Tafsir for verse: 28:78
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عِندِيٓۚ أَوَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ أَهۡلَكَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مَنۡ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُ قُوَّةٗ وَأَكۡثَرُ جَمۡعٗاۚ وَلَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٧٨ ﴿78
78He said, “This is given to me because of the knowledge (I have) with me.” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, from the generations before him, those who were stronger than him in power and greater than him in multitude? And the sinners have not to be asked about their sins.
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Commentary

On knowledge, meaning on deserving and requiring what I have of knowledge with which I have been preferred over people. This is because he was the most knowledgeable of the Children of Israel regarding the Torah. It is said that it is the knowledge of chemistry. From Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib: Moses, blessings and peace be upon him, taught the knowledge of chemistry. He imparted a third of it to Joshua ibn Nun, a third to Caleb ibn Yufna, and a third to Korah. Korah deceived them until he attributed their knowledge to his own, and he would take lead and copper and turn them into gold. It is said that Allah taught Moses the knowledge of chemistry, and Moses did it to his sister, and she taught it to Korah. It is said that it is his insight into types of trade and agriculture and other earnings. It is said that 'in my opinion' means: in my view, as you say, the matter is such and such in my view. As if he said: I was only given it based on knowledge, like His saying, 'Then when We granted him a blessing from Us, he said,

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