Surah Ghafir Notes (23-28)

Source: Ibn Kathir

The Story of Musa and Fir`awn

(23) And indeed We sent Musa (Moses) with Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and a manifest authority,

Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad for the disbelief of his people and gives him the glad tidings of good consequences and victory in this world and the Hereafter, as happened to Musa bin `Imran, peace be upon him, whom Allah sent with clear proof and definitive evidence. Allah says:

(with Our Ayat, and a manifest authority). Authority means proof and evidence.

(24) To Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Haman and Qarun (Korah), but they called (him): "A sorcerer, a liar!"

(to Fir`awn), who was the king of the Copts of Egypt.

(Haman) who was his adviser.

(and Qarun) who was the richest trader among the people of his time.

(but they called (him): "A sorcerer, liar!'') means, they rejected him and thought he was a sorcerer, a madman and an illusionist who was telling lies about having been sent by Allah. This is like the Ayah:

(Likewise, no Messenger came to those before them but they said: "A sorcerer or a madman!'' Have they transmitted this saying to these Nay, they are themselves a people transgressing beyond bounds!) (51:52-53)

(25) Then, when he brought them the Truth from Us, they said: "Kill the sons of those who believe with him and let their women live", but the plots of disbelievers are nothing but errors!

(Then, when he brought them the Truth from Us,) means, with definite evidence that Allah had sent him to them,

(they said: "Kill with him the sons of those who believe and let their women live;) This was the second command from Fir`awn to kill the males of the Children of Israel. The first command had been as a precaution against the emergence of a man like Musa, or an act intended to humiliate this person or reduce their numbers or both. The second command was for the second reason, to humiliate the people so that they would regard Musa as a bad omen. they said:

("We (Children of Israel) had suffered troubles before you came to us, and since you have come to us.'' He said: "It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth, so that He may see how you act'') (7:129). 

Qatadah said this was one command after another.

(but the plots of disbelievers are nothing but in vain!) means, their schemes, and intentions -- to reduce the numbers of the Children of Israel lest they prevail over them -- were doomed to failure.

(26) Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "Leave me to kill Musa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!"

(Fir`awn said: "Leave me to kill Musa, and let him call his Lord!...'') Fir`awn, may Allah curse him, resolved to kill Musa, peace be upon him, i.e., he said to his people, `let me kill him for you.'

(and let him call his Lord!) means, `I do not care.' This is the utmost in offensive stubbornness.

(I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!) means, Musa; Fir`awn was afraid that Musa would lead his people astray and change their ways and customs. As if Fir`awn would be concerned about what Musa might do to his people! The majority understood this as meaning, `he will change your religion and cause mischief to appear in the land.'

(27) Musa (Moses) said: "Verily, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!"

(Musa said: "Verily, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!'') means, when he heard that Fir`awn had said,

(Leave me to kill Musa,) Musa, peace be upon him, said, "I seek refuge and protection with Allah from his evil and the evil of those like him.'' So he said:

(Verily, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord) -- those who were being addressed here --

(from every arrogant) means, from every evildoer,

(who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!) It was reported in the Hadith narrated from Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, that when the Messenger of Allah was afraid of some people, he would say:

(O Allah, we seek refuge in You from their evil and we seek Your help in repulsing them.)

(28) And a believing man of Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) family, who hid his faith said: "Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and he has come to you with clear signs (proofs) from your Lord? And if he is a liar, upon him will be (the sin of) his lie; but if he is telling the truth, then some of that (calamity) wherewith he threatens you will befall on you." Verily, Allah guides not one who is a Musrif (a polytheist, or a murderer who shed blood without a right, or those who commit great sins, oppressor, transgressor), a liar!

(and he has come to you with clear signs from your Lord) means, "how can you kill a man just because he says, `My Lord is Allah,' and he brings proof that what he is saying is the truth'' Then, for the sake of argument, he went along with them and said,

(And if he is a liar, upon him will be (the sin of) his lie; but if he is telling the truth, then some of that (calamity) wherewith he threatens you will befall on you. ) meaning, `if you do not believe in what he is saying, then it is only common sense to leave him alone and not harm him; if he is lying, then Allah will punish him for his lies in this world and in the Hereafter. If he is telling the truth and you harm him, then some of what he is warning about will happen to you too, because he is threatening you with punishment in this world and in the Hereafter if you go against him. It is possible that he is telling the truth in your case, so you should leave him and his people alone, and not harm them.' Allah tells us that Musa asked Fir`awn and his people to leave them in peace, as Allah says:

(And indeed We tried before them Fir`awn's people, when there came to them a noble Messenger, saying: "Deliver to me the servants of Allah. Verily, I am to you a Messenger worthy of all trust. And exalt not yourselves against Allah. Truly, I have come to you with a manifest authority. And truly, I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord, lest you should stone me. But if you believe me not, then keep away from me and leave me alone.'') (44:17-21). 

Similarly, the Messenger of Allah told the Quraysh to leave him alone and let him call the servants of Allah to Allah; he asked them not to harm him, and to uphold the ties of kinship that existed between him and them, by not harming him. Allah says:

(Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you.'')

(Verily, Allah guides not one who is a transgressor, a liar!) means, `if the one who claims to have been sent by Allah is a liar, as you say, this would be obvious to everyone from his words and deeds, for they would be inconsistent and self-contradictory. But we can see that this man is upright and what he says is consistent. If he was a sinner and a liar, Allah would not have guided him and made his words and actions rational and consistent as you see them.' Then this believer warned his people that they would lose the blessings Allah bestowed upon them and that the vengeance of Allah would befall them: