Tafsir

Story of Prophet Musa, upon him be Peace, and Fir`awn

Allah said, ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِم(Then after them We sent), after the Messengers whom We mentioned, such as Nuh, Hud, Salih Lut and Shu`ayb (may Allah's peace and blessings be on them and the rest of Allah's Prophets), We sent, مُّوسَى بِـَايَـتِنَآ(Musa with Our signs) proofs and clear evidences, to Fir`awn, who was ruler of Egypt during the time of Musa, وَمَلإِيْهِ(and his chiefs) the people of Fir`awn, فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا(but they wrongfully rejected them), they denied and disbelieved in the signs, out of injustice and stubbornness on their part. Allah said about them in another Ayah, وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though they were themselves convinced thereof.

So see what was the end of the evildoers.)27:14 The Ayah says, `those who hindered from the path of Allah and belied in His Messengers, look how We punished them, We caused them to drown, all of them, while Musa and his people were watching.' Public drowning added disgrace to the punishment that Fir`awn and his people suffered, while adding comfort to the hearts of Allah's party, Musa and those people who believed in him.

The verse 103, has said that after the prophets Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut and Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) ، We sent Musa with Our signs towards Pharaoh and his people. The 'signs' may refer to the verses of the Torah or to the miracles of the prophet Musa (علیہم السلام) . The word Pharaoh was the title of Egyptian kings. The Pharaoh of Musa's time is said to be Mernephtah. The phrase فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا ''they did injustice to them (signs) " here means that they showed indifference to the verses of Allah, instead of being grateful to Him and having faith in them they rejected His verses. The word ظلم rendered as wrong or injustice, in fact, signifies the use of something for a purpose opposite to what it was created for. Further it said فَانظُرْ‌ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ "So look how was the fate of mischief-makers." Again the people are invited to take lesson from these events and think of their own fate.

ثم بعثنا من بعد الرسل المتقدم ذِكْرهم موسى بن عمران بمعجزاتنا البينة إلى فرعون وقومه، فجحدوا وكفروا بها ظلمًا منهم وعنادًا، فانظر -أيها الرسول- متبصرًا كيف فعلنا بهم وأغرقناهم عن آخرهم بمرأى من موسى وقومه؟ وتلك نهاية المفسدين.

يقول تعالى : ( ثم بعثنا من بعدهم ) أي : الرسل المتقدم ذكرهم ، كنوح ، وهود ، وصالح ، ولوط ، وشعيب ، صلوات الله وسلامه عليهم وعلى سائر أنبياء الله أجمعين . ( موسى بآياتنا ) أي : بحججنا ودلائلنا البينة إلى ) فرعون ) وهو ملك مصر في زمن موسى ، ) وملئه ) أي : قومه ، ( فظلموا بها ) أي : جحدوا وكفروا بها ظلما منهم وعنادا ، كقوله تعالى ( وجحدوا بها واستيقنتها أنفسهم ظلما وعلوا فانظر كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين ) [ النمل : 14 ] أي : الذين صدوا عن سبيل الله وكذبوا رسله ، أي : انظر - يا محمد - كيف فعلنا بهم ، وأغرقناهم عن آخرهم ، بمرأى من موسى وقومه . وهذا أبلغ في النكال بفرعون وقومه ، وأشفى لقلوب أولياء الله - موسى وقومه - من المؤمنين به .