Tafseer of Those who drag forth · An-Naazi'aat · 79:18
And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement: ( فَقُلْ هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى ) (Then say: Have you any desire to purify yourself?) (79:18). He says: then say to him: have you any desire to purify yourself from the defilement of unbelief (kufr), and to believe in your Lord?
As Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his statement: ( هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى ) (Have you any desire to purify yourself?); he said: that you submit to Allah (accept Islam). He said: and the "tazakkī" (purification) means throughout the entire Qurʾān: Islam. And he recited the statement of Allah: وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَزَكَّى (And that is the reward of whoever purifies himself) (20:76); he said: of whoever submits to Allah. And he recited: وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى (And what will make you know? Perhaps he will purify himself) (80:3); he said: he will submit. And he recited: وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلا يَزَّكَّى (And what concern is it of yours if he does not purify himself?) (80:7); namely: if he does not submit to Allah.
Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam related to me, saying: Ḥafṣ ibn ʿUmar al-ʿAdanī related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥakam ibn Abān, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning the statement of Mūsā to Farʿawn (Pharaoh): ( هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى ) (Have you any desire to purify yourself?): have you any desire to say: there is no god but Allah?
And the reciters differed concerning the reading of his statement: ( تَزَكَّى ). The majority of the reciters of Medina read it as ( تَزَّكَّى ) with doubling (tashdīd) of the zāy; and the majority of the reciters of Kūfa and Baṣra read it as ( إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى ) with lightening (takhfīf) of the zāy. And Abū ʿAmr used to — according to what is reported from him — say ( تَزَّكَّى ) with doubling of the zāy, with the meaning: you give the obligatory alms (zakāh) as charity, so that you say: "tatazakkā", and then you assimilate the letter (idghām). But Mūsā did not call Farʿawn to give charity while he was an unbeliever; he only called him to Islam, and therefore said "tazakkā", that is: that you become pure and believing. And the lightening (takhfīf) of the zāy is the more eloquent of the two readings in Arabic.
