ٱذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى وَلَا تَنِيَا فِى ذِكْرِى 42
Translations
Go, you and your brother, with My signs and do not slacken in My remembrance.
Transliteration
Idhhab anta wa-akhuka bi-ayati wa-la taniya fi dhikri
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) to go to Pharaoh carrying Allah's signs and miracles, while being steadfast in remembrance of Allah and not becoming negligent or weary in His remembrance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that 'tania' (تَنِيَا) means to slacken, weaken, or be remiss, instructing the two brothers to maintain constant vigilance in their mission and unwavering devotion to Allah's remembrance despite the hardships they would face from Pharaoh's rejection and hostility.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Ta-Ha, a Meccan surah revealed during a period when the Prophet Muhammad faced intense opposition. The surah recounts the story of Musa and Harun's mission to Pharaoh, using it as a parallel comfort to the Prophet and believers facing persecution. This specific verse comes as Allah directly commissions Musa and Harun to their prophetic mission, establishing the framework for their confrontation with Pharaoh.
Related Hadiths
The concept of steadfastness in remembrance of Allah relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'The best of supplications is asking for forgiveness, and the best of deeds is remembrance of Allah.' Additionally, Tirmidhi records a hadith encouraging constant remembrance (dhikr) as a means of maintaining spiritual vigilance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that when undertaking righteous missions or facing spiritual struggles, maintaining constant remembrance of Allah and vigilance against spiritual negligence is essential for success. It reminds us that partnership in faith (symbolized by Musa and Harun) combined with unwavering devotion to Allah empowers us to overcome opposition and challenges in fulfilling our divine purpose.
Related Ayahs
وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا۟ كَيْدُ سَـٰحِرٍ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ
And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلْمًا
He [i.e., Allāh] knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it [i.e., what He knows] in knowledge.
قَالَ يَـٰهَـٰرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوٓا۟
[Moses] said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,
وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ
But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]: