“Once he (Moses) entered the city at a time when its people were heedless, and he encountered two men fighting, one of whom belonged to his own people and the other to his foes. Now the man belonging to Moses’ own people cried out to him for help against the man from the foes, and Moses struck him with his fist and finished him. Moses said: ‘This is an act of Satan. Surely he is an enemy who openly misleads’.”
(Al Qur’ān – 28:15)
It might have been early in the morning, or midday in summer, or night time in winter. In any case, what is suggested here is that it was a time when the roads were deserted. The words “entered the city” seem to suggest that the royal palaces were outside the city. Since Moses lived in one of these palaces, it was thus appropriate to say that he “entered the city”.
The word faqaza could mean “he slapped” or “he struck with a fist”. Since it is palpably hard to imagine someone dying merely from a slap, its translation given here is “struck him with his fist”. One can however imagine the state of remorse and perturbation in which Moses would have uttered these words when he saw the Egyptian fall down and breathe his last. He had no intention of killing him, and the blow had not been struck for that purpose. Hence why Moses exclaimed that this must be an act of Satan; Satan had planned the mischief which had prompted him to act so.