Commentary by Sayyid Qutb

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

“Now, what is this in your right hand, Moses?” He answered: “It is my staff; upon it I lean, and with it I beat down the leaves for my sheep; and other uses have I for it.” Said He: “Throw it down, Moses.” So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving rapidly.

Said He: “Take it up and have no fear. We shall restore it to its former state. Now put your hand under your armpit. It will come out (shining) white, without blemish: another sign. We shall show you some of Our most wondrous signs. “Go to Pharaoh; for he has indeed transgressed all bounds.”

Said (Moses): “My Lord, open up my heart (to Your light), and make my task easy for me, and remove the impediment of my tongue, so that people may understand what I say. Appoint for me a helper from among my kinsmen, Aaron, my brother. Grant me strength through him, and let him share my task, so that together we may extol Your limitless glory and remember You always. You are surely watching over us.” Said He: “You are granted all that you have asked for, Moses."       

(Ta Ha: 20: 17-36)

We discussed last week the first part of the address that Moses received from on high. It was an address to which the whole universe responded. In it, God gave His chosen messenger the fundamental truth of His oneness. Moses must have forgotten all about himself and the purpose for which he was aiming that way. He was now only following this voice coming to him from on high. He was attentive to the Divine instructions being given to him. As he is absorbed in that, with all his being fully attentive to it, he is asked a question with no answer being required from him: “Now, what is this in your right hand, Moses?”

Of course Moses had his staff in his hand, but where was his mind at that moment? Well, he remembers and gives a reply: “He answered: It is my staff; upon it I lean, and with it I beat down the leaves for my sheep; and other uses have I for it.” The question did not ask about the use of his staff, but about the object he was holding. Nevertheless, Moses realizes that he was not being asked to name the object in his hand, but to state what he does with it. Hence his answer outlining the purposes for which he used it. He leaned on it and beat the leaves of the trees so that they fell and were eaten by his sheep. We know that Moses tended sheep for Shuayb, his father-in-law. It is also reported that he had with him a number of sheep given him as his share. Furthermore, he had some other uses for the staff to which he refers in general without going into specifics, because what he has already mentioned gives a clear indication of them.

The omnipotent power, however, does with his staff what he could have never imagined. This comes as part of his preparation for his task: “Said He: ‘Throw it down, Moses.’ So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving rapidly. Said He: ‘Take it up and have no fear. We shall restore it to its former state’.”

Thus he saw in front of his eyes the great miracle that occurs every moment while people remain oblivious to it. That is the miracle of life: the staff became a rapidly moving snake. Millions and millions of lifeless atoms or objects are transformed into living things all the time, but they do not fill man with wonder and amazement like a staff being transformed into a snake. Man lives in a world demarcated by his senses and experience. He cannot go far beyond what he can perceive. To see a staff made of wood transformed into a snake that moves rapidly is bound to cause a shock to his senses. He is thus profoundly alert. The hidden aspects of how life first came about and the miraculous nature of life springing up at every moment are too subtle to capture man’s mind and imagination. This is particularly the case when something becomes too familiar; it thus goes unnoticed.

The miracle of life took place, and Moses was full of amazement, with fear going into his heart. But the command was given: “Take it up and have no fear. We shall restore it to its former state.” It will be a staff again. The Surah does not mention here Moses’s other reaction mentioned in another Surah, which shows him running away. Here we have only a subtle reference to the fear that overwhelmed Moses. This is due to the fact that the general atmosphere in this Surah is one of safety and reassurance. It is not to be disturbed by speaking about overwhelming fear leading to running away.

Thus Moses was reassured, he picked up the snake and it was a staff again, regaining its original shape and form. Thus the other aspect of the miracle took place, with life departing from a living creature to leave it lifeless, dead.

Another command was issued to Moses from on high: “Now put your hand under your armpit. It will come out (shining) white, without blemish: another sign.” Moses did as he was told. It should be noted that the Qur’an uses a different expression to denote the position where Moses was to put his hand, his armpit. It is described as his “wing” which gives an air of freedom of movement and freedom from the Earth gravity. Thus his hand would come out shinning white, but its whiteness indicates no illness or malignancy. That is indeed another sign to be added to that of his staff. He is thus made to see some of the great miracles God works out: “We shall show you some of Our most wondrous signs.” When he has seen these with his own eyes, he would be reassured and he would go about his great task with greater determination.

“Go to Pharaoh; for he has indeed transgressed all bounds.” Up to this point Moses was unaware that he was chosen for this very hard task. He has first hand knowledge of Pharaoh, since he himself was brought up in Pharaoh’s own palace, witnessing his tyranny and how he treated his people with unabating cruelty. Since he is now in audience with his Lord, feeling the great honor God bestowed on him, he asks Him all that would give him more reassurance when he goes about fulfilling his difficult task and sustain him as he pursues his mission: “Said (Moses): My Lord, open up my heart (to Your light), and make my task easy for me, and remove the impediment of my tongue, so that people may understand what I say. Appoint for me a helper from among my kinsmen, Aaron, my brother. Grant me strength through him, and let him share my task, so that together we may extol Your limitless glory and remember You always. You are surely watching over us.”

So, Moses request his Lord to open up his heart, which would ensure that the hard task would become a pleasure to undertake. It would thus motivate him to carry on with it without impediments. He also prays God to facilitate his task. When God facilitates a task for anyone, it is certain to be successful. For, what can man accomplish on his own, unless God facilitates matters for him? How can he achieve success when he has only limited ability and deficient knowledge while the road ahead is long, difficult and unknown.

We will look at Moses’s request in more detail next week, God willing.