What does Quran 20:84 mean?

Quran 20:84 (Surah Taa-Haa, Ayah 84) translates to: "He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.""

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 20:84 from?

This ayah is from Surah Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa), the 20th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 16.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 20:84?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan an-Nasa'i.

What tafsir is available for Quran 20:84?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 20:84 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Prophet Musa, Patience, Tawhid, Children of Israel, Spiritual Devotion.

Ayah 83

۞ وَمَآ أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَوْمِكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ...

20:84Taa-Haa

Ayah 85

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِك...

قَالَ هُمْ أُو۟لَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ

Qaala hum ulaaa'i 'alaaa asaree wa 'ajiltu ilaika Rabbi litardaa

He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased."

Themes in this ayah

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Lessons from past peoples78 Dua54 God-consciousness50

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

9 other themes with weak connections

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20:84Ayah 1135

43 ayahs in Taa-Haa are strongly about lessons from past peoples. This is one of them.

← Previous on Lessons from past peoples20:83[Allah] said, "And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?"Next on Lessons from past peoples →20:85[Allah] said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you [departed], and the Samiri has led them astray."

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 20:84→

He said ‘They are close behind me coming upon my track and I hastened to You my Lord that You may be pleased’ with me in other words to please you even more — before giving the response he gives an excuse according to what he supposed was the situation with his people

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "My Lord says, 'If My slave comes nearer to me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit, I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "

Sahih Muslim #5825'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying; I shall be there at the Cistern before you, and I shall have to contend for some people, but I shall have to yield. I would be saying:Sahih

My Lord, they are my friends, they are my friends, and it would be said: You don't know what innovations they made after you.

Sahih Muslim #6641This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters, but there is no mention of these words:Sahih

" He draws near Me by the space of a hand, I draw near him by the space (covered) by two hands."

Sunan an-Nasa'i #4186It was narrated that Jarir said:Sahih

"I came to the Messenger of Allah" and he mentioned something similar.

Sunan Abu Dawud #5228Narrated AbuDharr:

The Prophet (ﷺ) addressed me, saying: O AbuDharr! I replied: At thy service and at thy pleasure, Messenger of Allah! may I be ransom for thee.