In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

This passage relates much of the history of Moses with Pharaoh and his people. It starts when Pharaoh and the leading figures among his people are confronted with the fact that God is the Lord of all the universe, and ends with the drowning of Pharaoh and his army. In between these events, the sūrah tells us of the contest between Moses and the magicians which ends up with a triumph for the truth, and the declaration by the sorcerers that they believe in the Lord of all the worlds, according to the concept preached by Moses and his brother Aaron. The sūrah tells us of Pharaoh’s threats to punish those magicians and to put them to death.

Nevertheless, the truth had taken such a hold of their hearts that they no longer cared for Pharaoh. They were prepared to sacrifice their lives for their faith.

The sūrah also tells us of the persecution to which the Children of Israel were subjected and how God punished Pharaoh and his people with poor harvests and also inflicted on them floods, and pests of locusts, ants, frogs and blood. Each time, they appealed to Moses to pray to his Lord to lift the punishment. However, whenever a punishment was lifted, they reverted to their erring ways, declaring that they would not believe, no matter what signs they were shown. Eventually, God’s law overtook them and they were drowned because of their rejection of the clear evidence shown to them and because they overlooked the purpose of the tests to which God may subject any community. According to God’s law, He tests unbelievers with hardship and affluence before destroying them. Then, power in the land was given to Moses’s people as a reward for their perseverance through the test of hardship. That meant a new test with affluence.

We have chosen to divide the story of Moses, as related in this sūrah, into two passages, devoting the second passage to the events that took place after the Israelites were saved and Pharaoh and his people were drowned.

The story opens here with a brief outline of its beginning and end, highlighting the purpose for which it is related in this sūrah: “Then after those We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his people, but they wilfully rejected them. Behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption.” (Verse 103)

Thus, we are clearly told the purpose behind relating this history here. It is to tell us about the end faced by the spreaders of corruption. Having made this brief outline, the sūrah goes on to relate one episode after another, in clear and detailed scenes that serve the overall purpose.

The story is divided into a number of vivid scenes, each of which is full of life, employing significant dialogue. Each is clearly inspiring, with certain distinctive features. In between, we have some relevant instructions pointing out the lessons that should be learned from the story. In essence, the passage demonstrates in sharp relief the nature of the battle between the call to faith, which declares that God is the Lord of all the worlds, and the tyrants who impose their authority on mankind, claiming to have lordship over the world. We also see how faith asserts itself, paying little heed to tyrannical power and caring nothing for threats of impending punishment.

“Then after those We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his people, but they wilfully rejected them. Behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption.” (Verse 103) We first learn that Moses’s mission came after those communities to whom earlier prophets were sent. The sūrah has given us an account of each of those communities and what happened to their people who rejected the messages of those Prophets.

The sūrah now begins the story of Moses from when he confronted Pharaoh and the leaders of his government with the divine message. It then tells us very briefly the sum of their response, and refers to the fate they suffered. Pharaoh’s people wilfully and wrongfully rejected the signs shown to them by God, without proper consideration or reflection. We find that the Qur’ān often uses terms like, `wrongful, unjust, oppression or transgression’ in place of `disbelief’ or `associating partners with God’. Here the Arabic text uses the phrase `resorted to injustice’ for what is rendered in the translated text as `wilful rejection’. The fact is that the association of partners with God or rejecting divine faith is the worst type of injustice and the most ghastly transgression. Those who reject faith adopt a wrongful attitude towards the basic truism of God’s oneness. They also wrong themselves by exposing themselves to destruction in this life, as well as severe punishment in the life to come. They are also unjust to other human beings because they try to take them away from submission to God, the only Lord in the universe, in order to force them to submit to different deities and authorities. There can be no worse injustice than this. Hence, to disbelieve in God is to be unjust, and, as the Qur’ān states, “Truly, the unbelievers are the wrongdoers.” (2: 254) Similarly, a person who rejects faith is a transgressor, because he turns away from the straight path leading to God in order to follow other paths that lead only to hell.

Pharaoh and his people certainly took a wrongful and oppressive attitude, rejecting God’s signs and revelations. Hence, “Behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption.” (Verse 103) Their fate will be presently outlined in the sūrah.

Let us for now reflect on the import of the term, ‘spreaders of corruption’, which is used here as a synonym for `unbelievers’ and ‘wrongdoers’.

Here they are described as ‘spreaders of corruption’ because of their wrongful rejection of God’s signs. The fact is that to disbelieve is the worst type of corruption and indeed a wilful spreading of such corruption. Human life cannot flourish and prosper unless it is built on the foundation of believing in God as the only deity in the universe, and on submission to Him alone. Life on earth will certainly suffer corruption when people refrain from such submission, which means that there is only one master for mankind, to whom they address their worship. They will then submit to His law alone which frees their lives from submission to fleeting human desires. When human beings acknowledge the Lordship of several deities in preference to that of God alone, corruption does not affect merely their social lives, but also their concepts and beliefs. The fact is that human life on earth was not set on the proper footing and did not prosper except when they declared that they submit only to God in faith, worship and law. Man did not achieve his liberation except under the single Lordship of God. Hence, God says in reference to Pharaoh and his people: “Behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption.” (Verse 103)

Every tyrant who imposes his law on human beings in preference to God’s law is a spreader of corruption.

This opening of the story represents a particular Qur’ānic method of relating historical accounts. It is certainly the most appropriate method for this sūrah, because it fits in well with its central theme. It tells us the outcome right at the beginning. It then moves on to give the details, so that we may follow the events right up to their conclusion. What happened, then, between Moses and Pharaoh?

Moses said: ‘Pharaoh, I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, and may say about God nothing but the truth. I have come to you with a clear evidence from your Lord. So, let the Children of Israel go with me.” He answered: “If you have come with a sign, produce it then if you are so truthful.” Moses threw down his staff and it immediately became a plainly visible serpent. And he drew forth his hand, and it was [shining] white to the beholders. The great ones among Pharaoh’s people said: “This man is indeed a sorcerer of great skill, who wants to drive you out of your land!” [Said Pharaoh] “What, then, do you advise?” They said: “Let him and his brother wait a while, and send heralds to all cities to bring before you every sorcerer of great skill.” (Verses 104-112)

Here is the first encounter between truth and falsehood, faith and rejection. It is a scene which brings the Messenger, who calls on people to believe in the Lord of all the worlds, face to face with the tyrants who claim, and indeed practise, lordship over their people.

“Moses said: ‘Pharaoh, I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, and may say about God nothing but the truth. I have come to you with a clear evidence from your Lord. So, let the Children of Israel go with me.’” (Verses 104-105) He addresses him with his plain title, “Pharaoh”. He does not call him, “My lord”, as do those who do not really know who the true Lord is. Moses combines good manners with self assurance, addressing Pharaoh with his simple title in order to point out to him his true position while asserting at the same time the greatest fact in the universe: “I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds.” (Verse 104)

Moses reasserts the fact stated by every messenger that preceded him. It is the fact that God is the only Lord of the universe: just one God and one Lord, and total submission by the whole universe to Him alone. This is contrary to what is advanced by `comparative religion’ specialists and their disciples who grope in the dark as they make their claims about the development of religion, making no provision for the messages given by God to all His messengers. The faith preached by all those messengers is the same, repeated by every single one of them, stating that God is the Lord of all the worlds. This faith has not developed from a primitive pagan one which believed in numerous deities, progressing then to dualism, before eventually reaching its highest form of belief in one god. For when people deviate from divine faith and sink into a state of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, there is no end to chaos. They then have a multitude of erring beliefs, ranging from the worship of totems, spirits, multiple gods to the worship of the sun and stars, to dualism, and to a monotheism that retains traces of paganism. No such deviant form of belief could ever be placed on the same level as the divine messages which consistently preached clear monotheism.

Moses (peace be upon him) confronted Pharaoh and his powerful clique with this basic truth which every Prophet before or after him proclaimed in the face of all types of deviant beliefs. He stated it clearly to his face, knowing that it meant revolution against Pharaoh, his regime and government. A primary result of God’s Lordship of the universe and all the worlds is that every regime and form of government, which exercises power over human beings without following God’s law or abiding by His commandments, is illegitimate. It also means the removal of every form of tyranny that seeks to subjugate people to its own laws. Moses confronted Pharaoh with this great fact in his own capacity as a Messenger from the Lord of the universe, committed to stating the truth about God who gave him his message: “I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, and may say about God nothing but the truth.” (Verses 104-105) A messenger who knows the true nature of God can only say the truth about Him. How can he say anything else when he knows God’s power and authority?

“I have come to you with a clear evidence from your Lord.” (Verse 105) It tells you that I am truly a Messenger from the Lord of the universe. In his capacity as a Messenger, and under the authority of the Lord of the universe, Moses demanded that Pharaoh should release the Children of Israel to him.

The Children of Israel are God’s own servants. It is not up to Pharaoh, then, to proclaim himself as their master. Human beings must not serve any masters other than God. Whoever is God’s own servant cannot serve anyone beside Him. Because Pharaoh subjugated the Children of Israel to his own will, Moses declares to him that God is the only Lord of the universe. Such a declaration renders Pharaoh’s action invalid.

The declaration that God is the Lord of all the worlds implies that man is free from subjugation and servitude to anyone other than God. He is released from the tyranny of man-made laws, traditions and from human desires and authority. This declaration of God’s Lordship over the universe is incompatible with submission by any human being to anyone other than God. It is also diametrically opposed to the assigning of sovereignty to anyone who may implement any law other than divine law. Those who think themselves to be Muslims while submitting to man-made laws only delude themselves. They cannot be believers in divine faith for a single moment while acknowledging the sovereignty of anyone other than God or implementing any law other than His. They would be followers of their ruler, whoever that ruler may be. It is on this basis that Moses was commanded to demand that Pharaoh should release to him the Children of Israel: “Pharaoh, I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds... so let the Children of Israel go with me.” (Verses 104-105) The first statement is the preamble to the logical conclusion given in the second. The two go hand in hand and cannot be separated.

Pharaoh and the leaders of his government were fully aware of the import of the declaration that God is the Lord of all the worlds. They were aware that the declaration implied the termination of Pharaoh’s authority, the overthrow of his government and the end to his tyranny. They felt, however, that they had a chance to denounce Moses as a liar. Hence, Pharaoh demands a sign to prove Moses’s claim: “If you have come with a sign, produce it then if you are so truthful.” (Verse 106)

Pharaoh felt that if he could prove that Moses was a liar, then all his claims could be refuted and all danger would be removed. But Moses had the complete answer:

“Moses threw down his staff, and it immediately became a plainly visible serpent. And he drew forth his hand, and it was [shining] white to the beholders.” (Verses 107-108) This came as a complete surprise to Pharaoh and the elders of his people. The staff became a real serpent which was “plainly visible”. It is described in another sūrah as “a scurrying snake”.15 (20: 20) Moreover, Moses was a man of dark complexion, but when he took his hand out of his pocket, it was seen as very white, without any sign of illness. This in itself was a miraculous sign, because he only had to put his hand in his pocket again for it to regain its original dark complexion.16

So, Moses had the signs and proofs to confirm his statement that he was a Messenger from the Lord of the universe, but would Pharaoh and his people accept such a dangerous claim and acknowledge God, the Lord of all the worlds? What basis would Pharaoh then have for his rule as the king of Egypt? What justification would his aides have for occupying such influential positions when these were given them by Pharaoh himself? How could the whole system be justified if all authority in the universe belonged to its Lord, the only God? If this Lordship is acknowledged, then God’s law must prevail, and God would be the only one to be obeyed. What then would be Pharaoh’s position when his rule is neither based on God’s law nor relies on His commandments? When people acknowledge God’s Lordship, they can have no other lord who imposes on them his rule and legislation. They submit to Pharaoh’s law when Pharaoh is their lord. Whoever can impose his legislation on a community is the Lord of that community, and they simply accept his religion whatever he tells them.

It is not in the nature of falsehood to surrender easily or to admit that it has no legitimacy. Pharaoh and the great ones among his people were certainly aware of the import of the great truth declared by Moses. They indeed declared it plainly, but they also tried to divert attention from it by accusing Moses of sorcery: “The great ones among Pharaoh’s people said: ‘This man is indeed a sorcerer of great skill, who wants to drive you out of your lane [Said Pharaoh], `What, then, do you advise?’” (Verses 109-110) The net result of this clear declaration is thus stated openly: it is to be driven out of the land, to relinquish power, or, to use modern terminology, to overthrow the government.

The whole earth belongs to God, and so do all creatures. So, if sovereignty in God’s land is acknowledged to belong to God alone, then no shred of sovereignty will belong to those who impose a law other than that of God. In real terms, this means that not a particle of sovereignty can belong to claimants of lordship who exercise Godhead by subjugating people to their own laws. Thus, people given high positions by Godhead claimants have no real authority. After all, they are given such positions in order to ensure that people acknowledge the lordship of their deities.

Pharaoh and his aides were aware of the danger represented by Moses’s message.

Indeed, tyrants always recognize that danger. As a simple bedouin Arab, totally unsophisticated, remarked after hearing the Prophet Muhammad calling on people to accept that there is no deity other than God and that Muhammad is His Messenger: “This is something that kings dislike.” Another similarly unsophisticated bedouin said to the Prophet: “You will be opposed by Arabs and non- Arabs alike.” Both of them were keenly aware of what those words signified. They understood that the declaration of God’s oneness means a rebellion against every ruler who does not implement God’s law. The Arabs felt the seriousness of this declaration. They realised that to make this declaration and accept a rule based on any law other than that of God was a contradiction in terms. Their understanding of the declaration of God’s oneness was totally different from that of those who today claim to be Muslims. The understanding of later day Muslims cannot be supported.

Hence, the great ones began their consultations with Pharaoh: “This man is indeed a sorcerer of great skill, who wants to drive you out of your land!’ [Said Pharaoh], `What, then, do you advise?” (Verses 109-110) Their consultations were concluded with agreement on a certain procedure: “Let him and his brother wait a while, and send heralds to all cities to bring before you every sorcerer of great skill.” (Verses 111-112)

At that time Egypt was full of priests in all types of temples, and those priests actually practised sorcery. In all pagan beliefs, religion was closely linked with sorcery. Hence, those who specialize in comparative religion speak of magic and sorcery as a stage in the development of human faith. Those among them who are atheists claim that religious beliefs will one day be abandoned in the same way as sorcery was abandoned. They claim that science will put an end to the reign of faith just as it put an end to the reign of sorcery. Their confusion knows no limit, yet they call it science.

Pharaoh’s aides determined, after their lengthy discussions, that Pharaoh should gain time and fix an appointment with Moses. Meanwhile, he would send heralds to summon to his presence all skilful sorcerers, so that they could overpower what they claimed to be Moses’s sorcery. Despite all that we know about Pharaoh’s tyranny, his action in this regard was much milder than what twentieth-century tyrants did when they confronted the advocates of divine faith who proclaimed that God is the only Lord in the universe, and thereby threatened the authority of self-proclaimed rulers.17

The Qur’ānic account skips over all the measures taken by Pharaoh and his aides in gathering all the sorcerers from every corner of the kingdom. The curtain falls after the first scene to be raised again with the contest progressing in full view in order to show this history as if it is happening now, in front of us. This is a characteristic of the inimitable style of the Qur’ān.

“The sorcerers came to Pharaoh and said: ‘Surely there will be a handsome reward for us if it is we who prevail.’ Answered [Pharaoh]: ‘Yes; and you will certainly be among those who are close to me.’” (Verses 113-114) They are mere professionals. To them, both sorcery and priesthood are professions. Their ultimate aim in carrying on with both vocations is to enjoy a handsome financial reward. Being in the service of rulers and overpowering tyranny is the task undertaken by professional clergy. Whenever the general situation in a country or a community moves away from pure submission to God, acknowledging all sovereignty to Him alone, and whenever a form of false, arbitrary authority replaces God’s law, those exercising such an authority find themselves in need of such professional clergy. The false authority is always ready to remunerate such clergy for their services. It is a deal which serves the mutual interests of both parties; the clergy acknowledge that false authority in the name of religion, and those exercising power provide them with wages and give them high positions.

Pharaoh assured them that they would be paid for their services, and promised them positions in the circle closest to him to increase the temptation and to encourage them to make their best efforts. Neither Pharaoh nor the sorcerers realized that the situation did not call for any professional expertise, skill or deception. They were placing themselves in confrontation with a miracle given by God who has power over all things, and a message revealed by Him. No sorcerer or tyrant can stand up to these.

Pharaoh’s sorcerers were reassured that they would have a generous reward, and they looked forward to be in positions close to Pharaoh. They came ready for the match, and began by an open challenge to Moses. Little did they realize that God was storing for them something far better than their promised wages: “They said: Moses! Either you shall throw [first], or we shall be the first to throw?’ He answered: ‘You throw [first].’” (Verses 115-116) It is a clearly apparent challenge. As they gave Moses the choice, they demonstrated their confidence that they would triumph. But we also see Moses unperturbed by the challenge, full of confidence as he answered: “You throw first.” That short answer reveals how completely assured Moses was. We often find the Qur’ān using a single word to impart such rich connotations.

But then the sūrah delivers a surprise. Indeed, Moses himself was surprised as he found himself face to face with very skilful sorcery that strikes awe in people’s hearts: “And when they threw [their staff], they cast a spell upon people’s eyes and struck them with awe, making a display of great sorcery.” (Verse 116)

It is sufficient for us that the Qur’ān describes their work as “great sorcery” to imagine how skilful they truly were. It is also enough that we should know that they could “cast a spell upon people’s eyes”, in order to be able to imagine the nature of the situation. Indeed, the Qur’ān uses here a very vivid term to describe that the sorcerers were able to create a very real feeling of fear among all beholders. We also learn from another Qur’ānic statement that Moses himself felt fear creeping into his heart.

But something totally unexpected takes place to surprise Pharaoh and his aides, these sorcerers and the masses gathered in the large square which served as a stage for this contest: “We then inspired Moses: ‘Throw your staff’ And it swallowed up their false devices. Thus the truth prevailed and all their doings were proved to be in vain. They were defeated there and then, and became utterly humiliated.” (Verses 117-119)

Falsehood may appear powerful. It may dazzle people’s eyes, strike fear in their hearts and give the majority of people the impression that it is unstoppable and that it has its own rights. But once it comes into confrontation with the truth, with its intrinsic characteristics of calmness and self confidence, falsehood’s bubble bursts and its fire dies down. The truth is thus seen to be much weightier, with firmer roots and a more solid foundation. The Qur’ānic expression here makes all these connotations clear as it describes the triumph of the truth as an accomplished fact, solid and stable. Everything else disappears and all the sorcerers’ doings prove to be in vain. Falsehood and its advocates are vanquished, humiliated. This contrasts with the great display they tried to put out: “They were defeated there and then, and became utterly humiliated.” (Verse 119)

But the surprise is not over yet. The scene brings yet another, even greater surprise: “The sorcerers fell down prostrating themselves, and said: `We believe in the Lord of all the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron.’” (Verses 120-122)

How does this happen? It is simply the truth exercising its authority over people’s feelings and consciences. It opens up hearts to prepare them to receive its light and accept its reassurance. The sorcerers are the best people to know how far their skill can go, and they are the best to evaluate the nature of what Moses worked out and whether it was an act of skilful sorcery or something brought about by a power far greater than any human being can have. A learned specialist in any field is the first to acknowledge the truth in that field whenever it appears clearly to him, because he can recognize the truth much quicker than those who have only superficial knowledge of his specialty. This explains how the sorcerers moved from open challenge to total submission, after having recognized the truth with open minds.

No tyrant enjoying absolute power can ever understand how light penetrates human hearts, or how people can enjoy the reassurance of faith and experience the happiness it imparts. Tyrants continue to exercise power for a long time, seeing that people accept whatever they say. With the passage of time they come to believe that their authority extends over people’s minds, hearts and souls, when these actually submit only to God. Hence, Pharaoh was totally surprised to see the sorcerers accept the faith so quickly, especially as he could not see the faith penetrating into their hearts and could not realize how their minds worked. But he was quick to recognize how serious this development was and that it threatened his very authority. Those sorcerers, who were actually the attendants in temples throughout Egypt, were gathered in order to prove Moses’s and Aaron’s message as false. It was those same sorcerers who accepted that message and declared their submission to God, the Lord of the universe and of Moses and Aaron.

Pharaoh felt his throne shake, and it is well known that the throne and the crown represent all that is in the life of a tyrant. Tyrants are always ready to commit any crime, without hesitation, in order to retain power: “Pharaoh said: ‘You believe in Him even before I have given you permission! This is indeed a plot you have contrived in this city in order to drive out its people, but you shall soon come to know [the consequences]. I shall have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, and then I shall crucify you all.’” (Verses 123-124)

He haughtily exclaims: “You believe in Him even before I have given you permission!” (Verse 123) He really expects them to seek his permission before their hearts, consciences and souls open up to receive the truth, when they themselves have no control over these and cannot prevent anything from touching or penetrating them.

Perhaps Pharaoh wanted them to repel the truth as it penetrated their souls, or to stifle their faith as its shoots began to spring up and blossom inside their souls, or to cover their eyes so that they could not see the light. That is tyranny: ignorant and stupid, but at the same time arrogant and conceited.

There is another element which influences Pharaoh’s attitude: namely, fear that his power is threatened. “This is indeed a plot you have contrived in this city in order to drive out its people.” (Verse 123) Elsewhere in the Qur’ān where the history of Moses and Pharaoh is related, Pharaoh is quoted as saying to the sorcerers in reference to Moses:

“He is your chief who has taught you sorcery.” (20: 71)

The whole question is absolutely clear. It is the fact that Moses calls on people to believe in `God, the Lord of all the worlds’ that causes all this worry and fear. The tyrants realize that they can have no peace of mind if they allow that message to be preached. Their power relies on dismissing God’s Lordship of mankind through ignoring His law. Instead, they appoint themselves as deities enacting legislation for human society and forcing people to submit to the laws they enact. These two methods can have no meeting point, because they move in opposite directions. They are two contradictory religions addressing worship to different lords. Pharaoh and the elders among his people were aware of this, and they were frightened when they realized that Moses and Aaron advocated submission to the Lord of the universe.

Now that the sorcerers prostrated themselves in submission to God, Pharaoh and his elders were increasingly alarmed. Those sorcerers were the clergy in a pagan faith that attributed Godhead to Pharaoh himself. They were the ones who ensured that he exercised absolute power in the name of religion.

Hence, it was only expected that Pharaoh should issue his fearful warning: “You shall soon come to know [the consequences]. I shall have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, and then I shall crucify you all.” (Verses 123-124) Torture, disfigurement and unabating persecution: these are the methods to which tyranny resorts when it finds itself in confrontation with the truth. The tyrants realize that they cannot refute the argument of the truth, therefore they have to suppress it by force.

But when the truth of faith takes hold of a human being, he looks with contempt at the tyrants and their power. Faith takes over as the top priority, even ahead of life itself. A firm believer feels this life contemptible when it is compared to the eternal life of the hereafter. A human being who believes in the message of the truth does not stop to inquire: “What shall I gain and how much will I benefit?” He will not even think of what cost he will have to incur or what sacrifices he is called upon to give. The bright horizon opens up for him right in front of his eyes, so he does not look to anything along the way: “They replied: ‘To our Lord we shall indeed return. You want to take vengeance on us only because we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they were shown to us.’” (Verses 125-126) It is the unshakeable faith that will not submit to any worldly power. It is the faith which is reassured about the future, in the knowledge that all human beings will return to their Lord. With faith, people have the reassurance of being close to Him: “To our Lord we shall indeed return.” (Verse 125)

When a person realizes the nature of the battle against tyranny, and that it is a battle over the central issues, he takes his stand firmly, without hesitation. He would never seek the clemency of an enemy who is not prepared to accept anything from him short of abandoning his faith altogether, because, after all, that is the issue over which the fight takes place: “You want to take vengeance on us only because we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they were shown to us.” (Verse 126) When anyone realizes what the battle is all about and to whom he should turn for help, he will not ask his enemy to ensure his own safety. He will only pray to his Lord to give him patience and perseverance in times of adversity, and to help him to continue in an attitude of submission to God until he dies: “Our Lord, grant us abundance of patience in adversity, and let us die as people who have surrendered themselves to You.” (Verse 126)

Tyranny stands helpless as it finds itself in confrontation with faith based on clear understanding. Tyranny realizes that it can do nothing to human hearts although it used to think that even hearts and consciences were subject to its power as human bodies are. Now it discovers that only God can have power over people’s hearts and consciences. What can human power do to any heart or soul that seeks God’s protection and prefers to wait for God’s reward?

As attitudes were shaping up between Pharaoh and his elders on the one side and Moses and those who believed with him on the other, human history was witnessing one of its most decisive moments. It was a moment when faith triumphed over life and when souls became stronger than pain, and man overpowered Satan. It was a moment when true freedom was born. What does freedom mean if not defeating tyranny with the power of faith? When a person is free, he thinks very lightly of a brute force that cannot subjugate his heart and soul, although it can inflict physical pain and cause death. When brute force is unable to subjugate hearts, true freedom is actually born.

It was a decisive moment in the history of mankind because it witnessed the bankruptcy of brute force. Those free individuals who only a few moments earlier were asking Pharaoh for their reward and hoping to win favour with him were now able to rise above Pharaoh’s standard, having no fear of him, paying little attention to his threats and preparing themselves to face persecution. Nothing in their lives or in the material world around them had changed. Only a subtle touch that connects a mortal human being to the power of immortality. Hearts and souls were now able to feel God’s power, and consciences were ready to receive divine guidance and its light. That subtle touch brings about a fundamental change in the material world and elevates man to a standard he could never have dreamed possible. Warnings and threats, then, sound hollow, meaningless. Faith goes along its way steadily, unhesitatingly and with complete reassurance.

At this point the curtain falls and the Qur’ānic account of this encounter is over. The scene has reached its climax. Its powerful description serves the psychological purpose behind relating this account. It is the method of the Qur’ān that addresses hearts and souls with the message of faith and the language of artistic expression in a degree of harmony that only the Qur’ān can achieve.

The first point to be made as we conclude our discussion of the scene that witnessed how the sorcerers declared their submission to God is that Pharaoh and his top aides recognized immediately that this represented a threat to their system of government. This is due to the fact that the foundation of faith is in conflict with the basis upon which Pharaoh established his authority. We have discussed this previously, but we wish to restate here this fundamental principle. There can be no coexistence either in one person’s mind or in the same land or under the same regime between the two concepts of God’s Lordship over all the worlds and the exercise of power by a human being who proceeds to enact his own legislation for his people.

These are aspects of two different faiths that have no common ground.

We should also note that once the sorcerers felt the light of faith penetrating their hearts, they began to recognize that the ensuing battle between them and Pharaoh’s regime was over faith. He had nothing to take against them except the fact that they believed in God, the Lord of the universe, a faith representing a threat to his power, and the position and authority he confers on his -aides. In other words, it threatened Pharaoh’s claimed lordship and the values of that pagan community. It is imperative that advocates of divine faith, who call on people to believe in God as the only Lord in the universe, should be fully aware of the nature of the battle. Such awareness enables believers to think little of all that they may be forced to endure for the sake of their faith. They will be able to face death with fortitude because they are certain that they are the ones who believe in the Lord of the universe while their enemy follows a different religion. Indeed the very way that their enemy exercises power and subjugates people to his will is a denial of God’s lordship. Thus, the enemy is an unbeliever. It is not possible for believers to advocate the divine message, with all that awaits them of persecution along the way, unless they have both these issues clear in their minds: that they are the believers while their enemies are unbelievers, and that they are being so persecuted because of their faith, which is the only issue taken against them.

We also have to note how remarkable and fascinating is the scene which describes the triumph of faith over life, human will over agony and man over Satan. Indeed, it is a breathtaking scene which we simply cannot adequately describe in human language. Let us, then confine ourselves to admiring its description in God’s own language as He paints it in the Qur’ān.

Let us now pickup the thread of the story as the curtains are drawn back to reveal a fourth scene where conspiracy is taking place. Pharaoh’s advisers felt that they simply could not allow Moses and those who believed with him, a small minority as they were, to go unpunished. They began to plot and instigate. They wanted Pharaoh to take strong action against Moses and his followers, raising before him the spectre of losing all his power and position, should he take a lenient attitude. They warned him against the possibility that the new faith, based on God’s oneness and Lordship of the universe, could be allowed to establish roots in society. Pharaoh was furious and began to issue his warnings feeling that he had the power to suppress the rebellion: “The great ones among Pharaoh’s people said: `Will you allow Moses and his people to spread corruption in the land and to forsake you and your gods?’ He replied: ‘We shall put their sons to death and shall spare only their women. We shall certainly overpower them.’” (Verse 127)

Pharaoh did not claim Godhead in the sense that he was the creator and controller of the universe, or that he had power over natural forces. He simply claimed to be the god of his subjugated people, in the sense that he ruled them according to his own law and that they were subject to his will in all their affairs. This is still claimed by every ruler who enforces his own law and imposes his own will. This is lordship in both its linguistic and practical senses.

Nor did the Egyptians serve Pharaoh in the sense that they addressed their worship rituals to him. They had their own deities as did Pharaoh himself. This is clearly understood from his aides’ statement where he is warned against being abandoned by Moses and his followers: “And to forsake you and your gods.” (Verse 127)

This is also confirmed by what we know of the history of ancient Egypt. They served Pharaoh in the sense that they accepted his authority and never violated his law or disobeyed his orders. This is the practical and linguistic meaning of worship. Hence, if people in any community receive their laws from a human being and obey him, then they actually worship him. Indeed this is what the Prophet himself indicated when he interpreted the Qur’ānic verse which says in reference to the Jews and Christians: “They make of their clerics and monks lords besides God.” (9: 31) `Adiy ibn Ĥātim, who was formerly a Christian tribal chief, heard this verse at the time he accepted Islam. He said to the Prophet: “Messenger of God, they did not worship them.” The Prophet said to him: “Yes, indeed they did. They permitted them what was forbidden and forbade them what was lawful, and they accepted that. This is their worship of those clerics and monks.” (Related by al-Tirmidhī)

At one time, Pharaoh says to the elders of his nation: “Nobles, you have no other God that I know of except myself” (28: 38) But this statement is interpreted by yet another reported in the Qur’ān: “My people, is the kingdom of Egypt not mine, and are these rivers which flow at my feet not mine also? Can you not see? Am I not better than this despicable wretch, who can scarcely make his meaning plain? Why have no bracelets of gold been given him, or angels sent down to accompany him?” (43: 51-52) It is clear that he was comparing his authority and the gold that he had as a king with Moses’s plain appearance. His proclamation, “You have no other God that I know of except myself” (28:

38) was simply an assertion that he was the only one to have the authority to make any order, and that he was the one to be obeyed at all times. Exercising such power is, in the linguistic sense and in practical terms, a claim to Godhead. The one who legislates for people and imposes his will on them exercises Godhead, whether he claims it verbally or not. It is in this light that we should understand the instigation of Pharaoh’s aides as they said to him: “Will you allow Moses and his people to spread corruption in the land and to forsake you and your gods?” (Verse 127)

In their view, to declare that God is the only Lord in the universe is to spread corruption, because it entails that Pharaoh’s regime is illegitimate and his rule invalid. That regime was founded on giving all sovereignty to Pharaoh, or, to use a synonymous term, making him lord of his people. Hence, to them, corruption is spread in the land by overthrowing that regime and destroying the social set-up based on the lordship of human beings in order to establish a totally different situation which assigns lordship only to God. It is for this reason that they equated Moses’ forsaking of Pharaoh and his gods with spreading corruption in the land.

Pharaoh used to derive his authority from the religion based on the worship of those gods, making out that he was the favourite son of those gods. It was not a physical parenthood, because people knew very well that Pharaoh was born to a human couple. It was a symbolic relationship, which ensured for him the authority to exercise his power. If Moses and his people were to worship God, the Lord of all the worlds, forsaking those deities worshipped by the Egyptians, then they are practically destroying the foundation of Pharaoh’s spiritual authority over his people. We must remember here that the people themselves were transgressors, and hence their obedience to Pharaoh, as God Himself states: “Thus did he make fools of his people, and they obeyed him. They were indeed transgressors.” (43: 54)

This is indeed the correct interpretation of history. Pharaoh could not have been obeyed by his people when he made fools of them, had they not been transgressors.

A believer simply does not allow tyranny to fool him and will not obey tyranny in any respect, because he knows such obedience cannot be endorsed by true faith. This was what represented a threat to Pharaoh’s regime and power, as Moses called on people to believe in God, the Lord of all the worlds. The threat was embodied by the sorcerers’ positive response, coupled with the acceptance of the new faith by a minority of Moses’s own people. Similarly, every social set-up established on the lordship of some human beings over others feels threatened by any call that aims to acknowledge the Lordship of God alone, or declaring that there is no deity other than God. We are speaking here of the true sense of this declaration which brings people into the fold of Islam, not its watered-down sense that prevails these days.

We can now understand why Pharaoh was enraged by these words, feeling that his whole regime was seriously threatened. Hence, he made his brutal intentions clear: “We shall put their sons to death and shall spare only their women. We shall certainly overpower them.” (Verse 127)

The Children of Israel suffered persecution on a similar scale by Pharaoh and his clique, as stated in Sūrah 28, The Story, in which we read: “Pharaoh made himself a tyrant in the land. He divided his people into casts, one group of which he persecuted, putting their sons to death and sparing only their daughters. Truly, he was an evildoer.” (28: 4) This is characteristic of tyranny everywhere, in all periods of history. It still resorts today to the same methods it employed centuries ago.

The sūrah leaves Pharaoh and his clique to cook up their conspiracy and portrays a new scene that imparts to us the impression that Pharaoh put his threats and warnings into effect. Now we see the Prophet Moses speaking to his people in the language and with the passion of a prophet who truly knows His Lord and how His will works. He impresses on them the need to endure adversity with patience and to seek God’s help to overcome it. He enlightens them about the rules God has put in place in the universe, making it clear to them that the whole earth belongs to God alone and that He causes it to be inherited by any group of His servants according to His will. The ultimate trial will inevitably be given to those who fear none other than God. They complain to him that before he came they endured a wave of persecution and torture similar to that which they now suffer after his arrival. They feel that such persecution is endless. He declares that he sincerely hopes that God will destroy their enemy and cause them to be the heirs of the land to see how they conduct themselves when they are given the trust of building human life on earth: “Moses said to his people: ‘Turn to God (alone) for help and remain steadfast. The whole earth belongs to God.

He allows it to be inherited by whomever He wills of His servants. The future belongs to those who are God-fearing.’ They said: ‘We have been oppressed before you came to us and since you have come to us.’ He replied: It may well be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and leave you to inherit the earth. He will then see how you conduct yourselves.” (Verses 128- 129)

This is how a prophet sees the nature of Godhead and how it enlightens his heart.

He is aware of what takes place in the universe, the forces operating in it, the laws God has established in it and what those who remain steadfast, holding firmly to their faith, may hope for the future. The advocates of the true faith have only one safe haven and one protector who is God Almighty. They have to be patient in adversity until God, their protector, in His perfect wisdom, determines the time when He grants them victory. They may not precipitate matters because they cannot foretell the future and they do not know what will work for their own good.

The whole earth belongs to God; while Pharaoh and his people are there only for a transitory period. God will allow, in His wisdom and according to the rules He has established, the earth to be inherited by whomever He chooses of His servants.

Hence, the advocates of the true faith may not judge by appearances, which could give the impression that tyranny is firmly established on earth and cannot be driven out. It is the owner of the earth who decides when to kick those tyrants out. The Godfearing will sooner or later be triumphant. Hence, the advocates of the true faith must not worry about the future or consider for a moment that those unbelievers will continue to have the upper hand for ever.

Such is a prophet’s vision of the essential facts that govern what happens in the universe. But the Children of Israel have their typical characteristics: “They said: ‘We have been oppressed before you came to us and since you have come to us.’” (Verse 129)

These words carry an implicit complaint. They are telling him that his coming to them as a Prophet has not changed anything. Their oppression seems to be everlasting.

But the noble Prophet does not change his characteristic attitude: he continues to remind them of God. He counsels them to put all their trust in Him and raises before them the prospect that God may destroy their enemy and grant them victory. He couples this with a warning that victory brings to them a new test, which they have to take in order to prove themselves: “He replied: ‘It may well be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and leave you to inherit the earth. He will then see how you conduct yourselves.’” (Verse 129)

Moses’s vision is that of a Prophet who recognizes the laws of nature God has established, and how they operate in line with what He has promised both to those who remain steadfast and to those who deny Him. He can see as a reality that tyranny will be destroyed and that those who show steadfastness and who turn to God alone for help will be given victory. He thus points out the way to his people, which is sure to give them what they want. He tells them right at the outset that when they are allowed to inherit the earth, they are actually being put to a test. They will not be given it because they claim to be God’s favourite sons. Nor should they assume that He will not punish them for their sins, or that their power will continue for ever. It is all a test in which they have to prove themselves: “He will then see how you conduct yourselves.” (Verse 129) Needless to say, God knows what is going to happen even before it happens. But His justice determines that He does not put human beings to account until they have actually done what He already knows they will do. He is certainly the One who knows all, and He is the most fair of judges.

We afflicted Pharaoh’s people with drought and poor harvests, so that they might take heed. Whenever something fine came their way, they would say: “This is our due”, but whenever affliction befell them, they attributed their ill omen to Moses and those who followed him. Surely, whatever befalls them has been decreed by God, though most of them do not know it. (Verses 130-131)

Here we have another scene in the story whereby Pharaoh and his people begin to taste the fruits of injustice and tyranny, while the promises Moses has given to his people, based on his trust in his Lord, come true. The warnings, stressed in the entire sūrah and endorsed throughout the story, are also seen to be true.

The scene starts on a quiet note, but we can feel the storm gathering slowly. When the curtains are about to fall, the storm is at its highest, wreaking destruction and wiping the tyrants out. We also learn that the Children of Israel have been well rewarded for their steadfastness, while Pharaoh and his people were punished for their transgression. Both God’s promises and warnings have come true. The law of nature which He has established, sentencing unbelievers to destruction after testing them with hardship and affluence, has also operated in full:

We afflicted Pharaoh’s people with drought and poor harvests, so that they might take heed. Whenever something fine came their way, they would say: “This is our due”, but whenever affliction befell them, they attributed their ill omen to Moses and those who followed him. Surely, whatever befalls them has been decreed by God, though most of them do not know it. They said [to Moses]: “Whatever sign you may produce before us in order to cast a spell on us, we shall not believe in you.” So we plagued them with floods, and locusts, and lice, and frogs, and blood: clear signs all; but they gloried in their arrogance, for they were evil-doing folk. Whenever a plague struck them, they would cry: `Moses, pray to your Lord for us on the strength of the covenant He has made with you. If you lift the plague from us, we will truly believe in you, and we will let the Children of Israel go with you. “But when We had lifted the plague from them, for a term they were sure to reach, they broke their promise. So We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea, because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. We caused the people who were persecuted and deemed utterly low to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed. Thus your Lord’s gracious promise to the Children of Israel was fufilled, because they were patient in adversity; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built. (Verses 130-137)

The shift in the sequence of the story suggests that Pharaoh and his group actually put their warnings into effect, killing men and sparing women. Moses and his followers where patient when this adversity befell them, proving that they were true believers hoping for intervention by God to lift their affliction. Thus, the whole situation was clearly identified: faith versus rejection of God’s message, tyranny against steadfastness, and human force opposing God.

At this stage in the conflict, the Supreme Power intervenes to settle the issue between the two camps. “We afflicted Pharaoh’s people with drought and poor harvests, so that they might take heed.” (Verse 130) This was a first warning given in the form of drought and poor harvests. In the richly fertile land of Egypt, this was a highly worrying situation that called for reflection and reconsideration. But the tyrants, and those who are fooled by tyrants because of their own transgression, do not wish to reflect or reconsider. They simply do not accept that poor harvests and drought came in fulfilment of God’s warnings. They do not wish to admit the close relationship between the values of faith and practical life, because that relationship belongs to the realm that lies beyond human perception. They have been too hardened in their ignorant ways to be able to see anything beyond the material world. When they see some aspect of a world beyond, they cannot recognize God’s hand in it, or His free will. They attribute everything to blind coincidence.18

Similarly, Pharaoh’s people preferred to overlook the early signs that should have awakened them as they pointed to the fact that God’s mercy is bestowed on people, even when they continue to disbelieve in Him. Paganism and its superstitions had corrupted their nature, so that they could not recognize or understand the elaborate laws maintaining the fine order of the universe and influencing human life. These are only recognized and appreciated by true believers; for they realize that the universe has not been created in vain, and that it is governed by strict and well-defined laws.

This is indeed the correct scientific mentality, which does not deny what lies beyond our perception, because there is simply no conflict between scientific facts and such a world beyond. Nor does it deny the relationship between the values of faith and practical life, because these have been set by God Himself who wants His servants to believe in Him and to build human life on earth. He lays down for them laws that are in harmony with those operating in the universe so that there is no conflict between their existence and their world.

for their misdeeds. But most of them do not recognize this. These ancient unbelievers were the same as those who in our present day claim for themselves `scientific pragmatism’ in order to justify their denial of God’s will and His control of what lies beyond our world. Similar to them are those ‘scientific socialists’ who attribute their poor harvests to an antagonistic nature! All of them are ignorant, devoid of knowledge.

The Promises of Unbelievers But Pharaoh’s people were too arrogant, always persisting with their evil ways and paying no heed to God’s signs or to any test to which they were put. They said to Moses: “Whatever sign you may bring before us in order to cast a spell on us, we shall not believe in you.” (Verse 132) It is an attitude of arrogance that will heed no reminder and will not respond to any proof. It is the attitude of a person who does not want to look or evaluate, because he declares his insistence on rejecting the message, even before proof is shown to him. Thus, he feels able to dismiss the proof altogether. This is an attitude which is frequently demonstrated by unbelievers after they have been overwhelmed by the truth and its clear proofs, while they recognize that their interests, wealth, authority and power belong elsewhere and are better served by denying the truth altogether.

At this juncture, the supreme power of God intervenes: “So We plagued them with floods, and locusts, and lice, and frogs, and blood: clear signs all.” (Verse 133) All these clear signs were meant as a test and a warning. Their import was very clear, and all of them gave the same message, with each subsequent one endorsing what had gone beforehand. These clear signs were shown to them separately, but the sūrah mentions them altogether here. Each time one of these plagues afflicted them, they rushed to Moses imploring him to pray to his Lord to save them. Every time they promised to let the Children of Israel go with him, if he would only relieve their affliction. They recognized that they themselves had no means of lifting their hardship: “Whenever a plague struck them, they would cry: ‘Moses, pray to your Lord for us on the strength of the covenant He has made with you. If you lift the plague from us, we will truly believe in you, and we will let the Children of Israel go with you.’” (Verse 134) Every time they broke their promise and resorted to their same ways and practices before the plague had smitten them. But the plague was lifted only in accordance with God’s will so as to let them alone for a while until their appointed term had come: “When We had lifted the plague from them for a term they were sure to reach, they broke their promise.” (Verse 135)

As we have already said, the sūrah groups all these signs together, as if they came all at once, and as if they broke their promises once only. The fact remains that all these trials were essentially one, and their ultimate result was the same as well. This is a method of presentation often employed in the Qur’ān in relating different events and their consequences to indicate that they are the same. It is in the nature of a sealed heart that it will always look at various experiences as one, benefiting nothing from them and learning no lesson.

Now, how did these miraculous signs take place? We have only the Qur’ānic statement, and we have not found in authentic ĥadīths any further details. We maintain our method that we have followed in this work, going only as far as the Qur’ānic or authentic ĥadīths go. This ensures that we steer away from any superstition or unfounded report. Many of these have found their way into some older commentaries on the Qur’ān. Indeed, the commentary written by Imām alŢabarī and the one written by Ibn Kathīr, valuable indeed as they are, have not escaped such pitfalls.

Al-Ţabarī includes in his work on history and in his commentary on the Qur’ān several reports attributed to earlier scholars, explaining these signs. We will mention only one of these, given on the authority of Sa`īd ibn Jubayr, a famous scholar from the generation that followed the Prophet’s companions:

When Moses asked Pharaoh to release to him the Children of Israel, Pharaoh refused. God plagued Pharaoh’s people with flooding rain. When they feared that it might have been a penalty, they said to Moses: “Pray to your Lord to cause this rain to cease, and we will send the Children of Israel with you.” He prayed to his Lord, and the rain stopped, but they, nevertheless, refused to believe in him. And did not let the Children of Israel go with him.

God gave them that year plentiful harvests which gave them fruits and crops as they had never known before. They said: “We now have all that we ever wished for.” God then plagued them with the locusts which started ruining their meadows. When they saw what the locusts were doing to their meadows, they realized that they would also ruin all their harvest. Therefore, they appealed to Moses to pray to his Lord to lift the plague of locusts and promised that they would believe in him and let the Children of Israel go with him. He prayed to his Lord and the locusts went away. Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s people refused to believe in him or to release the Children of Israel.

Thus, they had their harvest safe, and stored all their crops at their homes and storehouses. When they completed their work, they were very pleased with themselves. God then sent on them lice. A person would take out ten full sacks of his grains to the mill, but he would not get even one sack of flour. Once again, they rushed to Moses, imploring him to pray to his Lord to lift this plague. They again promised to believe in him and to release the Children of Israel. Once more, he prayed to his Lord and He lifted their hardship, but they nevertheless rejected his message and refused to release the Children of Israel.

Moses was sitting with Pharaoh when he heard the sound of a frog. He said to Pharaoh: “You and your people will soon suffer from this.” Pharaoh said:

“What harm could this one do?” They hardly reached the evening when the frogs were all over them. A man would be up to his neck in frogs. If he opened his mouth to speak, frogs would jump into it. They again appealed to Moses to pray to his Lord to make the frogs go away. They again promised solemnly to believe in him and to release the Children of Israel. When that plague was lifted, they reverted to their hardened attitude.

Now, God plagued them with blood. Every time they collected water from any river or any well, and indeed all the water they had in their containers, it turned into blood. They complained to Pharaoh and said that they had nothing to drink. He suggested that Moses had cast a spell on them. They said: “How could he have done that, when we find every drop of water that has been in our containers has turned into blood?” Again, they rushed to Moses and implored him to pray to his Lord, making the same solemn promises. He prayed as they had requested, and God answered his prayer and lifted the plague of blood off them. Nevertheless, they continued to refuse to believe in Moses and would not release the Children of Israel.19

God knows best which of these stories corresponded to fact, and in what form each one of these signs was given. Any differences that might have occurred would not affect the message of these verses. God sent these signs by His own will, at a time He had determined, in order to test a particular people according to His law which punishes the rejecters so that they may turn to Him.

Despite their pagan religion, their total ignorance, and their transgression which enabled Pharaoh to take them as fools, they still rushed to the Prophet Moses, time and again, beseeching him to pray to his Lord on account of the covenant he had with Him. They felt that was the only way for the plague to be lifted. But those in power refused to honour their promises because their whole authority was based on their claim that Pharaoh was the Lord of his people. They feared what would have happened if God’s Lordship was to be recognized. That would have meant that the entire system, which assigned sovereignty and legislative authority to Pharaoh, would collapse, giving way to a system which recognized sovereignty as belonging only to God.

In present-day jāhiliyyah, God may allow pests to threaten harvests, but people do not turn back to God at all. If the farmers experience the natural feeling which occurs to human beings, even unbelievers, in times of hardship, that it is God who sends these plagues, and if they turn to God praying to Him to lift this affliction, the advocates of false `science’ tell them that their action is deeply rooted in superstition and metaphysics. They adopt a very sarcastic attitude in order to turn them back to a state of rejection that is far worse than that of ancient pagans.

The end then takes place in accordance with God’s law of punishing unbelievers after having tested them both with affliction and affluence.

Having given Pharaoh and his people every chance, and assigned for them a term which they were certain to reach, God destroyed Pharaoh and his clique. He also fulfilled His promise to the oppressed who remained patient in adversity: “So We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea, because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. We caused the people who were persecuted and deemed utterly low to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed. Thus your Lord’s gracious promise to the Children of Israel was fulfilled, because they were patient in adversity; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built.” (Verses 136-137)

The sūrah refers very briefly here to the drowning of Pharaoh and his people. The details are not given here in a relaxed pattern as they are given in other sūrahs. What happens here instead is to give an air of swift punishment after the unbelievers have had a long time to reconsider. Hence, the details are overlooked. The swiftness of the punishment has its effect which fills us with awe. “So We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea.” (Verse 136) Just one strike and they are all destroyed. Proud, arrogant and despotic they certainly were, and suddenly they sink right to the bottom of the sea. It is certainly a fitting recompense, “Because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.” (Verse 136) The compatibility is made clear between their attitude of denying God’s signs, choosing to remain heedless of them and this fitting destiny. We are clearly told that events do not come as a result of coincidence. They do not just happen haphazardly, as simple people tend to think.

To enhance the atmosphere of swiftness and decisiveness, the sūrah also portrays the opposite picture of giving power to the oppressed. This is brought forward because the Children of Israel were not given power in Egypt, where Pharaoh and his people lived. Instead, they were given power when they were at their best in following divine guidance, before they deviated and incurred the punishment of humiliation and dispersal. Their kingdom was in Palestine, several decades after theentire system, which assigned sovereignty and legislative authority to Pharaoh, would collapse, giving way to a system which recognized sovereignty as belonging only to God.

In present-day jāhiliyyah, God may allow pests to threaten harvests, but people do not turn back to God at all. If the farmers experience the natural feeling which occurs to human beings, even unbelievers, in times of hardship, that it is God who sends these plagues, and if they turn to God praying to Him to lift this affliction, the advocates of false `science’ tell them that their action is deeply rooted in superstition and metaphysics. They adopt a very sarcastic attitude in order to turn them back to a state of rejection that is far worse than that of ancient pagans.

The end then takes place in accordance with God’s law of punishing unbelievers after having tested them both with affliction and affluence.

Having given Pharaoh and his people every chance, and assigned for them a term which they were certain to reach, God destroyed Pharaoh and his clique. He also fulfilled His promise to the oppressed who remained patient in adversity: “So We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea, because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. We caused the people who were persecuted and deemed utterly low to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed. Thus your Lord’s gracious promise to the Children of Israel was fulfilled, because they were patient in adversity; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built.” (Verses 136-137)

The sūrah refers very briefly here to the drowning of Pharaoh and his people. The details are not given here in a relaxed pattern as they are given in other sūrahs. What happens here instead is to give an air of swift punishment after the unbelievers have had a long time to reconsider. Hence, the details are overlooked. The swiftness of the punishment has its effect which fills us with awe. “So We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea.” (Verse 136) Just one strike and they are all destroyed. Proud, arrogant and despotic they certainly were, and suddenly they sink right to the bottom of the sea. It is certainly a fitting recompense, “Because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.” (Verse 136) The compatibility is made clear between their attitude of denying God’s signs, choosing to remain heedless of them and this fitting destiny. We are clearly told that events do not come as a result of coincidence. They do not just happen haphazardly, as simple people tend to think.

To enhance the atmosphere of swiftness and decisiveness, the sūrah also portrays the opposite picture of giving power to the oppressed. This is brought forward because the Children of Israel were not given power in Egypt, where Pharaoh and his people lived. Instead, they were given power when they were at their best in following divine guidance, before they deviated and incurred the punishment of humiliation and dispersal. Their kingdom was in Palestine, several decades after the drowning of Pharaoh, and long after the Prophet Moses had passed away, and indeed after their forty years in the wilderness which is mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’ān. But the sūrah glides over all these events and shifts from one period of time to another in order to highlight the fact that they were established and given power to be free to conduct their own affairs. This provides a clear contrast with their state of weakness when they endured Pharaoh’s persecution: “We caused the people who were persecuted and deemed utterly low to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed. Thus your Lord’s gracious promise to the Children of Israel was fulfilled, because they were patient in adversity; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built.” (Verse 137)

Restricted by the limitations of time as we are, we, human beings, speak of a time order because we record events in accordance with their occurrence and the moment when we note their happening. For this reason, we say that the power that was given to those who were oppressed came after the event of Pharaoh’s drowning. That is our own understanding of events. What could “before” and “after” signify to God in His absolute knowledge, we cannot tell. All that takes place clearly appears to Him in full vision, with nothing partially or totally screened by limitations of time and place.

To Him everything is known absolutely perfectly, while our knowledge remains scanty indeed.

Thus the curtain falls with the scene of total destruction on the one side and that of a new power to build a new civilization on the other. Pharaoh, yesterday’s tyrant, is drowned with his people. All that they had built in this life, and all the edifices and towers they raised on great pillars, and all their construction, vineyards and riches lie in ruin. All this takes place in a fraction of a moment, and all is portrayed in a few short words.

This is an example given by God to the small band of believers in Makkah who suffered persecution by the pagan Arabs. It also provides a wider perspective to every group of believers suffering persecution at the hands of the new pharaohs of this world. They can always look at the oppression they suffer in the same light as those believers suffered at Pharaoh’s hands. They remained steadfast and showed patience in adversity, so God caused them to inherit the blessed land to see how they would conduct themselves.