قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَـٰنًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا ۚ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكُمَا ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ 35
Translations
[Allāh] said, "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both supremacy so they will not reach you. [It will be] through Our signs; you and those who follow you will be the predominant."
Transliteration
Qala sanashuddu aaduka bi-akhika wanajalu lakuma sultanan fala yasilun ilaikuma bi-ayatina antuma wamani ittaba'akuma alghalbun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah responds to Musa's (Moses) plea for support by promising to strengthen him through his brother Harun (Aaron) and grant them both authority (sultanah) such that Pharaoh's people cannot reach or harm them. With Allah's signs and message, both Musa and Harun, along with their followers, shall be the victors. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this promise of divine support was both spiritual—through revelation and miraculous signs—and practical, as Allah protected them from Pharaoh's schemes and granted them the triumph of delivering the message despite all opposition.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the narrative of Musa's conversation with Allah at the burning bush (Ayat al-Nūr), where Musa expresses his fears and concerns about confronting Pharaoh. The surah 'Al-Qasas' (The Stories) is Meccan and recounts stories of prophets, with this particular passage addressing Musa's anxieties and establishing the theme that divine support supersedes worldly power.
Related Hadiths
While no single hadith directly quotes this ayah, the principle is supported by numerous traditions on divine aid. For instance, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'Help from Allah comes with patience, relief comes with hardship, and with hardship comes ease,' emphasizing reliance on Allah's support during trials—a theme central to this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges or opposition, reliance on Allah and adherence to His message guarantees ultimate victory and protection, regardless of one's perceived weakness or the adversary's worldly power. Modern readers should draw comfort that collective effort rooted in faith—like Musa and Harun working together—combined with Divine guidance, creates an invincible force against injustice.
Related Ayahs
فَعَمِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبَآءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَهُمْ لَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
But the information will be unapparent to them that Day, so they will not [be able to] ask one another.
وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَـٰرِغًا ۖ إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِى بِهِۦ لَوْلَآ أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.
وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا۟ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And out of His mercy He made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and [by day] seek from His bounty and [that] perhaps you will be grateful.
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن جَآءَ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ مِنْ عِندِهِۦ وَمَن تَكُونُ لَهُۥ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلدَّارِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
And Moses said, "My Lord is more knowing [than we or you] of who has come with guidance from Him and to whom will be succession in the home. Indeed, wrongdoers do not succeed."