Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

20. “Said (Moses): ‘I did it then, when I was (as you think) in error’.”

Sometimes confession is a value. After hearing the diabolic words of Pharaoh, Moses (as) answered the three faults that were mentioned, but he counted the second fault more important, when he answered it prior to the first one, (or basically the first fault was not worth answering, for rearing one is not a reason for not guiding the probably misled person who rears.)

However, here is his answer:

“Said (Moses): ‘I did it then, when I was (as you think) in Error’.”

In the commentary of Atyab-ul-Bayan, we read different commentaries about the Qur’anic phrase /min-ad-dallin/; some say that Moses (as) implied that he did not intend to kill and he did not know that it would lead to death.

Some say that Moses (as) implied that he had forgotten. Some say that murder was done by error. Some say that he had not been appointed to messengership when he did it. But all these are wrong, for we know that one of the conditions of prophets, messengers and saints is infallibility. They are far from sins, errors, mistakes, ignorance, and forgetfulness.

Moreover, before this event, Allah says:

“And when he reached his maturity and was full grown, We gave him wisdom and knowledge...”1

So attributing ignorance, forgetfulness, mistake and error to Moses (as) is wrong.

Moreover, Moses (as) knew that he would become prophet, for it was revealed to his mother:

“...verily We shall bring him back unto you and shall make him (one) of the Messengers.”2

The purpose of the Qur’anic word /dallin/ seems that, because the Coptic man wanted to kill another person and that person asked Moses (as) to help him, and also removing oppression of oppressor is necessary according to intellect and reason.

Then Moses (as) added he thought that helping the oppressed person makes Pharaoh happy and he would like what Moses (as) wanted to do. But after making Pharaoh angry, he escaped for Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses (as). And it got clear to Moses that what he (as) had done was wrong according to the opinion of Pharaoh.

Another commentary says that this word, /dall/, mentioned in the verse under discussion, refers to a practical deviation which is unintentional and it does not mar infallibility, or it means astonishment, like verse 7 of Surah Ad-Duha, No. 93 which says:

“And He found you wandering and guided (you).”3