Tafseer of Those who drag forth · An-Naazi'aat · 79:20
And he showed him the greatest sign,
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: ( فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ) — "and he showed him the greatest sign" — The Exalted, whose praise is sublime, says: and Mūsā showed Firʿawn the greatest sign, that is, the greatest proof that he was a messenger of Allah whom He had sent to him. That sign was the hand of Mūsā when he brought it forth white before the onlookers, and his staff when it transformed into a manifest serpent.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Abū Zāʾida Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida related to me, saying: Muslim ibn Ibrāhīm related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Sayf Abī Rajāʾ — thus it stands in my book, but I suspect that it is [transmitted] on the authority of Nūḥ ibn Qays, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Sayf — he said: I heard al-Ḥasan say concerning this verse ( فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ): his hand and his staff.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ) he said: his staff and his hand.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: ( فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ) he said: he saw the hand of Mūsā and his staff, and these are two signs.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: ( الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ) he said: his staff and his hand.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: ( فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ) he said: the staff and the serpent.
