Tafsir

Fir`awn and His People suffer Years of Drought

Allah said, وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَآ ءالَ فِرْعَوْنَ(And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn) We tested and tried them, بِالسِّنِينَ(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce, وَنَقْصٍ مِّن الثَّمَرَاتِ(and lack of fruits), which is less severe, according to Mujahid. Abu Ishaq narrated that Raja' bin Haywah said, "The date tree used to produce only one date!" لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَفَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions, قَالُواْ لَنَا هَـذِهِ(they said, "This is for us."), because we deserve it, وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine, يَطَّيَّرُواْ بِمُوسَى وَمَن مَّعَهُ(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him. ) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.

أَلاَ إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ(Verily, their omens are with Allah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah, أَلاَ إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(but most of them know not.)"

The next verses speak of the events that led Pharaoh and his people to a number of calamities sent to them as punishment and finally led them to their death. The first heavenly punishment came to them in the form of famine. According to historical reports this famine lasted for seven years."And We seized the people of the Pharaoh with years of famine and loss of fruits, so that they may take lesson. So when something good came to them they said, 'This is our right.' And if they suffered from something evil, they ascribed it as an ill omen to Musa and those with him. Listen, their omen lies with Allah only, but most of them do not know."The first verse has described the famine with two phrases: 'years of famine' and 'loss of fruits.' The respected Companion ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ and the commentator Qatadah have said that the punishment of drought was for the people of the rural areas, while people living in cities and towns were punished by the loss of fruits.

ولقد ابتلينا فرعون وقومه بالقحط والجدب، ونَقْص ثمارهم وغَلاتهم; ليتذكروا، وينزجروا عن ضلالاتهم، ويفزعوا إلى ربهم بالتوبة.

يقول تعالى : ( 131 ) ولقد أخذنا آل فرعون ) أي : اختبرناهم وامتحناهم وابتليناهم ) بالسنين ) وهي سني الجوع بسبب قلة الزروع ( ونقص من الثمرات ) قال مجاهد : وهو دون ذلك .وقال أبو إسحاق ، عن رجاء بن حيوة : كانت النخلة لا تحمل إلا ثمرة واحدة . ( لعلهم يذكرون )