314 Page Notes

20  Surah Taha (continued)

Page 314 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 314 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 314 of the Quran continues the detailed address from Allah to Prophet Musa (Moses) in Surah Taha (Chapter 20), covering verses 38 through 51.

This section recounts Allah's protective custody over Musa during his infancy—such as inspiring his mother to cast him into the river, his adoption by Pharaoh's family, and his reunion with his mother. It then shifts to his adulthood, the accidental killing of the Egyptian, his exile in Madiyan, and finally, the divine command given to Musa and Harun (Aaron) to confront Pharaoh with a gentle speech (Qawlan Layyina). It concludes with their initial dialogue with Pharaoh regarding the true nature of the Lord.

The authentic Hadiths and prophetic traditions connected to these specific verses provide deep insight into divine protection, the nuances of dawah (preaching), and a fascinating metaphysical debate between prophets.

1. Hadith Context for Verses 38–40 (The Detailed Account of Musa's Early Life)

Verses 38–40 detail how Allah protected Musa as a baby:

"When We inspired to your mother what was inspired, [saying], 'Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river... And I bestowed upon you love from Me that you would be brought up under My eye.'"

The Hadith of Al-Futan (The Trial of Musa):

The most comprehensive prophetic tradition covering this entire page is known in Islamic scholarship as Hadith al-Futan (The Hadith of the Trials). It is a lengthy, highly detailed narration transmitted by Abdullah ibn Abbas from the Prophet ﷺ, explicitly structured around explaining the hidden details of Surah Taha, verses 37–40.

In this Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ details:

• The socio-political atmosphere in Egypt that forced Musa’s mother to put him in the basket.

• How the water carried the basket directly to Pharaoh’s private bathing area.

• The psychological details of Musa refusing the milk of every Egyptian wet nurse until his sister cleverly intervened to bring his own mother—perfectly contextualizing verse 40: "So We returned you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve."

• Primary Citations:

  • Sunan al-Nasa'i al-Kubra, Book of Tafsir, Hadith 11281.

  • Tafsir al-Tabari and Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Commentary on Surah Taha, Verses 39–40), where both masters of Tafsir cite this narration via authentic chains as the definitive historical background for this page.

2. Hadith Context for Verses 43–44 (The Sunnah of Gentle Speech in Dawah)

Allah commands Musa and Harun as they prepare to face the tyrant:

"Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech (Qawlan Layyina) that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]."

Prophetic Application of Gentle Speech:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heavily emphasized this verse in his Sunnah, establishing the foundational legal and moral framework for how Muslims should advise others, even if the person being advised is deeply sinful.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Whenever gentleness is added to something, it beautifies it; and whenever it is stripped from something, it defects it."

Classical scholars note that the Prophet ﷺ used verses 43–44 as the ultimate standard for patience: if Allah commanded His grand prophets to speak mildly to Pharaoh—a man who claimed to be God and slaughtered infants—then regular believers have no right to use harshness, vulgarity, or violence when inviting ordinary sinners back to the faith.

• Primary Citations:

  • Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtue, Good Manners, and Joining of Tribal Ties, Hadith 2594.

  • Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 23456 (where early scholars like Qatadah are recorded applying this Taha verse directly to the ethics of public advice).

3. Hadith Context for Verse 47 (The Protection of the Prophet’s Peace)

Musa and Harun are told to say to Pharaoh:

"So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them... And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance.'"

Prophetic Sunnah in International Diplomacy:

When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent formal diplomatic letters to the superpower rulers of his era (such as Heraclius, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, and Chosroes of Persia), he utilized the exact methodology and phrasing laid out on this page of Surah Taha.

In his authentic letter to Heraclius, the Prophet ﷺ wrote:

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon he who follows the guidance. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam..."

By using this precise phrasing from verse 47, the Prophet ﷺ revived the political Sunnah of Musa when addressing non-Muslim heads of state.

• Primary Citation:

  • Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Revelation (Kitab Bad' al-Wahy), Hadith 7.

4. Hadith Context for Verse 51 (The Metaphysical Debate Between Adam and Musa)

At the bottom of page 314, Pharaoh tries to deflect Musa's theological arguments by asking a historical question about past generations:

"[Pharaoh] said, 'Then what is the condition of the former generations?'" (Musa replies in verse 52 on the next page that their knowledge is with Allah).

The Metaphysical Argument of Past Decrees:

The Prophet ﷺ revealed a unique, unseen event—a debate in the spiritual realm between Prophet Adam and Prophet Musa—that directly mirrors Musa's understanding of "former generations" and divine decree (Qadar) highlighted in this section of Surah Taha.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Musa argued with Adam and said to him, 'You are Adam whom Allah created with His Own Hand... yet you caused mankind to be expelled from Paradise because of your sin.' Adam replied to him, 'You are Musa whom Allah chose with His Speech and wrote the Torah for you. How many years before my creation did you find that written about me in the scripture?' Musa replied, 'Forty years.' Adam asked, 'Did you find written there: And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred (Surah Taha:121)?' Musa said, 'Yes.' Adam said, 'Do you then blame me for doing a deed which Allah had decreed I should do forty years before He created me?'" The Prophet ﷺ added, "So Adam defeated Musa in the argument."

This authentic tradition shows that Musa was intimately aware that the fates, records, and history of all "former generations" (the very topic Pharaoh brings up in verse 51) were completely locked and detailed in Allah's celestial book before creation.

• Primary Citations:

  • Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prophetic Commentary, Hadith 4736 (Categorized directly under the Tafsir of Surah Taha).

  • Sahih Muslim, Book of Divine Decree (Kitab al-Qadar), Hadith 2652.