Surah Al-Qasas: Verse 18 - فأصبح في المدينة خائفا يترقب... - English

Tafsir of Verse 18, Surah Al-Qasas

فَأَصْبَحَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ

English Translation

And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."

English Transliteration

Faasbaha fee almadeenati khaifan yataraqqabu faitha allathee istansarahu bialamsi yastasrikhuhu qala lahu moosa innaka laghawiyyun mubeenun

Tafsir of Verse 18

Now in the morning he was in the city, fearful and vigilant; and behold, the man who had sought his, succour on the day before cried out to him again. Moses said to him, 'Clearly thou art, a quarreller.'

So he saw the morning in the city, looking about, in a state of fear, when behold, the man who had, the day before, sought his help called aloud for his help (again). Moses said to him: "Thou art truly, it is clear, a quarrelsome fellow!"

How the Secret of this Killing became known

Allah tells us that when Musa killed that Coptic,

فِى الْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفاً

(he became afraid in the city) meaning, of the consequences of his action,

يَتَرَقَّبُ

(looking about) means, turning around and watching out, waiting for the consequences of his action to befall him. He went out and about, and saw the man who sought his help the day before, fighting with another Coptic. When Musa passed by him, he called for his help again, against this other Coptic. Musa said to him:

إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ

(Verily, you are a plain misleader!) meaning, `you obviously lead people astray and are very evil.' Then Musa intended to attack that Coptic, but the Israelite -- because of his own cowardice and weakness -- thought that Musa wanted to hit him because of what he had said, so he said, in self-defence --

يمُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْساً بِالاٌّمْسِ

(O Musa! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday) Nobody except him and Musa, peace be upon him, knew about it, but when the other Coptic heard this, he took the news to Fir`awn's gate and told him about it. So Fir`awn came to know of it, and he became very angry and resolved to kill Musa, so he sent people after him to bring him to him.

Verse 18 - Surah Al-Qasas: (فأصبح في المدينة خائفا يترقب فإذا الذي استنصره بالأمس يستصرخه ۚ قال له موسى إنك لغوي مبين...) - English