Response to a Slander Regarding the Verse_ and What Is That in Your Right Hand, O Moses

one of the slanderers may stand in awe at the words of Allah the Almighty in Surah Taha, verse 17 And what is that in your right hand, O Moses , and his sick mind may imagine to him that Allah the Almighty - by asking Moses, peace be upon him - has limited knowledge. To respond to this slander, we will cite the interpretations of Al-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi for the above verse, in addition to a group of texts from the Holy Quran that assert that His knowledge, glory be to Him, is absolute . 1Al-Qurtubi’s interpretation: The purpose of the question is to establish the matter so that Moses can say: It is my staff; to establish the argument against him after he confessed, otherwise Allah knew what it was from eternity. 2Al-Tabari’s interpretation: Perhaps someone might say: What is the reason for Allah asking Moses about what was in his hand? Did he not know that what was in his hand was a staff? It was said to him: This is not what you have gone to, but rather the Almighty said that to him when he wanted to transform it into a moving snake, and it was a piece of wood, so he alerted him to it , and confirmed to him that it was a piece of wood on which he leaned, and with which he used to herd his sheep, to show him his ability to do whatever he wanted, and the greatness of his authority, and the implementation of his command in what he loved by transforming it into a moving snake, if he wanted that for him, to make that a sign for Moses along with the rest of his signs to Pharaoh and his people. 3The Truth says: He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal Ghafir: 19 Do you not know that Allah knows whatever is in the heaven and the earth? Indeed, that is in a register. Indeed, that, for Allah, is easy Al-Hajj: 70

And nothing is hidden from your Lord, not even the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven, nor anything smaller than that or greater, but it is in a clear register Yunus: 61 (( He said, “O Adam, inform them of their names.” And when he had informed them of their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?” (Al-Baqarah: 33) Indeed, with Allah is knowledge of the Hour . And He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives In what land will you die? Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. ( Luqman: 34 ) (( It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He established Himself on the Throne. He knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it and what descends from the sky and what

He ascends therein, and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah is Seeing of what you do. ( Al

-Hadid: 4

) And if you speak aloud, then indeed, He knows the secret and what is even more hidden .

Ta-Ha: 7

) And with Him are the keys of the unseen, none knows them except Him, and He knows what is on the land and sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth, and no moist or dry thing but that it is [all] in a clear register

. (Al-An’am: 59 )