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Lit., "in it".
Moses had yet to meet the formidable opposition of the arrogant, Pharaoh and his proud Egyptians, and latter, the rebellion of his own people. In receiving his commission, he is warned of both dangers. This relates to man's own soul: when once the light reaches him, let him hold fast to it lest he perish. He will be beset with dangers of all kinds around him...the worst will be the danger of unbelieving people who seem to thrive on their selfishness and in following their own vain desires!
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Moses could have just said, “A staff.” But he volunteered to talk about the uses of the staff, adding that there are many other uses he has not mentioned, with the hope that Allah would ask him about it more. The reason is that Moses wanted to prolong the conversation with Allah as much as he could.
Now comes the miracle of the rod. First of all, the attention of Moses himself is drawn to it, and he thinks of the ordinary uses to which he puts it in his daily life.
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Cf. vii. 107, where a different word (thu'ban) is used for "snake", and the qualifying adjective is "plain (for all to see)". The scene there is before Pharaoh and his magicians and people: the object is to show the hollowness of their magic by a miracle: the rod appears before them as a long and creeping writhing serpent. Here there is a sign to present Allah's power to Moses's mind and understanding: the rod becomes a Haiy (a live snake), and its active motion is what is most to be impressed on the mind of Moses, for there were no other spectators.
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The miraculous transformation of the staff into a serpent has, I believe, a mystic significance: it seems to be an allusion to the intrinsic difference between appearance and reality, and, consequently, to the spiritual insight into this difference bestowed by God on His chosen servants (cf. the experience of Moses with the unnamed sage described in (18:66-82}). This interpretation finds strong support in 27:10 and 28:31 , in both of which places it is said that Moses saw the staff "move rapidly, as if it were a serpent (ka’annaha jann)"
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I.e., strangely luminescent by virtue of the prophethood to which he had been raised. (See also note [85] on 7:108 .)
Moses, who was dark-skinned, was asked to put his hand under his armpit. When he took it out it was shining white, but not out of a skin condition like melanoma.
The second of the greater Miracles shown to Moses was the "White (shining) Hand". Ordinarily, when the skin becomes white, it is a sign of disease, leprosy or something loathsome. Here there was no question of disease: on the contrary, the hand was glorified, and it shone as with a divine light. Such a miracle was beyond Egyptian or human magic.
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This seems to be a reference to Pharaoh’s greatest sin, namely, his claim to divine status (cf. 28:38 and 79:24 ).
Moses, having been spiritually prepared now gets his definite commission to go to Pharaoh and point out the error of his ways. So inordinate was Pharaoh's vanity that he had it in his mind to say: "I am your Lord Most High!" (lxxix. 24).
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The breast is reputed to be the seat of knowledge and affections. The gift of the highest spiritual insight is what he prays for first. Cf. xciv. 1. This was the most urgent in point of time. There are three other things he also asks for: viz. (1) Allah's help in his task, which at first appears difficult to him, (2) the gift of eloquence, and the removal of the impediment from his speech; and (3) the counsel and constant attendance with him of his brother Aaron, whom he loved and trusted, for he would otherwise be alone among the Egyptians.
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Literally, "Loosen a knot from my tongue".
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I.e., "remove all impediment from my speech" (cf. Exodus iv, 10, "I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue"), which would imply that he was not gifted with natural eloquence.
Moses (ﷺ) put a brand of fire in his mouth, which hindered his speech as he grew up. In this verse, he prays to Allah to help him speak clearly, and his prayer is answered.
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This is the primary meaning of the term wazir (lit., "burden-carrier", derived from wizr, "a burden"); hence its later - post-classical - application to government ministers.
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