Mūsā عليه السلام · answering for what people under you have done
You are our Protector
- Source
-
Sūrat Al-A'raaf
7:155–156 - Extent
- Excerpt within the āyah, shown in full ink against dimmed framing.
- Text
- Uthmani, verified by checksum
وَٱخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُۥ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًۭا لِّمِيقَٰتِنَا فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّٰىَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَهْدِى مَن تَشَآءُ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْغَٰفِرِينَ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Rabbi law shiʾta ʾahlaktahum min qablu wa-ʾiyyāya ʾatuhlikunā bimā fa-ʿala as-sufahāʾu minnā ʾin hiya ʾillā fitnatuka tuḍillu bihā man tashāʾu wa-tahdī man tashāʾu ʾanta wa-liyyunā faghfir lanā warḥamnā wa-ʾanta khayru al-ghāfirīna waktub lanā fī hādhihi ad-dunyā ḥasanatan wa-fī al-ʾākhirati ʾinnā hudnā ʾilayka
When and why it was said
In the Qur’an (7:156), Musa asks for goodness in this life and the Hereafter while turning to Allah.
Qurʾān 7:155-156
Commentary — Tafsīr al-Jalālayn
And Moses chose of his people seventy men from among those who had not worshipped the calf by God’s command for Our appointed time that is for the time at which We promised him that they should come and apologise for their comrades’ worship of the calf. He Moses then departed with them; but when the Trembling a violent earthquake seized them Ibn ‘Abbās said ‘That earthquake was because they did not separate themselves from their people when the latter took to worshipping the calf’; he Ibn ‘Abbās added ‘These people were not the same ones who asked to see God and were struck by the thunderbolt cf. Q. 255’ he Moses said ‘My Lord had You willed You would have destroyed them long before that is before my departure with them so that the Children of Israel might see this and not make false accusations against me and me with them. Will You destroy us for what the foolish ones among us have done? this interrogative is meant as a plea for compassion in other words ‘Do not punish us for the sins of others’. It that is the trial which the ignorant ones underwent is but Your trial Your test whereby You send astray whom You will to lead stray and guide whom You will to guide. You are our Protector looking after our affairs so forgive us and have mercy on us for You are the Best of all who show forgiveness.
Tafsīr al-Jalālayn, al-Maḥallī and al-Suyūṭī. Translated by Feras Hamza. altafsir.com
Reflection
Balance worldly needs with hope for the Hereafter.