Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Qasas Verse 44

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (O prophet,) you were not there at the Western side (of the mount Tūr) when We delegated the matter to Mūsā, nor were you among those present,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

You were not there ˹O Prophet˺ on the western side of the mountain when We entrusted the Commandments to Moses, nor were you present ˹in his time˺.[[ The pagans are reminded repeatedly in the Quran that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not witness any of these events that happened centuries before he was born. For example, the conspiracies that were made against Joseph ({12:102}), the dispute on who should be the guardian of young Mary ({3:44}), and the drowning of Noah’s son in the Flood ({11:49}). These details were not known to Arabs before the revelation of the Quran. So the only logical way that the Prophet (ﷺ) knew about these stories is through divine revelation. ]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

You were not [O Prophet] on the western side [of the mountain] when We gave Moses Our commandment, nor did you witness that event.

A. J. Arberry

Thou wast not upon the western side when We decreed to Moses the commandment, nor wast thou of those witnessing;

Abdul Haleem

You [Muhammad] were not present on the western side of the mountain when We gave Our command to Moses: you were not there-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And thou wast not on the western side when We decreed the affair unto Musa, and thou wast not of the witnesses.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thou wast not on the Western side when We decreed the Commission to Moses, nor wast thou a witness (of those events).

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Muhammad), you were then not on the western side when We bestowed this commandment (of Law), and you were not among its witnesses.

Ahmed Ali

You were not there on the western side (of Mount Sinai) when We gave the commandments to Moses, nor were you witness (to the event).

Ahmed Raza Khan

And you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) were not on the western side of the Mount when We sent the command of Prophethood to Moosa, and you were not present. (Yet you narrate the account very clearly to the Jews and Christians.)

Ali Quli Qarai

You were not on the western side when We revealed the commandments to Moses, nor were you among the witnesses.

Ali Ünal

(All that We have told you about Moses and the Book granted to him is a Revelation We reveal to you, O Muhammad, for) you were not present on the spot lying to the western side (of the valley) when We decreed the Commandment (the Torah) to Moses, nor were you a witness (to what happened there).

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Prophet!) you were not on the western side (of the Mount of Sinai) when We granted Moses the commission (of prophethood), nor were you (personally) present with the witnesses (there when they were making the prophecy about your advent).

English Literal

And you were not at the western`s side/direction when We completed/informed to Moses the matter/affair/order/command, and you were not from the present.

Faridul Haque

And you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) were not on the western side of the Mount when We sent the command of Prophethood to Moosa, and you were not present. (Yet you narrate the account very clearly to the Jews and Christians.)

Hamid S. Aziz

And We gave Moses the Book, after that We had destroyed the former generations, to give insight to mankind, and a guidance and a mercy; per chance (or possibly), they may reflect.

Hilali & Khan

And you (O Muhammad SAW) were not on the western side (of the Mount), when We made clear to Musa (Moses) the commandment, and you were not among those present.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We made a curse to follow them in this world, and on the day of Resurrection they will be hideous.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And you were not on the western side when We revealed to Musa the commandment, and you were not among the witnesses;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And thou (Muhammad) wast not on the western side (of the Mount) when We expounded unto Moses the commandment, and thou wast not among those present;

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), you were not present at the west bank to witness when We gave the commandments to Moses.

Qaribullah & Darwish

(Prophet Muhammad) you were not on the western side (of the mountain) when We decreed the commandment to Moses, nor were you among thosewitnessing.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And you were not on the western side (of the Mount), when We made clear to Musa the commandment, and you were not among the witnesses.

Wahiduddin Khan

You were not present on the western side of the Mount when We gave Our Command to Moses: nor were you among the witnesses,

Talal Itani

You were not on the Western Side when We decreed the command to Moses, nor were you among the witnesses.

Tafsir jalalayn

And you were not, O Muhammad (s), on the western side, of the mountain, the valley, or the spot, [to the west] of Moses at the time of the communion, when We decreed, revealed, to Moses the commandment, to deliver the Message to Pharaoh and his people, nor were you among the witnesses, to this, to know it and inform of it;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad

Allah says;

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى الاَْمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ



And you were not on the western side (of the Mount), when We made clear to Musa the commandment, and you were not among the witnesses.

Allah points out the proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad, whereby he told others about matters of the past, and spoke about them as if he were hearing and seeing them for himself. But he was an illiterate man who could not read books, and he grew up among a people who knew nothing of such things. Similarly, Allah told him about Maryam and her story, as Allah said;

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُون أَقْلَـمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ

You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam; nor were you with them when they disputed, (3;44),

meaning, `you were not present then, but Allah has revealed this to you.'

Similarly, Allah told him about Nuh and his people, and how He saved Nuh and drowned his people, then He said;

تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَأءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَأ إِلَيْكَ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَأ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـذَا فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَـقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

This is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal unto you; neither you nor your people knew it before this. So, be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for those who have Taqwa. (11;49)

And at the end of the same Surah (Hud) Allah says;

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَأءِ الْقُرَى نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ

That is some of the news of the towns which We relate unto you. (11;100)

And here, after telling the story of Musa from beginning to end and how Allah began His revelation to him and spoke with him,

Allah says;

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى الاَْمْرَ

And you were not on the western side (of the Mount), when We made clear to Musa the commandment,

meaning, `you -- O Muhammad -- were not on the western side of the mountain where Allah spoke to Musa from the tree which was to the east of it, in the valley.'

وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

and you were not among the witnesses.

`to that event, but Allah has revealed this to you,'

so that it may be evidence and proof of events which happened centuries ago, for people have forgotten the evidence that Allah established against them and what was revealed to the earlier Prophets.