قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ ٱلۡقُرُونِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ
[Pharaoh] said, “Then what is the case of the former generations?”
Concerning his statement,
(indeed, We have come with a sign from your Lord!) meaning with evidence and a miracle from your Lord.
(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance!) meaning, `peace be upon you if you follow the guidance.' Because of this, when the Messenger of Allah wrote a letter to Heraclius, the emperor of Rome, beginning with,
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius the emperor of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Thus, to proceed: Verily, I invite you with the invitation of Islam. So accept Islam and you will be safe, and Allah will give you a double reward.) Due to this, Musa and Harun said to Fir`awn,
(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! Truly, it has been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies, and turns away.) In His flawless revelation, Allah has revealed to us that torment is prepared exclusively for those who reject the signs of Allah and turn away from His obedience. As Allah says,
(Then for him who transgressed all bounds, and preferred the life of this world, Verily, his abode will be Hellfire.) (79:37-39) Allah, the Exalted, also says,
(Therefore I have warned you of a blazing Fire. None shall enter it save the most wretched. Who denies and turns away.) (92:14-16) Allah also says,
(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he belied and turned away.) (75:31-32) This means that he denied with his heart and turned away by his actions.
(49. Fir`awn said: "Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two'') (50. Musa ﴾said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') (51. Fir`awn ﴾said: "What about the generations of old'') (52. Musa said: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a Record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets.'')
قَالَ عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى فِى كِتَـٰبٍ۬ۖ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّى وَلَا يَنسَى
[Moses] said, “The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets.”
Concerning his statement,
(indeed, We have come with a sign from your Lord!) meaning with evidence and a miracle from your Lord.
(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance!) meaning, `peace be upon you if you follow the guidance.' Because of this, when the Messenger of Allah wrote a letter to Heraclius, the emperor of Rome, beginning with,
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius the emperor of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Thus, to proceed: Verily, I invite you with the invitation of Islam. So accept Islam and you will be safe, and Allah will give you a double reward.) Due to this, Musa and Harun said to Fir`awn,
(And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! Truly, it has been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies, and turns away.) In His flawless revelation, Allah has revealed to us that torment is prepared exclusively for those who reject the signs of Allah and turn away from His obedience. As Allah says,
(Then for him who transgressed all bounds, and preferred the life of this world, Verily, his abode will be Hellfire.) (79:37-39) Allah, the Exalted, also says,
(Therefore I have warned you of a blazing Fire. None shall enter it save the most wretched. Who denies and turns away.) (92:14-16) Allah also says,
(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he belied and turned away.) (75:31-32) This means that he denied with his heart and turned away by his actions.
(49. Fir`awn said: "Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two'') (50. Musa ﴾said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') (51. Fir`awn ﴾said: "What about the generations of old'') (52. Musa said: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a Record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets.'')
ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَهۡدً۬ا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمۡ فِيہَا سُبُلاً۬ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦۤ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا مِّن نَّبَاتٍ۬ شَتَّىٰ
[It is He] who has made for you the earth as a bed [spread out] and inserted therein for you roadways and sent down from the sky, rain and produced thereby categories of various plants.
Allah, the Exalted, informs about Fir`awn that he said to Musa, in his rejection of the existence of a Supreme Maker and Creator, Who is the God of everything and his own Lord and Owner:
(Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two) meaning "Who is the one who called you forth and sent you For verily, I do not know him and I have not given you any god other than myself.''
((Musa) said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is saying that He created a mate for everything.'' Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He made the man a man, and the donkey a donkey and the sheep a sheep.'' Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported from Mujahid that he said, "He gave everything its form.'' Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said, "He fashioned the creation of every moving creature.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said concerning His statement,
((Who) gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) "He gave each of His creatures what is suitable for its creation.'' Therefore, He did not give man the form of a wild beast, nor did He give wild beasts the form of the dog. Likewise, the dog's form is not like the sheep's. He also gave creature a suitable spouse, and He influenced everything towards that mate. There is no species of creation that is exactly like another species. They are different in their actions, their forms, their sustenance and their mating. Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said that this statement, "He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright,'' is similar to Allah's statement,
(And Who has measured; and then guided.) (87:3) This means He measured out an ordained amount (of sustenance, actions, etc.) and then guided His creatures to it. He wrote the deeds, the appointed times of death and the provisions. Then, the creatures traverse upon that and they are not able to avoid it, nor are they able to abandon it. In this Ayah Musa is saying that our Lord is the One Who created the creation, measured out its ordainment and compelled the creatures to that which He wanted.
((Fir`awn) said: "What about the generations of old'') The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him.'' Musa said to him, in response to this, that if they did not worship Allah, then Allah knows precisely what happened to them and He will give them just recompense for their deeds, as is written in Allah's Book (of decrees). This Book is called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) and it is the Book of Deeds.
(My Lord neither errs nor forgets.) This means that nothing eludes Him and He does not miss anything, whether it is small or great. He does not forget anything and His Most Exalted knowledge is described as encompassing everything. Blessed be He, the Exalted, the Most Holy and free of any imperfections. The knowledge that creatures have has two deficiencies. The first is that it does not completely encompass anything, and the second is that the creature is prone to forget after knowing. Therefore, Allah has declared Himself above such deficiencies.
(53. Who has made earth for you like a bed; and has opened ways for you therein, and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.) (54. Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are Ayat for men of understanding.) (55. Thereof We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) (56. And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.)
كُلُواْ وَٱرۡعَوۡاْ أَنۡعَـٰمَكُمۡۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلنُّهَىٰ
Eat [therefrom] and pasture your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for those of intelligence.
Allah, the Exalted, informs about Fir`awn that he said to Musa, in his rejection of the existence of a Supreme Maker and Creator, Who is the God of everything and his own Lord and Owner:
(Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two) meaning "Who is the one who called you forth and sent you For verily, I do not know him and I have not given you any god other than myself.''
((Musa) said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is saying that He created a mate for everything.'' Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He made the man a man, and the donkey a donkey and the sheep a sheep.'' Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported from Mujahid that he said, "He gave everything its form.'' Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said, "He fashioned the creation of every moving creature.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said concerning His statement,
((Who) gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) "He gave each of His creatures what is suitable for its creation.'' Therefore, He did not give man the form of a wild beast, nor did He give wild beasts the form of the dog. Likewise, the dog's form is not like the sheep's. He also gave creature a suitable spouse, and He influenced everything towards that mate. There is no species of creation that is exactly like another species. They are different in their actions, their forms, their sustenance and their mating. Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said that this statement, "He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright,'' is similar to Allah's statement,
(And Who has measured; and then guided.) (87:3) This means He measured out an ordained amount (of sustenance, actions, etc.) and then guided His creatures to it. He wrote the deeds, the appointed times of death and the provisions. Then, the creatures traverse upon that and they are not able to avoid it, nor are they able to abandon it. In this Ayah Musa is saying that our Lord is the One Who created the creation, measured out its ordainment and compelled the creatures to that which He wanted.
((Fir`awn) said: "What about the generations of old'') The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him.'' Musa said to him, in response to this, that if they did not worship Allah, then Allah knows precisely what happened to them and He will give them just recompense for their deeds, as is written in Allah's Book (of decrees). This Book is called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) and it is the Book of Deeds.
(My Lord neither errs nor forgets.) This means that nothing eludes Him and He does not miss anything, whether it is small or great. He does not forget anything and His Most Exalted knowledge is described as encompassing everything. Blessed be He, the Exalted, the Most Holy and free of any imperfections. The knowledge that creatures have has two deficiencies. The first is that it does not completely encompass anything, and the second is that the creature is prone to forget after knowing. Therefore, Allah has declared Himself above such deficiencies.
(53. Who has made earth for you like a bed; and has opened ways for you therein, and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.) (54. Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are Ayat for men of understanding.) (55. Thereof We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) (56. And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.)
۞ مِنۡہَا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ وَفِيہَا نُعِيدُكُمۡ وَمِنۡہَا نُخۡرِجُكُمۡ تَارَةً أُخۡرَىٰ
From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time.
Allah, the Exalted, informs about Fir`awn that he said to Musa, in his rejection of the existence of a Supreme Maker and Creator, Who is the God of everything and his own Lord and Owner:
(Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two) meaning "Who is the one who called you forth and sent you For verily, I do not know him and I have not given you any god other than myself.''
((Musa) said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is saying that He created a mate for everything.'' Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He made the man a man, and the donkey a donkey and the sheep a sheep.'' Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported from Mujahid that he said, "He gave everything its form.'' Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said, "He fashioned the creation of every moving creature.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said concerning His statement,
((Who) gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) "He gave each of His creatures what is suitable for its creation.'' Therefore, He did not give man the form of a wild beast, nor did He give wild beasts the form of the dog. Likewise, the dog's form is not like the sheep's. He also gave creature a suitable spouse, and He influenced everything towards that mate. There is no species of creation that is exactly like another species. They are different in their actions, their forms, their sustenance and their mating. Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said that this statement, "He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright,'' is similar to Allah's statement,
(And Who has measured; and then guided.) (87:3) This means He measured out an ordained amount (of sustenance, actions, etc.) and then guided His creatures to it. He wrote the deeds, the appointed times of death and the provisions. Then, the creatures traverse upon that and they are not able to avoid it, nor are they able to abandon it. In this Ayah Musa is saying that our Lord is the One Who created the creation, measured out its ordainment and compelled the creatures to that which He wanted.
((Fir`awn) said: "What about the generations of old'') The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him.'' Musa said to him, in response to this, that if they did not worship Allah, then Allah knows precisely what happened to them and He will give them just recompense for their deeds, as is written in Allah's Book (of decrees). This Book is called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) and it is the Book of Deeds.
(My Lord neither errs nor forgets.) This means that nothing eludes Him and He does not miss anything, whether it is small or great. He does not forget anything and His Most Exalted knowledge is described as encompassing everything. Blessed be He, the Exalted, the Most Holy and free of any imperfections. The knowledge that creatures have has two deficiencies. The first is that it does not completely encompass anything, and the second is that the creature is prone to forget after knowing. Therefore, Allah has declared Himself above such deficiencies.
(53. Who has made earth for you like a bed; and has opened ways for you therein, and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.) (54. Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are Ayat for men of understanding.) (55. Thereof We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) (56. And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.)
وَلَقَدۡ أَرَيۡنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ
And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs – all of them – but he denied and refused.
Allah, the Exalted, informs about Fir`awn that he said to Musa, in his rejection of the existence of a Supreme Maker and Creator, Who is the God of everything and his own Lord and Owner:
(Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two) meaning "Who is the one who called you forth and sent you For verily, I do not know him and I have not given you any god other than myself.''
((Musa) said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'') `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is saying that He created a mate for everything.'' Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He made the man a man, and the donkey a donkey and the sheep a sheep.'' Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported from Mujahid that he said, "He gave everything its form.'' Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said, "He fashioned the creation of every moving creature.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said concerning His statement,
((Who) gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) "He gave each of His creatures what is suitable for its creation.'' Therefore, He did not give man the form of a wild beast, nor did He give wild beasts the form of the dog. Likewise, the dog's form is not like the sheep's. He also gave creature a suitable spouse, and He influenced everything towards that mate. There is no species of creation that is exactly like another species. They are different in their actions, their forms, their sustenance and their mating. Some of the scholars of Tafsir have said that this statement, "He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright,'' is similar to Allah's statement,
(And Who has measured; and then guided.) (87:3) This means He measured out an ordained amount (of sustenance, actions, etc.) and then guided His creatures to it. He wrote the deeds, the appointed times of death and the provisions. Then, the creatures traverse upon that and they are not able to avoid it, nor are they able to abandon it. In this Ayah Musa is saying that our Lord is the One Who created the creation, measured out its ordainment and compelled the creatures to that which He wanted.
((Fir`awn) said: "What about the generations of old'') The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him.'' Musa said to him, in response to this, that if they did not worship Allah, then Allah knows precisely what happened to them and He will give them just recompense for their deeds, as is written in Allah's Book (of decrees). This Book is called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) and it is the Book of Deeds.
(My Lord neither errs nor forgets.) This means that nothing eludes Him and He does not miss anything, whether it is small or great. He does not forget anything and His Most Exalted knowledge is described as encompassing everything. Blessed be He, the Exalted, the Most Holy and free of any imperfections. The knowledge that creatures have has two deficiencies. The first is that it does not completely encompass anything, and the second is that the creature is prone to forget after knowing. Therefore, Allah has declared Himself above such deficiencies.
(53. Who has made earth for you like a bed; and has opened ways for you therein, and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.) (54. Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are Ayat for men of understanding.) (55. Thereof We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) (56. And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.)
قَالَ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِتُخۡرِجَنَا مِنۡ أَرۡضِنَا بِسِحۡرِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ
He said, “Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?
(And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.) This means that the proofs, signs and evi- dences were establi- shed against Fir`awn and he saw them with his own eyes, but he still denied and rejec- ted them due to his disbelief, abstinence and transgression. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,
(And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.) (27:14)
(57. He (Fir`awn) said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Musa'') (58. "Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we nor you shall fail to keep, in an open place where both shall have a just and equal chance.'') (59. (Musa) said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon).'')
فَلَنَأۡتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحۡرٍ۬ مِّثۡلِهِۦ فَٱجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكَ مَوۡعِدً۬ا لَّا نُخۡلِفُهُ ۥ نَحۡنُ وَلَآ أَنتَ مَكَانً۬ا سُوً۬ى
Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned.”
(And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.) This means that the proofs, signs and evi- dences were establi- shed against Fir`awn and he saw them with his own eyes, but he still denied and rejec- ted them due to his disbelief, abstinence and transgression. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,
(And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.) (27:14)
(57. He (Fir`awn) said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Musa'') (58. "Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we nor you shall fail to keep, in an open place where both shall have a just and equal chance.'') (59. (Musa) said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon).'')
قَالَ مَوۡعِدُكُمۡ يَوۡمُ ٱلزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحۡشَرَ ٱلنَّاسُ ضُحً۬ى
[Moses] said, “Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning.”
(And indeed We showed him (Fir`awn) all Our Ayat, but he denied and refused.) This means that the proofs, signs and evi- dences were establi- shed against Fir`awn and he saw them with his own eyes, but he still denied and rejec- ted them due to his disbelief, abstinence and transgression. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,
(And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.) (27:14)
(57. He (Fir`awn) said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Musa'') (58. "Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we nor you shall fail to keep, in an open place where both shall have a just and equal chance.'') (59. (Musa) said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon).'')
فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فَجَمَعَ ڪَيۡدَهُ ۥ ثُمَّ أَتَىٰ
So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came [to Moses].
Allah, the Exalted, informs of what Fir`awn said to Musa when he showed him the great proof. This great sign to Fir`awn was Musa casting down his stick which became a huge snake, and his pulling his hand out from under his arm while it was glowing white without any illness. At this, Fir`awn said, "This is magic that you have brought to us to bewitch us and conquer the people, so that they will follow you. Then you will outnumber us.'' Fir`awn then said, "Your plan will not work. We have magic just like yours, so do not let yourself be deceived by that what you are doing.''
(so appoint a meeting between us and you,) Meaning, `a day that we can come together to present some of our magic to confront yours. It will be at a specified place and time.' With this, Musa said to them,
(Your appointed meeting is the day of festival,) That was the day of their celebration and their New Year's festivity. It was a holiday for them when they took vacation from their work and came together for a large gathering. This day was selected so that all of the people could witness the power of Allah to do whatever He wills. They would see the miracles of the prophets and the futility of magic to contest the supernatural prophetic powers. This is why Musa said,
(and let the people assemble) meaning all of them.
(when the sun has risen (forenoon).) meaning in the morning, just before noon. In this way the contest will be most visible, well lit, apparent and obvious in plain view. This is the way of the Prophets. Their work is always clear and apparent. It is never something hidden, or something for sale. This is why he did not say that the meeting should be at night, but rather, it was to be held during the bright part of the day. Ibn `Abbas said, "The day of their festivity was the day of `Ashura'.'' As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said, "It was the day of their great celebration.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "It was the day of their great bazzar.'' These statements are not contradictory. I say that Allah destroyed Fir`awn and his armies on a day similar to this, just as is confirmed in the Sahih. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "It was a flat place where all of the people were on the same level, having an equal view of the event. There was nothing there that would obstruct the view so that some people could see what others did not.''
(60. So Fir`awn withdrew, devised his plot and then came back.) (61. Musa said to them: "Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He should destroy you completely by a torment. And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably.'') (62 Then they debated one with another what they must do, and they kept their talk secret.) (63. They said: "Verily, these are two magicians. Their object is to drive you out from your land with magic, and to take you away from your exemplary way.'') (64. "So devise your plot, and then assemble in line. And whoever overcomes this day will be indeed successful.'')