Quran Universe
7:142

۞وَوَٰعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَٰثِينَ لَيۡلَةٗ وَأَتۡمَمۡنَٰهَا بِعَشۡرٖ فَتَمَّ مِيقَٰتُ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَيۡلَةٗۚ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَٰرُونَ ٱخۡلُفۡنِي فِي قَوۡمِي وَأَصۡلِحۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

WawaAAadna moosa thalatheena laylatan waatmamnaha biAAashrin fatamma meeqatu rabbihi arbaAAeena laylatan waqala moosa liakheehi haroona okhlufnee fee qawmee waaslih wala tattabiAA sabeela almufsideena

And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and perfected them by [the addition of] ten; so the term of his Lord was completed as forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron, "Take my place among my people, do right [by them], and do not follow the way of the corrupters."

Word by word
  1. ۞وَوَٰعَدۡنَاAnd We appointed
  2. مُوسَىٰ(for) Musa
  3. ثَلَٰثِينَthirty
  4. لَيۡلَةٗnights
  5. وَأَتۡمَمۡنَٰهَاand We completed them
  6. بِعَشۡرٖwith ten (more)
  7. فَتَمَّso was completed
  8. مِيقَٰتُ(the) set term
  9. رَبِّهِۦٓ(of) his Lord
  10. أَرۡبَعِينَ(of) forty
  11. لَيۡلَةٗۚnight (s)
  12. وَقَالَAnd said
  13. مُوسَىٰMusa
  14. لِأَخِيهِto his brother
  15. هَٰرُونَHarun
  16. ٱخۡلُفۡنِيTake my place
  17. فِيin
  18. قَوۡمِيmy people
  19. وَأَصۡلِحۡand do right
  20. وَلَاand (do) not
  21. تَتَّبِعۡfollow
  22. سَبِيلَ(the) way
  23. ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ(of) the corrupters
Al-A'raf · 7:142Makkah

Forty nights alone with his Lord, and a trust left behind.

Musa's appointment, and Harun left in charge

The appointment
30nights appointed
plus
10to complete it
while
Harunleads, does right
Musa's advice to Harun
do rightact with wisdom
not their waythe mischief-makers

Allah appointed thirty nights for Musa and added ten. Ibn Kathir says scholars mention Musa fasted this period, before receiving the Tawrah. He left his brother Harun with the people and told him to act rightly. Ibn Kathir notes this was only a reminder, since Harun was a noble prophet himself.

You hand your team to a colleague while you go on leave. Or you leave the kids with your sibling for a weekend. A short, clear reminder of what matters is not distrust. It is care.

Reminding someone good feels like I do not trust them.

Even the best people benefit from a gentle reminder to do right.

Try this

Before handing something over this week, give one short reminder of what matters most, kindly.

Related20:80
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and added ten, and he completed the term, appointed by his Lord, of forty nights. And Musa said to his brother Harun: "Replace me among my people, act in the right way and follow not the way of the mischief-makers. (142)

Musa fasts and worships Allah for Forty Days

Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the guidance that He sent to them by speaking directly to Musa and revealing the Tawrah to him. In it, was their law and the details of their legislation. Allah stated here that He appointed thirty nights for Musa. The scholars of Tafsir said that Musa fasted this period, and when they ended, Musa cleaned his teeth with a twig. Allah commanded him to complete the term adding ten more days, making the total forty. When the appointed term finished, Musa was about to return to Mount Tur, as Allah said,

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ

(O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount)[20:80].

Musa left his brother Harun with the Children of Israel and commanded him to use wisdom and refrain from mischief. This was only a reminder, for Harun was an honorable and noble Prophet who had grace and exalted standard with Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and the rest of the Prophets.