20-77 And certainly We revealed to Moses: Travel by night with My servants, then strike for them a dry path in the sea, not fearing to be overtaken, nor being afraid.a
وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًۭا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًۭا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًۭا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ (۷۷)
20-77a: ٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًۭا – Some commentators have taken ضرب in the sense of to strike and accordingly interpret its meaning as اضرب البحر بعصاك لیصیرلہم طریقاً : Strike the sea with your staff so that it may make way for them. However, that is straying too far from the actual words. Some have taken the meaning of ضرب to be اتخاذ to take and لہم and طریق as two objects (RM). The meaning of ضرب as اسراع فی السیر to walk hastily is found in the thesaurus (LA), and this is the meaning taken in ضرب یَعۡسوبُ الدّین بذنبه ran away from trials and left very quickly (LA). So, the meaning of ضرب hints towards a hasty march.
يَبَسًۭا – Refer to 12-43a for یَبۡس , یَبَسٌ is used for a place where there was water and then it became dry (R).
Prophet Moses walks through the sea on a dry path: This verse shows that the path on which Prophet Moses was commanded to take the Israelites was a single path, removing a common misconception that twelve paths opened up in the sea. Second it is called طریق or way which shows that it was a path that other people also walked on because طریق is used only for a path on which people walk. Refer to 20-63a. This is the reason why Pharaoh also started off on that path. If it was miraculously created dry land between walls of water on either side, then it would not have been called طریق and Pharaoh would never have dared to go on that route. Third, it was revealed to Prophet Moses before he set out from Egypt that he would find a dry path through the sea, and the meaning of یَبَسٌ that is given by Imam Raghib also indicates that the water had receded from the path, whether because of a low tide or an extraordinary occurrence.
20-78 So Pharaoh followed them with his armies, then there covered them of the sea that which covered them.
فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ (۷۸)
20-79 And Pharaoh led his people astray and he guided not aright.
وَأَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ (۷۹)
20-80 O Children of Israel, We truly delivered you from your enemy, and made a covenant with you on the blessed side of the mountain, and sent to you the manna and the quails.
يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَـٰكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَٰعَدْنَـٰكُمْ جَانِبَ ٱلطُّورِ ٱلْأَيْمَنَ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ (۸۰)
20-80a: أَيْمَنَ – Refer to 19-52a. Here it indicates a feature, or side, of the mountain, and وَٰعَدْنَـٰك refers to granting the Torah to Prophet Moses, as in وَإِذْ وَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةًۭ : And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Moses (2:51). The word used here is وَٰعَدْنَـٰكُمْ covenant with you, because the Torah was given to Prophet Moses for the Israelites who are being addressed here. Whatever is given to the prophet is meant for his nation to receive through him.
20-81 Eat of the good things We have provided for you, and be not inordinate in respect thereof, lest My wrath come upon you; and he on whom My wrath comes, he perishes indeed.a
كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا۟ فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى ۖ وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِى فَقَدْ هَوَىٰ (۸۱)
20-81a: تَطْغَوْا۟ فِيهِ – The pronoun in فِيهِ stands for مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ We have provided for you, and ھویٰ means falling from a lofty place. See 2-120a. It signifies falling from the elevated status of achieving Allah’s pleasure, for which Allah has created humans, to an abject state. This also reveals that achieving the pleasure of Allah is the highest level that a person can achieve, while behaving in a way that earns Allah’s wrath is to fall to the lowest of levels. The meaning of ھویٰ has also been taken as death because falling from a high place to a low one causes death.
20-82 And surely I am Forgiving toward him who repents and believes and does good, then walks aright.a
وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌۭ لِّمَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًۭا ثُمَّ ٱهْتَدَىٰ (۸۲)
20-82a: ٱهْتَدَىٰ – اِھۡتداء (which is derived from ھدی) is specific to actions one deliberately undertakes whether for worldly affairs or for the Hereafter, as in: جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهَا : made the stars for you that you might follow the right way thereby (6:97); لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةًۭ وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًۭا : who have not the means, nor can they find a way (4:98). Sometimes the word is used for the desired guidance, as in: وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ : And when We gave Moses the Book and the Discrimination that you might walk aright (2:53); وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ : and that I may complete My favor to you that you may go aright. اِھۡتداء is to follow someone who has been guided, as in: أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ : Even though their fathers had no sense at all, nor did they follow the right course (2:170), indicating they did not follow a scholar (or guidance). In فَمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ : so whoever goes aright, goes aright only for the good of his own soul (10:108), there are many aspects included in اِھۡتداء desire for guidance, and following guidance, and ٱهْتَدَى here means to continuously seek guidance, to keep at it and to not show any laziness nor revert to disobedience (R).
20-83 And what made thee hasten from thy people, O Moses?
وَمَآ أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَوْمِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ (۸۳)
20-84 He said: They are here on my track, and I hastened on to Thee, my Lord, that Thou mightest be pleased.a
قَالَ هُمْ أُو۟لَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ (۸۴)
20-84a: This seems to reference when Prophet Moses left the men from his nation whom he had brought with him, at the bottom of the mountain and went up himself, as stated elsewhere: وَٱخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُۥ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًۭا لِّمِيقَـٰتِنَا : And Moses chose of his people seventy men for Our appointment (7:155). Prophet Moses is not reprimanded in this verse, rather the intent is to manifest that all the actions of prophets are to gain the pleasure of Allah. According to some commentators the purport of هُمْ أُو۟لَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى is my nation is close to me, referring to the whole nation not being far. According to some other commentators by عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى is meant علی دینی they follow the religion I follow (RM).
20-85 He said: Surely We have tried thy people in thy absence, and the Samiri has led them astray.a
قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ (۸۵)
20-85a: ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ – سُمۡرَۃ is a color that is between black and white (brown or tan) and سَمَر is the darkness of the night and telling stories at night. The storyteller is called سامر . سامری is attributed to a person (R). سامرۃ is the name of one of the tribes of Bani Israel who had a disagreement in some matters of religion with the Jews and سامری is related to them (LA). Some commentators have written that سامری was a Copt who had migrated with Prophet Moses from Egypt and he was a hypocrite (RM). This is attributed to the opinion of Ibn Abbas.
20-86 So Moses returned to his people angry, sorrowing. He said: O my people, did not your Lord promise you a goodly promise? Did the promised time, then, seem long to you, or did you wish that displeasure from your Lord should come upon you, so that you broke (your) promise to me?a
فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُم مَّوْعِدِى (۸۶)
20-86a: وَعْدًا حَسَنًا – By goodly promise some have understood the giving of the Torah and others, the promises that are given to those who obey Allah. The latter seems to be correct. فَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْعَهْدُ the promised time seemed long to you refers to the time when Prophet Moses was given certain promises, and then he left them. It means that the promises were given not that long ago that they could have forgotten them. Hence, their disobedience was intentional.
20-87 They said: We broke not the promise to thee of our own accord, but we were made to bear the burdens of the ornaments of the people, then we cast them away, and thus did the Samiri suggest.a
قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا وَلَـٰكِنَّا حُمِّلْنَآ أَوْزَارًۭا مِّن زِينَةِ ٱلْقَوْمِ فَقَذَفْنَـٰهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلْقَى ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ (۸۷)
20-87a: مَلك and مِلۡك have the same meaning, (R) authority. This means they did not act through their own choice, rather someone instigated them.
أَلْقَى – اِلۡقاء is to throw something at a place in front of the thrower (because its root is لقی) and subsequently it has been generalized to mean any type of throwing, such as: إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ : wilt thou cast, or shall we be the first to cast down (20:65). The meaning extends to include presentation of a statement, saying, greeting, and friendship, such as: فَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ : But they will throw back at them the word (16:86); وَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلسَّلَمَ : And they will tender submission to Allah (16:87); أَوْ أَلْقَى ٱلسَّمْعَ : or he gives ear (50:37) (R). Because the object is not mentioned, and قَذَفْ (See 20:39a) is used for the ornaments in 20:39 while the word used here is أَلْقَى hence the meaning seems to be that Samiri presented this proposal to them. There is a supportive statement in a commentary: فمثل ذلك الذی ذکرناہ لك لقی السامری الینا وقررہ علینا An example of what we mentioned to you was that the Samiri came to us and confirmed it to us (RM).
أَوْزَارًۭا مِّن زِينَةِ ٱلْقَوْم ornaments of the people is what is elsewhere called مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ from their ornaments (7:148). By ornaments and زِينَةِ ٱلْقَوْم commentators have generally understood the ornaments that the Israelites had borrowed from the Egyptians, as mentioned in Exodus 12:35. However, the words of the Quran in 7:48 where the ornaments are called حُلِيِّهِمْ their ornaments, meaning the ornaments of the Bani Israel, do not support this view. Some have tried to justify that the borrowed ornaments from the Egyptians were spoils of war, but then contradict themselves by noting that keeping the ornaments as spoils of war was not legal for them because there was no war. They explain their rationale for considering the ornaments as spoils of war by stating that when Pharaoh and his companions were drowned in the sea, the sea cast their ornaments on the shore and the Bani Israel collected them. However, these are baseless conjectures, and the reality appears to be that the Bani Israel, under the Egyptian influence took to the embellishing their bodies with ornaments, etc. Hence the proposal to take off their ornaments was pleasing and readily accepted. So, by زِينَةِ ٱلْقَوْم is meant the Egyptian style fashion and luxuries and حُمِّلْنَآ made to bear the burden indicates that by copying the Egyptians, the Bani Israel fell prey to the same disease of worldliness, and their desire for jewelry grew greatly. For this reason, the ornaments are called حُلِيِّهِمْ in another place. Then, either a calf was made from these ornaments, or the idol of a calf was made to wear this jewelry. This is a common practice among the idolatrous nations that they beautify their idols by putting jewelry on them.
20-88 Then he brought forth for them a calf, a body, which had a hollow sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Moses; but he forgot.a
فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًۭا جَسَدًۭا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۭ فَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَـٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِىَ (۸۸)
20-88a: Muslims and the European calf: What is the lesson in the worship of the calf made of gold or decorated with gold? The narration of the events of Bani Israel are for the guidance of the Muslims. This has been elucidated by the Quran in this chapter by the following: وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًۭا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا : And strain not thine eyes toward that with which We have provided different classes of them, (of) the splendor of this world’s life (20:131). The Muslims are warned here that they should not fall for worldly embellishment like the Israelites did under the influence of the Egyptians. Unfortunately, this is the condition of Muslims today because they are practically worshipping the golden calf of Europe and emulating them in every matter. In reality, the glitz and glamor of Europe is a golden calf and it is being worshipped when Muslims regard the accumulation of wealth and luxuries as the purpose of their life.
20-89 Could they not see that it returned no reply to them, nor controlled any harm or benefit for them?
أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًۭا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّۭا وَلَا نَفْعًۭا (۸۹)
Bayan-ul-Quran 