The Story, Stories, The Narrative — Verse 21
28:21 · al-Qasas
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فَخَرَجَ مِنۡهَا خَاۤىِٕفࣰا یَتَرَقَّبُۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِی مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ ٢١
fakharaja min'hā khāifan yataraqqabu qāla rabbi najjinī mina l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn
The Story, Stories, The Narrative / al-Qasas (28:21)
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Multi-source connections
No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mention (1) cited by only one commentator
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Q 28:17 (al-Qasas)
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By commentator who cites how many verses on this ayah
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Ma'arif-ul-Quran 1 verse
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
So Moses left the city, fearful and wary, and prayed, ‘My Lord, save me from people who do wrong.’
fakharaja min'hā khāifan yataraqqabu qāla rabbi najjinī mina l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn
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Tafsir Commentary
Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women
When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a position of leadership.
فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ
(So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear.) meaning, turning around and watching.
قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ
(My Lord! Save me from the people who are wrongdoers!) means, from Fir`awn and his chiefs. It was mentioned that Allah sent to him an angel riding a horse, who showed him the way. And Allah knows best.
وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ
(And when he went towards (the land of) Madyan,) means, he took a smooth and easy route -- and he rejoiced because of that.
قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّى أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ
(he said: "It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.") meaning, the most straight route. And Allah did indeed do that, for He guided him to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter, and caused him to be guided and to guide others.
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ
(And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan,) means, when he reached Madyan and went to drink from its water, for it had a well where shepherds used to water their flocks,
وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ
(he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back.) means, they were stopping their sheep from drinking with the sheep of those shepherds, lest some harm come to them. When Musa, peace be upon him, saw them, he felt sorry for them and took pity on them.
قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا
(He said: "What is the matter with you") meaning, `why do you not water your flocks with these people'
قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ
(They said: "We cannot water until the shepherds take...") meaning, `we cannot water our flocks until they finish.'
وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ
(And our father is a very old man.) means, `this is what has driven us to what you see.'
فَسَقَى لَهُمَا
(So he watered (their flocks) for them, )
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
(then he turned back to shade, and said: "My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!")
إِلَى الظِّلِّ
(to shade,) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and As-Suddi said: "He sat beneath a tree." `Ata' bin As-Sa'ib said: "When Musa said:
رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
("My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!") the women heard him."
So he departed from it fearful vigilant lest any of the pursuers catch up with him or in the hope that God might rescue him. He said ‘My Lord deliver me from the evildoing people’ Pharaoh’s people.
فخرج موسى من مدينة فرعون خائفًا ينتظر الطلب أن يدركه فيأخذه، فدعا الله أن ينقذه من القوم الظالمين.
لما أخبره ذلك الرجل بما تمالأ عليه فرعون دولته في أمره خرج من مصر وحده ولم يألف ذلك قبله بل كان في رفاهية ونعمة ورياسة "فخرج منها خائفا يترقب" أي يتلفت "قال رب نجني من القوم الظالمين" أي من فرعون وملئه فذكروا أن الله سبحانه وتعالى بعث إليه ملكا على فرس فأرشده إلى الطريق فالله أعلم.
واستجاب موسى لنصح هذا الرجل ( فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا ) أى : من المدينة ، حالة كونه ( خَآئِفاً ) من الظالمين ( يَتَرَقَّبُ ) التعرض له منهم ، ويعد نفسه للتخفى عن أنظارهم .وجعل يتضرع إلى ربه قائلا : ( رَبِّ نَجِّنِي ) بقدرتك وفضلك ( مِنَ القوم الظالمين ) بأن تخلصنى من كيدهم ، وتحول بينهم وبينى ، فأنا ما قصدت بما فعلت ، إلا دفع ظلمهم وبغيهم .وإلى هنا تكون السورة الكريمة ، قد قصت علينا هذا الجانب من حياة موسى ، بعد أن بلغ أشده واستوى ، وبعد أن دفع بهمته الوثابة ظلم الظالمين ، وخرج من مدينتهم خائفا يترقب ، ملتمسا من خالقه - عز وجل - النجاة من مكرهم .
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (21)يقول تعالى ذكره: فخرج موسى من مدينة فرعون خائفا من قتله النفس أن يقتل به (يَتَرَقَّبُ) يقول: ينتظر الطلب أن يدركه فيأخذه. كما حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن قَتادة: ( فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ) خائفًا من قتله النفس يترقب الطلب ( قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ).حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني أبو سفيان, عن معمر, عن قَتادة ( فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ) قال: خائفا من قتل النفس, يترقب أن يأخذه الطلب.حدثنا ابن حميد, قال: ثنا سلمة, عن ابن إسحاق, قال: ذُكر لي أنه خرج على وجهه خائفا يترقب ما يدري أي وجه يسلك, وهو يقول: ( رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ).حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله: ( فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ) قال: يترقب مخافة الطلب.وقوله: ( قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: قال موسى وهو شاخص عن مدينة فرعون خائفا: ربّ نجني من هؤلاء القوم الكافرين, الذين ظلموا أنفسهم بكفرهم بك.
( فخرج منها ) موسى ، ( خائفا يترقب ) أي : ينتظر الطلب ، ( قال رب نجني من القوم الظالمين ) الكافرين ، وفي القصة : أن فرعون بعث في طلبه حين أخبر بهربه فقال اركبوا ثنيات الطريق فإنه لا يعرف كيف الطريق .
فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (21)والترقب : حقيقته الانتظار ، وهو مشتق من رقب إذا نظر أحوال شيء . ومنه سمي المكان المرتفع : مرقبة ومرتقباً ، وهو هنا مستعار للحذر .وجملة { قال رب نجني } بدل اشتمال من جملة { يترقب } لأن ترقبه يشتمل على الدعاء إلى الله بأن ينجيه .والقوم الظالمون هم قوم فرعون . ووصفهم بالظلم لأنهم مشركون ولأنهم راموا قتله قصاصاً عن قتل خطإ وذلك ظلم لأن الخطأ في القتل لا يقتضي الجزاء بالقتل في نظر العقل والشرع .ومحل العبرة من قصة موسى مع القبطي وخروجه من المدينة من قوله { ولما بلغ أشده } [ القصص : 14 ] إلى هنا هو أن الله يصطفي من يشاء من عباده ، وأنه أعلم حيث يجعل رسالاته ، وأنه إذا تعلقت إرادته بشيء هيأ له أسبابه بقدرته فأبرزه على أتقن تدبير ، وأن الناظر البصير في آثار ذلك التدبير يقتبس منها دلالة على صدق الرسول في دعوته كما أشار إليه قوله تعالى { فقد لبثت فيكم عمراً من قبله أفلا تعقلون } [ يونس : 16 ] . وإن أوضح تلك المظاهر هو مظهر استقامة السيرة ومحبة الحق ، وأن دليل عناية الله بمن اصطفاه لذلك هو نصره على أعدائه ونجاته مما له من المكائد . وفي ذلك كله مثل للمشركين لو نظروا في حال محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم في ذاته وفي حالهم معه . ثم { إن } في قوله تعالى { إن الملأ يأتمرون بك ليقتلوك } الآية إيماء إلى أن رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم سيخرج من مكة وأن الله منجيه من ظالميه .
{ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ } أن يوقع به القتل، ودعا اللّه، و { قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ } فإنه قد تاب من ذنبه وفعله غضبا من غير قصد منه للقتل، فَتَوعُّدُهُمْ له ظلم منهم وجراءة.
فاخرج إني لك من الناصحين فخرج منها خائفا يترقب أي ينتظر الطلب قال رب نجني من القوم الظالمين قيل : الجبار : الذي يفعل ما يريده من الضرب والقتل بظلم ، لا ينظر في العواقب ، ولا يدفع بالتي هي أحسن ، وقيل : المتعظم الذي لا يتواضع لأمر الله تعالى .
The next day Moses found that the same Israelite was fighting with another Egyptian. This gave a clear indication that he was a quarrelsome person and was in the habit of picking quarrels with someone or the other every day. So, inspite of his being an Israelite, Moses held him guilty. The proof of the Israelite’s being guilty was further strengthened by the fact that, when the Israelite found that Moses was not supporting him on that day and was on the contrary blaming him, he stooped to meanness. In an irresponsible manner, he revealed the secret of the previous day’s killing, which till then had not come to anybody’s knowledge. When the killer’s name was made public by the Israelite, many people heard about it. In a few days the news spread everywhere. Ultimately, there was a discussion among the rulers about killing Moses. One virtuous man who came to know about it, met Moses secretly and advised him that it would be better if he went away. So, he left Egypt and set forth for Midian (Madyan). Midian was situated on the west coast of the Gulf of Aqaba and outside the limits of Pharaoh’s empire.
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ (He [ Musa ] said, "0 my Lord, since You have favoured me, I will never be a supporter to the sinners." -28:17). When Allah Ta’ ala pardoned this slip of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) he said in gratitude to Allah Ta` ala that he would never again help a criminal. The second incident of the quarrel had proved that the Isra'ili in whose defense Musa (علیہ السلام) had involved himself in the brawl was quarrelsome. Therefore, by declaring him a criminal he vowed not to help such a person again. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ while explaining this verse, has maintained that the word 'criminals' stands here for infidels. Qatadah has also interpreted the verse in almost the same way. On the basis of these commentaries it seems that actually the Isra'ili, whom Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had defended, was not a Muslim but he helped him considering that he was an oppressed person.
Rulings
It is worth noting here that this saying of Musa (علیہ السلام) has established two rulings about two issues. One, that even if an oppressed person is a sinner or infidel, he should be helped. The second ruling is that it is not permitted to help any criminal or oppressor. Scholars have argued on the basis of this verse that working in the employment of cruel rulers is also not permitted, for they too would be regarded as their associates. Many citations from the righteous salaf (elders) have also been quoted in support of this argument. (Ruh u1-Ma’ ani) To provide support to the oppressors or to the infidels may take different forms. The different rulings about these forms are laid down in the books of fiqh in detail. This humble writer has also dealt with the subject in his Arabic book Ahkamul-Qur'an with greater elaboration. The scholars interested in the subject may consult it.
(So he escaped from thence) from the city, (fearing, vigilant) waiting and looking behind him expecting to be hunted down and arrested. (He said) at this point: (My Lord! Deliver me from the wrong-doing folk) the people of Egypt.