Surah Ash Shu'ara Notes (14-28)

Source: Ibn Kathir

 (14) And they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear they will kill me."

(15) Allah said: "Nay! Go you both with Our Signs. Verily! We shall be with you, listening.

(16) "And when you both come to Fir'aun (Pharaoh), say: 'We are the Messengers of the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists),

(17) "So allow the Children of Israel to go with us.' "

(So allow the Children of Israel to go with us.) Meaning, `let them go, free them from your captivity, subjugation and torture, for they are the believing servants of Allah, devoted to Him, and with you they are in a position of humiliating torture.' When Musa said that to him, Fir`awn turned away and ignored him completely, regarding him with scorn and thinking little of him. 

(18) [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] said [to Musa (Moses)]: "Did we not bring you up among us as a child? And you did dwell many years of your life with us.

(Did we not bring you up among us as a child) meaning, we brought you up among us, in our home and on our bed, we nourished you and did favors for you for many years, and after all that you responded to our kindness in this manner: you killed one of our men and denied our favors to you.' 

(19) "And you did your deed, which you did (i.e. the crime of killing a man). And you are one of the ingrates."

So he said to him:

(While you were one of the ingrates.) meaning, one of those who deny favors. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, and was the view favored by Ibn Jarir.

(20) Musa (Moses) said: "I did it then, when I was an ignorant (as regards my Lord and His Message).

((Musa) said: "I did it then...'') meaning, at that time,

(when I was in error.) meaning, `before revelation was sent to me and before Allah made me a Prophet and sent me with this Message.'

(21) "So I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord has granted me Hukman (i.e. religious knowledge, right judgement of the affairs and Prophethood), and appointed me as one of the Messengers.

(So, I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord has granted me Hukm, and made me one of the Messengers.) means, `the first situation came to an end and another took its place. Now Allah has sent me to you, and if you obey Him, you will be safe, but if you oppose Him, you will be destroyed.' 

Then Musa said:

(22) "And this is the past favour with which you reproach me, that you have enslaved the Children of Israel."

(And this is the past favor with which you reproach me, -- that you have enslaved the Children of Israel.) meaning, `whatever favors you did in bringing me up are offset by the evil you did by enslaving the Children of Israel and using them to do your hard labor. Is there any comparison between your favors to one man among them and the evil you have done to all of them What you have mentioned about me is nothing compared to what you have done to them.'

Allah tells us about the disbelief, rebellion, oppression and denial of Fir`awn, as He says:

(23) Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "And what is the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)?"

((Fir`awn said:) "And what is the Lord of the `Alamin'') This is because he used to say to his people:

(I know not that you have a god other than me.) (28:28)

(Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) (43:54) 

They used to deny the Creator, may He be glorified, and they believed that they had no other lord than Fir`awn. When Musa said to them: "I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds,'' Fir`awn said to him, "Who is this who you are claiming is the Lord of Al-`Alamin other than me'' This is how it was interpreted by the scholars of the Salaf and the Imams of later generations.

(24) Musa (Moses) said: "Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty."

((Musa) said: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them...'') meaning, the Creator, Sovereign and Controller of all that, their God Who has no partner or associate. He is the One Who has created all things. He knows the higher realms and the heavenly bodies that are in them, both those that are stationary and those that move and shine brightly. He knows the lower realms and what is in them; the oceans, continents, mountains, trees, animals, plants and fruits. He knows what is in between the two realms; the winds, birds, and whatever is in the air. All of them are servants to Him, submitting and humbling themselves before Him.

(if you seek to be convinced with certainty. ) means, if you have believing hearts and clear insight. At this, Fir`awn turned to the chiefs and leaders of his state around him, and said to them -- mockingly expressing his disbelief in Musa:

(25) Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said to those around: "Do you not hear (what he says)?"

("Do you not hear'') meaning, `are you not amazed by what this man is claiming -- that you have another god other than me' Musa said to them:

(26) Musa (Moses) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!"

(Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!) meaning, the One Who created you and your forefathers, those who came before Fir`awn and his time.

(27) Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!"

(Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!) meaning, there is no sense in his claim that there is any god other than me!'

(28) Musa (Moses) said: "Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!"

((Musa) said) -- to those in whose hearts Fir`awn had planted doubts:

(Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!) `He is the One Who made the east the place where the heavenly bodies rise, and made the west the place where they set; this is the system to which He has subjugated all the heavenly bodies, stationary and moving. If what Fir`awn claims is true, that he is your lord and your god, then let him turn things around so that the heavenly bodies set in the east and rise in the west.' This is similar to the Ayah,

(who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom When Ibrahim said: "My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death.'' He said, "I give life and cause death.'' Ibrahim said, "Verily, Allah brings the sun from the east. So cause it to rise from the west.'') (2:258)

So when Fir`awn was defeated in debate, he resorted to the use of his force and power, believing that this would be effective in dealing with Musa, peace be upon him,