يَفْقَهُوا۟ قَوْلِى 28
Translations
That they may understand my speech.
Transliteration
Yafqahu qawli
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase means 'they may understand my speech,' referring to Prophet Musa's (Moses) supplication to Allah to make his message clear and comprehensible to the people. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Musa was asking Allah to remove the impediment in his speech (due to his stutter mentioned in verse 20:27) so that his audience could properly understand his divine message when he was sent to Pharaoh. This demonstrates the importance of clear communication in delivering the message of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Musa's prayer to Allah at Mount Sinai, where he requests assistance for his mission to Pharaoh. The broader context (20:25-36) shows Musa asking Allah to facilitate his task, cure his speech impediment, and grant him righteous assistance through his brother Harun. This supplication illustrates how the prophets sought divine help in their missions.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet Muhammad said, 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' relates to the theme of understanding and conveying the divine message clearly. Additionally, the story of Musa's stammer is mentioned in various hadith collections as evidence of Allah's assistance to His prophets despite their perceived weaknesses.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that clear communication of truth is essential, and we should seek Allah's help in conveying our message effectively. It also teaches that apparent weaknesses or limitations should not prevent us from fulfilling our responsibilities, as Allah provides assistance to those who sincerely seek His aid.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ ٱلزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحْشَرَ ٱلنَّاسُ ضُحًى
[Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning."
فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ ٱلْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَىٰ
Then Satan whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?"
قَالُوا۟ لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَـٰكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ
They said, "We will never cease being devoted to it [i.e., the calf] until Moses returns to us."
فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفْصَفًا
And He will leave it [i.e., the earth] a level plain;