"And when Moses came to Our appointed time"—the verse. Al-Hasan said:
When his Lord spoke to him, such joy entered the heart of Moses from the speech of Allah that nothing like it had ever reached his heart before. Thus, his soul prompted him to ask his Lord to let him see Him. Had it been part of what was previously covenanted to him that He cannot be seen, he would not have asked his Lord for what he knew He would not grant him.
"He said, 'My Lord, show me that I may look at You.'" Allah said, "'You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in its place, then you will see Me.' But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level (dakkan)." Qatada said: The mountain crumbled, parts of it upon others.
Muhammad [Ibn Abi Zamanin] said: It was also said: "He rendered it level" means He made it flat against the ground. It is said: a she-camel is "dak"a'" if she has no hump. It was also said regarding His saying "appeared" (tajalla): meaning He manifested, or there appeared of His affair what He willed. "And Moses fell unconscious (sa'iqan)," meaning: he fell dead.
Muhammad said: It was also said: "(sa'iqan)" means fainting. "And when he recovered," meaning: Allah returned his life to him.
"He said, 'Exalted are You, I have repented to You,'" meaning: for my saying 'I may look at You,' "'and I am the first of the believers,'" meaning: the first of those who affirm that You are not to be seen in the world.
Surat al-A'raf from verse (144) to verse (145).
