Surah al-Qasas (The Stories) 28 : 18

Explanatory Note

Next morning, he was in the city, fearful, vigilant, when he saw the man who sought his help the day before again crying out to him for help. Only a day had passed since the first fight ended with the death of an Egyptian, followed by God’s acceptance of Moses’ repentance and Moses subsequent pledge never to support wrongdoing. Inevitably, he feared his offence be discovered. We see him on his guard, expecting a reaction at any moment. This again reflects his spontaneous character. We are given the impression that as he walked in the city’, which is normally a place of security, he experienced real fear.

That Moses should feel such fear suggests that at this stage he did not have any association with Pharaoh’s palace. Under tyranny, it is a trifling matter when anyone close to the palace kills a person. Indeed, such a person would not have entertained any fear, let alone expect any harm to befall him. Yet as he walked vigilantly, Moses looked up and there “he saw the man who sought his help the day before again crying out to him for help.” The same man is again appealing to Moses for more support, and probably wanting him to do with this one what he did to the other the day before.

The image of the man falling dead only the day before was still vivid in Moses’ mind, as was his regret, repentance, and pledge to God. His fear that he may come to harm as a result was also genuinely felt, which explains Moses’ outburst accusing the Israelite of being quarrelsome: “Moses said to him: “Indeed, you are clearly a quarrelsome fellow.” The man appeared to be involved in endless quarrels which inevitably enhanced angry feelings against the Children of Israel at a time when they could not protect themselves or mount a full- scale revolution. Nothing good could come from such animosity.