Quran Quote  :  Pray, (O Muhammad): "My Lord, if You should bring the scourge of which they had been warned in my presence, - 23:93

Quran-7:142 Surah Al-araf English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

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

Transliteration:( Wa waa'adnaa Moosaa salaaseena lailatanw wa at mamnaahaa bi'ashrim fatamma meeqaatu Rabbihee arba'eena lailah; wa qaala Moosaa liakheehi Haaroonakh lufnee fee qawmee wa aslih wa laa tattabi' sabeelal mufsideen )

142.And We made Musa a promise of thirty nights and [303] completed adding ten more in them. So the promise of his Lord was completed with forty nights [304]. And Musa said to his brother Harun: "Be my vicegerent among my people and [305] do right and follow not the way of mischief-makers" [306]. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(142) 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],[400] and do not follow the way of the corrupters." (Saheen International Translation)

Surah Al-Araf Ayat 142 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi
  • Shaheen International

303. From this the forty days seclusion of a saint is derived. Our Holy Prophet to initially spent six ? months of seclusion in the Cave of Hira before the commencement of Revelation. We futher learn that night is better than the day because although Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) stayed at Mount Sinai day and night, but mention is being made of the night only.

304. After fasting thirty days when Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) went to receive the Tauraat, he had felt a smell emanating from his blessed mouth. Therefore he made miswaak. When he was in the presence of Allah Almighty. He said don't you know that We love the smell emanating from the mouth of the one who fasts more than musk? Well, you must now keep ten more fasts.

305. At the time of going to Mount Sinai for bringing the Tauraat, Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) appointed Hazrat Harun (On whom be peace) as his temporary successor like how the Holy Prophet ? appointed Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy before setting out for a certain battle. In this there is no proof of succession without separation because Hazrat Harun (On whom be peace) was not the permanent successor of Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace). In fact, his demise was before that of Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace).

306. By this is meant some of the Israelites were rebellious. Thus. no one should act upon their advice, instead you should try to reform them. It should be remembered that for Hazrat Harun (On whom be peace) to become the successor of Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) is like the Prime Minister becoming successor of the king. Otherwise, Hazrat Harun (On whom be peace) was a permanent Prophet of Allah Almighty but the minister of Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace). The pious sages say that at though Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) appointed Hazrat Harun (On whom be peace) as his successor, the people became engrossed in idol worshipping, but our Holy Prophet said: Allah Almighty is the ? successor upon my followers" and through the blessing of this, Muslims to date are steadfast, on Islam. (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan).

 

Ibn-Kathir

142. 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.”


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,

﴿يبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَـكُمْ مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَـكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الاٌّيْمَنَ﴾

(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.

(7:142) And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, to which We added ten, whereby the term of forty nights set by his Lord was fulfilled.[99] And Moses said to Aaron, his brother: ‘Take my place among my people, act righteously, and do not follow the path of those who create mischief.’[100]

Ala-Maududi

(7:142) And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, to which We added ten, whereby the term of forty nights set by his Lord was fulfilled.[99] And Moses said to Aaron, his brother: ‘Take my place among my people, act righteously, and do not follow the path of those who create mischief.’[100]


99. After the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt which marks, on the one hand, the end of the constraints of slavery and on the other, the beginning of their life as an independent nation, Moses was summoned by God to Mount Sinai in order that he might receive the Law for Israel. He was initially summoned for a period of forty days so that he might single-mindedly devote himself to worshipping, fasting, meditation and reflection and thus develop the ability to receive the revelation which was to put a very heavy burden upon him.

In compliance with God’s command, Moses left the Israelites at the place now known as the Wadi al-Shaykh which lies between Nabi Salih and Mount Sinai. The place where the Israelites had camped is presently called

Maydan al-Rahah. At one end of the valley is a hillock where, according to local tradition, the Prophet Salih pitched his tent after his migration from the land of Thamud. A mosque built as a monument to the Prophet Salih still adorns the landscape. Mount Harun is located at the other end of the valley where, again, according to local tradition, the Prophet Harun (Aaron) stayed after his exasperation with the Israelites because of their cow-worship. The top of the towering Mount Sinai, standing 7,359 feet high, is mostly enveloped by clouds. The cave to which Moses retired for forty days to devote himself to worship and meditation is situated at the top of the mountain, and still attracts many pilgrims. Close to the cave are a mosque and a church. Moreover, a monastery built in the Justinian period stands even today at the foot of the mountain. (See Tafhim al-Qur’an, (al-Naml 27: nn. 9-10).

100. Although Aaron was senior to Moses in age by three years, he was placed under the direction of the Prophet Moses and was required to assist him in connection with his mission, As explained elsewhere in the Qur’an, Aaron was not assigned independent prophethood; he was rather appointed a Prophet by God in response to Moses’ prayer that he be appointed as his assistant. See (Ta Ha 20: 29-31 – Ed.)

(142) 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],[400] and do not follow the way of the corrupters."

[400]- i.e., keep their affairs in order.

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