Go with the intention of saying. And in the reading of Abdullah: that is, go, because in the call there is a meaning of saying. Do you have an interest in this, and do you have a desire for that, as you say: do you wish for it, and do you wish for it until you purify yourself from polytheism? And the people of Medina read: 'purified', with the merging of sounds. And I guide you to your Lord and direct you to the knowledge of Allah, I alert you to it so that you may know Him and fear, for fear can only be through knowledge. Allah, the Exalted, said: 'Indeed, it is only those who have knowledge among His servants who fear Allah.' That is, those who have knowledge of Him, and He mentioned fear because it is the key to all matters. Whoever fears Allah brings forth every good. And whoever feels secure, he dares every evil. And from it is his saying, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Whoever fears sets out, and whoever sets out reaches the destination.' [Narrated by Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Shu'ab and Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilya from the narration of Al-Thawri from Abu Aqil from Al-Tufail ibn Abu from his father with this wording. Abu Nu'aym said that Waki' was unique in this. He said it in his biography, and he is weak according to the narration of Al-Hakim from the path of Abdullah ibn Al-Walid from Al-Thawri, and it was narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Hakim, and Al-Aqil from the narration of Yazid ibn Sinan, I heard Bakr ibn Firuz, I heard Abu Huraira - and he mentioned it.] He began his address with a question that implies an offer, as a man says to his guest: 'Do you have a place to stay with us?' And he followed it with gentle words to invite him with kindness in speech, and to draw him down with diplomacy from his obstinacy, as He commanded in His saying: 'So speak to him with a gentle word.' The great sign is the miracle of the staff because it was the introduction and the origin, and the other is like a following to it, for he was avoiding it with his hand. It was said to him: 'Put your hand in your pocket.' Or he meant both of them, but he made them one, because the second is as if it is part of the first due to its being a follow-up to it. So he denied Moses and the great sign, and he called them a magician and magic, and he disobeyed Allah after he knew the truth of the matter, and that obedience was obligatory upon him. Then he turned away, running, meaning when he saw the serpent, he turned away terrified. [Mahamud said: 'That is, when he saw the serpent, he fled away in fear...'] He runs: he hastens in his walk. Al-Hasan said: He was a hasty and light man. Or he turned away from Moses, running and striving in plotting against him. And I meant: then he approached, running, as you say: so-and-so approached doing such-and-such, meaning he began to do. So he placed 'turned away' in the place of 'approached', so that he would not be described as approaching. And he gathered the magicians, as in His saying: 'So Pharaoh sent in the cities gatherers.' And he called out in the place where they gathered with him. Or he commanded a caller to call out to the people with that. It was said that he stood among them as a speaker and said that great statement. And from Ibn Abbas: His first statement was: 'I do not know for you any god other than me,' and the second: 'I am your most high Lord.' 'Punishment' is a confirmed source, like the promise of Allah, and the dye of Allah, as if it were said: 'Allah punished him with the punishment of this world and the Hereafter.' And punishment means retribution, like peace means submission. It means drowning in this world and burning in the Hereafter. [Mahamud said: 'And His saying: