Then he [Moses] cast down his staff: the apparent meaning of this is Moses's miracle [to them], as is related. The allegorical interpretation is that the staff is an allusion to his soul, on which he supports himself, that is, on which he depends for animal motions and acts and with which he shakes down for the sheep of the sound bestial faculty the leaves of beautiful manners, excellent traits and praiseworthy habits from the tree of consideration [cf. Q. 20:18]. Because of his virtuous governance and disciplining of it, his soul complied with his actions, obedient to his commands, restrained from its animal acts, except with his permission, just like the staff. When he cast it down during the showdown with [his] disputants, it [the staff] became like a serpent swallowing the false lies they were inventing and fabricating in the way of the ropes of their doubts [cf. Q. 26:44-45], [doubts] which governed their motivations, and the staffs of their errors and fanciful adornments which they held onto during the contest to establish their goals, thus overwhelming them and vanquishing them.
