Quran Universe
20:9

وَهَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ

Wahal ataka hadeethu moosa

And has the story of Moses reached you? -

Word by word
  1. وَهَلۡAnd has
  2. أَتَىٰكَcome to you
  3. حَدِيثُthe narration
  4. مُوسَىٰٓ(of) Musa
Taha · 20:9Makkah

Let me tell you about Musa.

A story offered to a pressured Prophet ﷺ

The question
the Prophet ﷺopposed in Makkah
is asked
have you heardthe story of Musa
Why a story now
just historysomething that happened once
a mirrorfor your own hard road

With this verse the surah turns to Musa: how revelation began for him and how Allah spoke to him. It was told to the Prophet ﷺ while his people opposed him, and the few believers were under pressure. A story of another messenger at the start of his mission.

You are in the first hard month of something: a new job, a new habit, a new start after a mistake. A friend says, "Let me tell you what happened to me." Stories reach places that advice cannot.

Stories of prophets are about them, long ago.

Allah tells me these stories because my road has the same turns.

Try this

As you read the Musa story in this surah, note one moment that feels like your own life.

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

And has there come to you the story of Musa (9)When he saw a fire, he said to his family: "Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire. (10)

A Discussion of the Message of Musa

From this point, Allah begins to mention the story of Musa, how revelation began to come to Him, and Allah's speaking directly to him. This occurred after Musa had completed the time agreed upon between he and his father-in-law that he would herd sheep. He was traveling with his family, and it has been said that he was headed for the land of Egypt, after having been away from it for more than ten years. He had his wife with him and he became lost on the way during a cold, wintery night. Therefore, he settled down, making a camp between some mountain passes and mountains that were covered with snow, sleet, dense clouds, darkness and fog. He began to try to make a fire with a kindling device he had with him, in order to produce some light, as was customary. However, it would not kindle anything and it even stopped giving off sparks. While he was in this condition, he saw a fire from the side of the mountain. It appeared to him to be a fire glowing from the right side of the mountain from where he was. He then announced the good news to his family saying,

إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ

(Verily, I have seen a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand) This means a flame from a fire. In another Ayah he said,

أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ

(or a burning firebrand.)[28:29]) This is a coal that has a burning flame.

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

(that you may warm yourselves.)[28:29] This proves that it was in fact cold weather at that time. Concerning his statement,

بِقَبَسٍ

(some burning brand) This proves that it was dark. In reference to his statement,

أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى

(or find some guidance at the fire.) This means someone who can guide me to the road. This proves that he lost the road. This is as Ath-Thawri reported from Abu Sa'id Al-A'war, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى

(or find some guidance at the fire.) "This means someone who will guide me to the road. They were cold and had lost their way. Then, when he (Musa) saw the fire he said, 'Either I will find someone who can guide us to the road, or at least I can bring you all some fire that you can kindle with.'"