Tafsir of Surah Ta-Ha - Verse 21

The Stick of Musa turned into a Snake

This was a proof from Allah for Musa and a great miracle. This was something that broke through the boundaries of what is considered normal, thus, it was a brilliant evidence that none but Allah could do. It was also a proof that no one could come with the likes of this (from mankind) except a Prophet who was sent (by Allah). Concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يمُوسَى

(And what is that in your right hand, O Musa) Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said, "He (Allah) only said this to him in order to draw his attention to it." It has also been said, "He only said this to him in order to affirm for him what was in his hand. In other words, that which is in your right hand is a stick that you are familiar with. You will see what We are about to do to it now."

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يمُوسَى

(And what is that in your right hand, O Musa) This is an interrogative phrase for the purpose of affirmation.

قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّؤُا عَلَيْهَا

(He said: "This is my stick, whereon I lean...") I lean on it while I am walking.

وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِى

(and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep,) This means, `I use it to shake the branches of trees so that the leaves will fall for my sheep to eat them. ' `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Imam Malik that he said, "It is when a man places his staff into a branch and shakes it so that its leaves and fruit will fall without breaking the stick. It is not the same as striking or beating." Maymun bin Mahran also said the same. Concerning his statement,

وَلِىَ فِيهَا مَأَرِبُ أُخْرَى

(and wherein I find other uses.) This means other benefits, services and needs besides this. Some of the scholars took upon themselves the burden of mentioning many of these obscure uses. Concerning Allah's statement,

قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يمُوسَى

((Allah) said: "Cast it down, O Musa!") "Throw down this stick that is in your right hand, O Musa."

فَأَلْقَـهَا فَإِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى

(He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.) This means that the stick changed into a huge snake, like a long python, and it moved with rapid movements. It moved as if it were the fastest type of small snake. Yet, it was in the form of the largest snake, while still having the fastest of movements.

تَسْعَى

(moving quickly.) moving restlessly. Concerning Allah's statement,

سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيَرتَهَا الاٍّولَى

(We shall return it to its former state. ) the form that it was in, as you recognized it before.

فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَىٰ (And suddenly it was a snake running - 20:20): When Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام in obedience to the command of Allah Ta` ala, cast down his staff it turned into a serpent. The Qur'an has described this serpent at one place as كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ (28:31). The word جَانٌّ means a small and slim snake. At another place it has been referred to as فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ (26:32). The word ثُعْبَانٌ means a long and thick snake. The word حَيَّةٌ occurring in this verse is a generic name used for snakes of all sizes and thickness. These different words can be reconciled by the fact that this serpent was slim and small in the beginning and grew later on in size and thickness. Or that this serpent was originally long and thick and has been called جَانٌّ - by reason of its fast speed because as a general rule big and thick snakes are slow moving. The word كَأَنَّهَا used in this verse, which means "as if' also points to the fact that it has been compared to جَانٌّ on account of its swift movements. (Mazhari)

The question ‘What do you have in your right hand?’ was meant to awaken Moses’s awareness. Its purpose was to impress afresh on his mind that his stick was but a stick, so that the next moment when, due to a miracle of God, it changed into a snake, he should be fully aware of its significance. Moses’ stick being changed into a snake was a miracle of transformation. But it must be borne in mind that all the things we see on earth are actually in a process of transformation. An acorn planted in soil and watered will one day grow into a mighty oak tree. Vapour condenses and turns into water, and water, when boiled, will turn into steam. Some of these processes are rapid and others are slow. Some are so slow—like the growth of a tree—that they are imperceptible to the human eye. The slower the process, the less strange it seems, because its slowness gives us time to familiarise ourselves with the phenomenon. When Moses’ stick took the shape of a snake, it happened in an instant, and so seemed very strange and startling. The fact is that whatever there is in this world, or whatever the events, all are ‘miracles’ of God, be it the emerging of a sapling from the earth or a stick becoming a snake. ‘Extraordinary’ miracles are shown through prophets to make man take notice of the everyday miracles wrought by God.