وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 143
Translations
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allāh] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first [among my people] of the believers."
Transliteration
Wa-lamma jaa'a Musa li-miqatina wa-kallamahu Rabbuhu qala Rabbi arini anzur ilayka qala lan tarani wa-lakin unzur ila-l-jabali fa-in istaqarra makanuhu fa-sawfa tarani fa-lamma tajalla Rabbuhu li-l-jabali ja'alahu dakkan wa-kharra Musa sa'iqan fa-lamma afaqa qala subhanaka tubtu ilayka wa-ana awwalu-l-mu'minin
Tafsir (Explanation)
When Musa (Moses) requested to see Allah directly, he was told that no created being can bear such a vision in this world. Allah instead showed the manifestation of His divine attributes to the mountain as a test, and the mountain was utterly destroyed, demonstrating the overwhelming nature of Allah's majesty. When Musa regained consciousness, he immediately repented and testified to Allah's transcendence, affirming his faith. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah teaches the impossibility of seeing Allah in the dunya (worldly life) and confirms it as a gift reserved for the believers in Paradise.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative in Surah Al-A'raf describing Musa's journey and his encounter with Allah at Mount Sinai when he went to keep the appointment (miqat) for receiving the Torah. The context demonstrates Musa's deep desire for spiritual closeness to his Lord and Allah's mercy in guiding him toward understanding divine reality. This narrative follows Musa's call to prophethood and precedes the story of the golden calf.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'You will not see your Lord until you die.' Additionally, a hadith in Sahih Bukhari mentions that the people of Paradise will see Allah, contrasting the impossibility of seeing Him in this life. These traditions clarify that direct vision of Allah is exclusive to the Hereafter.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that our desire to draw closer to Allah must be tempered with understanding of His infinite transcendence and our finite human limitations. It encourages believers to show sincere repentance and humility when confronted with their weakness, while maintaining unwavering faith in Allah's existence and ultimate reward for the faithful.
Related Ayahs
فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ ۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ
Then We will surely relate [their deeds] to them with knowledge, and We were not [at all] absent.
فَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers.
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ وَلِتَتَّقُوا۟ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may fear Allāh so you might receive mercy?"
قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئْتَ بِـَٔايَةٍ فَأْتِ بِهَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
[Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful."