“So remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.”
(Qur’an 20:12)


فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
(سورة طه، الآية 12)

This is one of the most iconic moments in the Qur’an: Moses (peace be upon him) approaches a fire he sees from afar. As he draws closer, Allah calls out to him from the blessed tree in the sacred valley of Tuwa. Then comes the divine command: remove your sandals.

Most classical scholars interpret this as a sign of reverence: Moses is entering a sanctified space, and it is only appropriate to do so barefoot. Others emphasize purity or humility. And some later spiritual commentators suggest that the sandals represent worldly attachments that must be left behind.

But there may be something even deeper happening here—something rooted not in speculative metaphor, but in the language of the Qur’an itself.

A Clue in a Different Verse

In Surah Maryam, when Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) parts ways with his father for the sake of faith, he concludes his gentle farewell with a powerful statement:

“Indeed, my Lord has always been gracious to me.”
(Qur’an 19:47)


إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِيَ حَفِيًّا
(سورة مريم، الآية 47)

The Arabic word حَفِيًّا (ḥafiyy) used here is rich in meaning. According to Lisān al-ʻArab, one of the most authoritative Arabic lexicons, it does not simply mean “kind” or “gracious.” Rather, it refers to someone who treats you with deep care, honors you, and welcomes you with affectionate attention. It implies an intimate hospitality—the way a noble host receives a beloved guest.

This is the same triliteral root (ح ف ي) found in another Qur’anic word: حَافِّينَ (ḥāffīn), describing the angels:

“And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying the praise of their Lord.”
(Qur’an 39:75)


وَتَرَى الْمَلَائِكَةَ حَافِّينَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْعَرْشِ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ
(سورة الزمر، الآية 75)

Here, حَافِّينَ (ḥāffīn) means “encircling,” but it comes from the same root that implies barefootedness and loving presence. In classical usage, a person who enters barefoot is doing so not only in humility, but as a mark of deep respect and affection—the way someone would remove their shoes to enter the home of a loved one.

Re-reading the Command to Moses

When Allah commands Moses to remove his sandals, we can now see a fuller picture:

This is not only about discipline or ritual purity. It may also be a signal of divine welcome.

Just as Prophet Ibrahim describes Allah as حَفِيًّا (ḥafiyy)—gracious and lovingly attentive—so too is Prophet Musa being received in a space of nearness and sacred intimacy. The act of going barefoot becomes an external symbol of being honored in the Divine Presence. It echoes the state of the angels who humbly surround the Throne in praise, حَافِّينَ (ḥāffīn) with nothing between them and the sacred.

A Moment of Divine Hospitality

This re-reading does not contradict the classical interpretations. It complements them, and enriches them with something that is linguistically sound and spiritually profound.

To be barefoot before Allah is not only a sign of reverence. It is a mark of being received, honored, and drawn near.

So the next time you take off your shoes to pray, or step barefoot into a mosque, or humble yourself in du’a—remember: you are not just lowering yourself. You are entering a space where Allah may be welcoming you, as He welcomed Moses, with a gesture both majestic and full of love.

This reflection is a personal meditation based on symbolic readings of the Qur’an and Islamic tradition. It is not a scholarly tafsir, but an attempt to connect deeper meanings in the spirit of sincere contemplation.

References:

  • Qur’an 20:12 – Musa’s sandals
  • Qur’an 19:47 – Ibrahim uses حَفِيًّا (ḥafiyy)
  • Qur’an 39:75 – Angels حَافِّينَ (ḥāffīn) around the Throne
  • Lisān al-ʻArab, root ح ف ي