Surah Ta Ha opens with the disjointed letters Ta Ha, and it is a Makkan surah. All except two of the surahs which start with disjoined letters are Makkan (Surat al-Baqarah and Surah Ale ‘Imran). Surah Taha talks a lot about Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), especially the part of his story when he and his brother were sent to bring revelation to Pharaoh.
The background to this is that after Musa (peace be upon him) left Egypt, he went to Madyan where he spent around 10 years, got married and had a family. On his way back to Egypt is when he received revelation from Allah and was appointed as a Messenger. Allah tasked him with delivering the message to Pharaoh, and he asked Allah to appoint his brother, Haroon, to help him.
Speak to him gently
ٱذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى وَلَا تَنِيَا فِى ذِكۡرِى (٤٢) ٱذۡهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّهُ ۥ طَغَىٰ (٤٣) فَقُولَا لَهُ ۥ قَوۡلاً۬ لَّيِّنً۬ا لَّعَلَّهُ ۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوۡ يَخۡشَىٰ
Go, you and your brother, with My signs, and make sure that you remember Me. Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has exceeded all bounds. Speak to him gently so that he may take heed, or show respect.’ [20:42-44]
These ayahs are Allah preparing them for their task. Musa (peace be upon him) was very familiar with Pharaoh’s tyranny, he was a butcher and a murderer of babies, and yet Allah still told Musa (peace be upon him) to speak softly and nicely to him, and that he may yet accept the advice and fear Allah.
Everyone gets a fair chance
Allah already knew Firaun wouldn’t believe, so the question is why He asked Musa and Haroon (peace be upon them) to go and speak to him at all. There are at least three reasons:
1- It teaches us not to prejudge, because we don’t know the Unseen.
2- It gives a fair chance to people to think and choose.
3- It shows us that we have to try using the best style.
It is like a teacher who knows their student is lazy and going to fail their exam. You wouldn’t tell them just to go home and not bother doing the exam, you would still give them a chance to do what they can.
Even for tyrants, Allah gives them an opportunity to repent and start believing. On the Day of Judgement, no one will be able to say they didn’t have a fair chance to receive the revelation: Allah will always give everyone a chance.
We don’t know the unseen; it’s possible Pharaoh could have repented if he opened his heart to guidance, but he made the choice not to.
The lesson we need to learn from this is that our message needs to be delivered in a soft manner, with kindness and mercy, not harshness that pushes people away. Allah has not appointed us the arbiters of who is going to be thrown into Hell, so it’s not your job to tell anyone they are on their way to Jahannam.
Everything Allah does is for your own good
In our lives, we will face many challenges like this that seem impossible. We might strive for years and never achieve the goal. But during those years, you will gain a lot of knowledge and experience you would never have had without those tests. Anything that comes from Allah is for your own good, you just need to know how to read it.
The moral of the story is to do your best and fulfil everything that is required of you, but you can never guarantee guidance.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
You cannot guide everyone you love to the truth; it is God who guides whoever He will: He knows best those who will follow guidance. [28:56]
Allah knows whose hearts are open to receiving guidance, and He won’t impose imaan on someone who isn’t interested. There is no coercion in deen, not even from Allah.
لَاۤ إِكۡرَاهَ فِی ٱلدِّینِۖ قَد تَّبَیَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَیِّۚ فَمَن یَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَیُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِیعٌ عَلِیمٌ
There is no compulsion in religion: true guidance has become distinct from error, so whoever rejects false gods and believes in God has grasped the firmest hand-hold, one that will never break. God is all hearing and all knowing. [2:256]
Take courage from Allah
قَالَا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفۡرُطَ عَلَيۡنَآ أَوۡ أَن يَطۡغَىٰ (٤٥) قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآۖ إِنَّنِى مَعَڪُمَآ أَسۡمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ
They said, ‘Lord, we fear he will do us great harm or exceed all bounds.’ He said, ‘Do not be afraid, I am with you both, hearing and seeing everything. [20:45-46]
Musa and Haroon (peace be upon themhim) were scared, knowing that Pharaoh could easily crush them. Allah reassured them that He was with them, and with His assurance, Pharaoh couldn’t touch them.
We need this reassurance too when we see the atrocities the ummah is facing. When the ummah moves towards Allah, He is with us. But if we neglect His commands, we create distance between ourselves and Him.
This is a time for us to bridge the tests we are facing and draw closer to Him. We ask Him to help us reach Him sooner rather than later. Ameen.
Ameen.
Based on the Ramadan Reflection Night 17 by Shaykh Haytham Tamim. Transcribed by Hana Khan.
Speaking with gentleness
By Samia Ahmed
On the seventeenth night of Ramadan, Shaykh Haytham reflected on a powerful moment in Surah Ṭa Ha. Allah Almighty entrusted Musa (peace be upon him) with the immense responsibility of conveying the message to Firʿawn, one of the most oppressive tyrants in human history.
Musa (peace be upon him) did not ask for ease. He asked for support.
Allah tells us that Musa (peace be upon him) said:
وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي هَارُونَ أَخِي اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي
“And appoint for me a minister from my family, Harun my brother. Strengthen me through him, and let him share my task.” (Surah Ṭa Ha 20:29–32)
Musa (peace be upon him) recognised the weight of the mission. Delivering truth to power was not a small matter. Allah accepted his request and appointed Harun (peace be upon him) as a prophet alongside him. Musa (peace be upon him) would lead the mission and Harun (peace be upon him) would support him.
Then Allah Almighty gave them their instruction.
اذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِآيَاتِي وَلَا تَنِيَا فِي ذِكْرِي اذْهَبَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَىٰ
“Go, you and your brother, with My signs, and do not slacken in My remembrance. Go to Firʿawn. Indeed he has transgressed all bounds.” (Surah Ṭa Ha 20:42–43)
Firʿawn had crossed every limit. He oppressed people. He ruled with arrogance. He even claimed divinity.
And yet when Allah Almighty instructed Musa (peace be upon him) and Harun (peace be upon him) how to address him, the command was astonishing.
فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
“So speak to him with gentle speech. Perhaps he may take heed or fear Allah.” (Surah Ṭa Ha 20:44)
Gentleness.
Even with Firʿawn.
This should make us pause. If Allah commanded gentleness with one of the worst tyrants in history, what does that say about how we should speak with those around us.
How often do we measure our tone.
How often do we soften our words.
How often do we pause before reacting.
The Qur’an teaches not only what we say, but how we say it.
Gentleness is not weakness. It is wisdom. It recognises that hearts are complex and that guidance sometimes enters through unexpected openings.
Allah Almighty says:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.” (Surah an-Naḥl 16:125)
You never know which corner of a heart may respond.
This is why we cannot judge people’s ultimate destiny. Outward actions may appear despicable, yet the door of guidance remains open until the final moment.
Firʿawn represents the extreme of arrogance. His ego led him to say:
أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَىٰ
“I am your highest lord.” (Surah an-Naziʿat 79:24)
Yet even then Allah Almighty sent messengers to him with a chance to return.
This reveals something profound about Allah’s nature.
He is ٱلْحَلِيمُ (Al-Ḥalim), the Forbearing.
He gives opportunities again and again.
He opens windows of return even when people persist in wrongdoing.
Allah says:
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى
“If Allah were to punish people for what they earned, He would not leave upon the earth a single creature. But He delays them until a specified time.”(Surah Fatir 35:45)
Guidance can arrive when least expected.
History gives us powerful examples. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭab (may Allah be pleased with him) once set out to confront the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Yet when he heard the Qur’an being recited, it touched a corner of his heart that was ready to receive its light. That moment transformed him from an opponent of Islam into one of its greatest leaders.
The Qur’an reaches places no argument can.
And Allah Almighty comforted Musa (peace be upon him) and Harun (peace be upon him) as they prepared to face Firʿawn.
They expressed their fear:
قَالَا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَن يَطْغَىٰ
“They said, Our Lord, indeed we fear that he may hasten punishment against us or that he may transgress.” (Surah Ta Ha 20:45)
Allah Almighty reassured them:
قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ
“He said, Do not fear. Indeed I am with you both. I hear and I see.” (Surah Ta Ha 20:46)
What a profound reassurance.
“I am with you.”
Allah sees the struggle. He hears the conversation. He knows the fear within the heart.
This reassurance extends beyond Musa (peace be upon him) and Harun (peace be upon him). It is a comfort for every believer who faces trials while striving to remain faithful to Allah.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah says:
“I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said:
“Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness in all matters.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Gentleness is therefore not merely etiquette. It is a prophetic quality.
The reminder of the night returned us to a simple yet deep truth, as Shaykh Haytham beautifully summarised: if we are with Allah, then Allah is with us.
This is the reassurance we carry through trials. Through opposition. Through moments when truth feels difficult to uphold.
Because the journey of faith is never meant to be walked alone.
Allah sees.
Allah hears.
Allah supports those who remain sincere.
The story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Firʿawn is not merely history. It is guidance.
It teaches us to carry truth with gentleness.
To leave judgement to Allah.
To remember that hearts can change.
And to trust that Allah’s support accompanies those who walk in His path.
May Allah grant us wisdom in our speech.
May He soften our hearts and our words.
May He make us among those who remain with Him so that He remains with us.
Ameen.