هَل أَتاكَ حَديثُ موسىٰ

إِذ ناداهُ رَبُّهُ بِالوادِ المُقَدَّسِ طُوًى

Did you receive the story of Moses,

when his Lord called out to him in the holy valley of Ṭuwā?

EXEGESIS

Prophet Moses (a) was commissioned to prophethood in the holy valley of Ṭuwā.^{‎[1]Mizan‎, 20/187.} Ṭuwā comes from ṭawā, which means to fold or roll up. It is said metaphorically that this valley was folded or rolled up twice in holiness.^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 10/655.}

EXPOSITION

Verse 15 contains a rhetorical question that calls the reader or listener to pay attention to an important story from the past, specifically the story of Prophet Moses (a). The question posed in this verse does not necessarily mean that the Holy Prophet had not received prior revelation about the story of Prophet Moses (a). In fact, if we take the chronological order of revelation of surahs, we see that Sūrat al-Muzzammil makes mention of the same story (see 73:15-16) and precedes Sūrat al-Nāziʿāt. In reality, the telling of this narrative serves as a solace and promise of victory to the Prophet and his sincere followers. By the same token, it is a warning of chastisement to those who maliciously deny the veracity of the prophetic message.^{‎[3]Mizan‎, 20/187; Razi, 31/38.} It comes to warn them that conscious denial of the truth brings destruction even to those mightier than them such as Pharaoh.^{‎[4]Safi, 5/281.}

[1] Mizan‎, 20/187.
[2] Tabrisi, 10/655.
[3] Mizan‎, 20/187; Razi, 31/38.
[4] Safi, 5/281.