His words, Exalted is he:

…that he might become an enemy and a [cause of] grief for them…

That is, they^{1‘They’ being Pharaoh’s kinsmen.} raised him up to be a [cause of] joy and happiness for them, without knowing what the divine omnipotence had concealed within him which would make him become an enemy and a [source of] grief for them.

His words, Exalted is He:

The next day, Moses’ mother [felt] a void in her heart…

That is, she was void of remembrance of other than God, [since she had] reliance on God’s promise, We shall restore him to you [28:7].

His words, Exalted is He:

…So she watched him from a distance, while they were not aware.^{1This is relating the story of Moses as an infant, when his mother had been commanded to put him into the river, and when Pharaoh’s wife took him up and requested of Pharaoh that they adopt him. Moses’ mother sent his sister to follow her brother and so, as this verse relates, she kept watch at a distance.}

That is, at a distance from Our observance of him.^{2Because God was constantly keeping watch over him.}

His words:

…My Lord, I am in dire need of whatever good thing You may send me.^{1These are the words of Moses’ prayer. Having killed a man in Egypt, he escaped in fear for his own life and came to Midian. Here, he assisted two women who were holding back from watering their flocks, because a group of shepherds watering their own sheep were impeding their access to the well. Moses watered their sheep for them and then retired to the shade and made the prayer related in this verse for assistance from God. His prayer was immediately answered because one of the women then took him to her father (Shuʿayb), who married her to him, and put him in charge of his flocks for ten years.}

He returned to God in a state of utter neediness (iftiqār) and humble entreaty (taḍarruʿ) and said, ‘Truly since You have accustomed me to Your favourable beneficence (iḥsān), I am in need of Your compassion (shafaqa), and of Your looking upon me with the [watchful] eye of [Your] care and protection. So bring me back from the grief and solitude of those who oppose [You] (mukhālifūn) to the intimacy (uns) of those who are in conformity [with You] (muwāfiqūn).’ Then God provided for him the companionship of Shuʿayb عليه السلام and his children.

His words, Exalted is He:

Whatever things you have been given are only the [short-lived] enjoyment of the life of this world and an ornament thereof…

He said:

Whoever takes [something] from the world out of his own lust for it, will find that God deprives him of what is better than it both in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever takes from it [the world] out of a necessity [that arises] within himself or to fulfil a duty that is required of him, will not be deprived of what is better in this world, namely, the joy of worship (ʿibāda) and the love of God, Mighty and Majestic is He, and in the Hereafter of the highest ranks (al-darajāt al-ʿulā).^{1A similar saying is to be found in Tirmidhī, Nawādir al-uṣūl, vol. 4, p. 186. See above Tustarī’s commentary on 16:55 regarding the avoidance of excess.}

Someone said to ʿĀmir b. ʿAbd al-Qays, ‘You have contented yourself with just a little from this world.’ He replied, ‘Shall I not inform you of someone who has contented himself with even less than myself?’ [Those present] said, ‘Please do!’ He answered, ‘He who has contented himself with having his share of this world in the Hereafter!’^{2Ibn Abī ʿĀṣim al-Ḍaḥḥāk al-Shaybānī, Kitāb al-Zuhd (Cairo, 1988), p. 228; but it is found attributed to al-Ṭāʾī in Iṣfahānī, Ḥilyat al-awliyāʾ, vol. 7, p. 353.}

His words:

…‘Do not gloat, for God does not like people who gloat…’ ^{1These are words spoken to Korah by his people. The context is given in note 10 below.}

He said:

Whoever rejoices without good reason, will draw upon himself sorrow without end. There is no comfort [or rest] for the believer, save in the encounter with God, Mighty and Majestic is He.

It was related of al-Aʿmash that he said, ‘We were witness to a funeral procession and did not know to whom we should offer our condolences due to the grief of all the people [present].’

His words, Exalted is He:

[He said] ‘In fact I have been given it [this wealth] because of knowledge I possess…’

He said:

No one who has regard for himself will triumph; nor a state come into being for anyone who claims to possess it. The fortunate person is he who averts his eye from [looking upon] his states and acts; ⸢to him is opened⸣^{1The addition is made on the basis of all three MSS: Z515, f. 83b, F638, f. 38b and F3488, f. 257a, all of which have: wa futiḥa lahu before sabīl.} the way of receiving grace (faḍl) and being gracious to [others] (ifḍāl), whilst keeping sight of God’s favour in [the accomplishment of] all acts.^{2On Tustarī’s doctrine that acts of obedience are only accomplished through God’s favour and assistance, while disobedience is through God’s withdrawing His protection, see IC, p. 2, and Tustarī’s commentary on 2:3, 2:30, 2:235, 3:160, 18:17 and 18:39. See also IT, pp. xxxiii–xxxv.} The wretched person, on the other hand, is the one who makes himself, his states (aḥwāl) and his deeds beautiful [in his eyes], to the point where he becomes proud of them, and then claims [responsibility for] them himself. His disgrace will ruin him one day if it does not ruin him in the present. See how God spoke of Korah with His words: I have been given it [this wealth] because of knowledge I possess, that is, merit (faḍl).^{3Korah (Ar. Qārūn) is mentioned in both the Bible and the Qurʾān. According to the Qurʾānic account [28:76–82], he lived at the time of Moses, but oppressed Moses’ people. He owned such wealth that even the keys to his treasures would have weighed down a whole company of strong men. However, when he was advised not to gloat over his wealth, but to think of the life to come and to do good to others, he made the claim that his wealth was given to him on account of the knowledge he possessed. Eventually, God caused the earth to swallow up both him and his house.} This was because he was the most learned among them with regard to the Torah. He claimed merit for himself and so God made the earth beneath him swallow him up. This is the outer meaning [of the verse]. But just how many a person has sunk low through vices (ashrār), whilst being quite unaware of [what he is doing]. Sinking low [through] vices means a person’s being deprived of [divine] protection (ʿiṣma) and being left to his own power (ḥawl) and strength (quwwa), so that his tongue is loosened and he starts to utter great claims. It also means he will be blind to God’s favour, and fail to show gratitude for what he has been given. At this point it will be time for [his] demise.