveness which generates good, peace and harmony among the people, there is the Christian theory of unconditional redemption of all sinners by prophet Isa when he paid the price of all sins committed and to be committed by all the human beings. Instead of putting an end to evil and sin this theory gives licence to people to spread corruption in the world as and when they deem necessary to fulfil their selfish desires.

سوره طه / آیه 9 - 16

۹۔وھل اتٰک حدیث موسیٰ ۱۰۔ اذراٰنار فقال لاھلہ امکثوآانی انست نار العلی اٰ تیکم منھا بقبس او اجد علی النار ھد ی ۱۱ ۔فلمآ اتٰھا نودی یٰموسٰی ۱۲۔ انی اناربک فاخلع نعلیک انک بالواد المقد س طوی ۳ا ۔وانااختر فاستمع لمایوحٰی ۱۴۔اننی انااللہ لاالٰہ الاانافاعبد نی واقم الصلٰوة لذکری ۱۵۔ ان الساعة اٰتیة اکاد اخفیھا لتجزٰی کل نفس م بماتسعٰی ۱۶۔فلایصد نک عنھامن لایومن بھاواتبع ھوٰ ہ فتردٰی ترجمہ ۹۔ اور کیاموسٰی کی خبر تم تک پہنچی ہے ۱۰۔ جب اسے (دور سے ) آگ دیکھائی دی تو اس نے اپنے گھر والوں سے کہاکہ تم (تھوڑی دیرکے لیے ) رک جاؤ ،میں نے آگ دیکھی ہے شاید ملیں تمہارے لیے اس میں سے ایک چنگاری لے آؤ ں یااس آگ کے ذریعہ راستہ معلو م کرلوں ۱۱ ۔ جس وقت وہ آگ کے پاس آیاتو اسے ندادی گئی : اے موسٰی ! ۱۲۔ میں تیرا پروردگار ہوں ! اپنے جوتے اتار دے کیونکہ تو مقدس سرزمین” طوی “ میںیے ۱۳۔ اور میں نے تجھے (مقام رسالت کے لیے ) منتخب کرلیاہے ،اب جوکچھ بھی تیری طرف وحی کی جائے اسے غور سے سن ۔ ۱۴۔میں اللہ ہوں،میرے سوااور کوئی معبود نہیں ہے ۔پس تو میری ہی عبادت کراور میری یاد کے لیے نماز قائم کر۔ ۱۵۔ قیامت (حتما) آئے گی میں اسے اس لیے چھپاکر رکھناچاہتا ہوں تاکہ ہرشخص اپنی سعی وکوشش کے بدلے اپنی جزادیکھ لے ۔ ۱۶۔ اور جو لوگ قیامت پر ایمان نہیں رکھتے اور نہونے اپنی خواہشات کی پیروی کی ہے تجھے ہرگز اس سے باز نہ رکھیںورنہ تو ہلاک ہوجائے گا ۔