Was the prayer Hz Musa (Moses) made so that the impediment from his speech would be removed accepted? If yes, why did Pharaoh mock him?
Submitted by on Fri, 02/11/2018 - 14:06
Dear Brother / Sister,
According to what is understood from the verses below, all of the requests of Hz. Musa were fulfilled:
“(Moses) said: ‘O my Lord! expand me my breast; Ease my task for me; And remove the impediment from my speech, So they may understand what I say: And give me a Minister from my family, Aaron, my brother; Add to my strength through him, And make him share my task: That we may celebrate Thy praise without stint, And remember Thee without stint: For Thou art He that (ever) regardeth us.’ (Allah) said: ‘Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!’" (Ta Ha, 20/25-36)
It is possible to understand from the last statement “Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!” that all of Hz. Musa’s prayers were accepted. (see Ibn Ashur, the interpretation of the relevant verse)
“(Pharaoh said:) Am I not better than this (Moses), who is a contemptible wretch and can scarcely express himself clearly?” (az-Zukhruf, 43/52)
What is pointed out in the verse above mentions the state of Hz. Musa before he recovered (see Ibn Ashur, the interpretation of the relevant verse). Accordingly, Pharaoh meant the following: “You could not speak properly until recently. How can you try to make a speech in my presence now?”
Another aspect regarding the issue is that it is a slander by Pharaoh. The treacherous Pharaoh wanted to spread the wrong information that Hz. Musa still lisped in order to depreciate him in the eye of people. When Hz Musa was a child, he used to lisp while speaking and people knew about it. However, as it is understood from the verses above, the prayer of Hz. Musa “remove the impediment from my speech” was accepted by Allah and the impediment was removed. (Ö. Nasuhi Bilmen, Kuran-ı Kerim’in Türkçe Meal-i Alisi ve Tefsiri, 7/3288)
As it is known, the way to announce something to people in that age was to use a town crier. For, the following verses indicate it:
"And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: ‘O my people! Does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, (witness) these streams flowing underneath my (palace)? What! See ye not then? Am I not better than this (Moses), who is a contemptible wretch and can scarcely express himself clearly? Then why are not gold bracelets bestowed on him, or (why) come (not) with him angels accompanying him in procession?’” (az-Zukhruf, 43/51-53)
Those town criers used to announce the issue to the people in the town and village. Hz. Musa did not lisp after he became a prophet. For, his prayer “remove the impediment from my speech” mentioned in verses 27-36 of the chapter of Taha was accepted. That statement of Pharaoh originated from his stubbornness related to understanding the divine message. He did not heed it or he pretended to ignore it. In that period, when a king sent an envoy, he would give that envoy and the people around it things that would prove his magnificence and wealth. When Pharaoh did not see anything like that in Hz. Musa, he regarded his plainness as a sign of not being an envoy.
According to Razi, Pharaoh might have spoken without knowing that he recovered; he might also have meant that Hz Musa was too weak to bring evidences that would show his trueness. (Razi, the interpretation of the verse in question)
Questions on Islam
- What purpose does Prophet Moses’ have by using these words in his prayer; "O my Lord! Expand me my breast, Ease my task for me. And remove the impediment from my speech. So they may understand what I say:”? (Surah Taha, 20/25-28)
- Prophet Musa [Moses] & Harun [Aaron] (Peace be upon them)
- Will you please give information about the life story of Hz. Moses (PBUH)?
- What is the wisdom behind the fact that Moses and Aaron were sent to the same nation and at the same time? Why were two different prophets were sent to the same nation?
- Does the Quran say anything about the ethnic origin of the Pharaoh?
- Will you explain the statement "make your dwellings into places of worship" mentioned in verse 87 of the chapter of Yunus? Did prayer and qiblah exist in the previous nations?
- What is the state of sorcery in Judaism? Do they not regard sorcery haram today according to their religion?
- Surah 20. Ta Ha (Ta-ha)
- The Pharaoh asked Hz. Musa what the state of the other nations would be. Why did he ask such a question?
- Were Haman and Pharaoh relatives?