A Review of Narratives of Aaron’s Eloquence and Moses’ Speech Impediment

Abstract

There are significant differences in narratives regarding Aaron’s eloquence and Moses’ speech impediment in both commentaries and literary texts written during the Islamic period in Iran. This article aims to study and discuss Islamic and Jewish narratives related to the eloquence of Aaron’s speech and Moses’ speech impediment in the Book of Exodus (Shemot), the Qur’an (Surah 20, 28, and 43), Tafsir al-Tabari, Rawz al-jinan wa ruh al-jinan, Exodus Rabbah (Shemot Rabbah), and a selection of Jewish commentaries. The narratives in Islamic and Jewish sources often complement and reinforce each other. Furthermore, both the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an narrate a very similar story. The Qur’an influences some narratives while others are influenced by Jewish commentaries, and some fall outside the scope of these texts. This article argues that the idea of Moses having a speech impediment comes from the interpretations and translations made by commentators and not from the verses of the Qur’an and Islamic commentaries themselves.