فَإِذَا جَآءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ قَالُواْ لَنَا هَـٰذِهِۦۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡہُمۡ سَيِّئَةٌ۬ يَطَّيَّرُواْ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ ۥۤۗ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَـٰٓٮِٕرُهُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
But when good came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allah, but most of them do not know.
Allah mentions the conspiracy of Fir`awn and his people, their ill intentions and their hatred for Musa and his people.
(The chiefs of Fir`awn's people said), to Fir`awn,
("Will you leave Musa and his people''), will you let them be free,
("to spread mischief in the land''), spreading unrest among your subjects and calling them to worship their Lord instead of you Amazingly, these people were worried that Musa and his people would cause mischief! Rather, Fir`awn and his people are the mischief-makers, but they did not realize it. They said,
("and to abandon you and your gods'') `Your gods', according to Ibn `Abbas, as As-Suddi narrated from him, "Were cows. Whenever they saw a beautiful cow, Fir`awn would command them to worship it. This is why As-Samiri, made the statue of a calf that seemed to moo for the Children of Israel.'' Fir`awn accepted his people's recommendation, saying,
("We will kill their sons, and let their women live'') thus reiterating his previous order concerning the Children of Israel. He had tormented them (killing every newly born male) before Musa was born, so that Musa would not live. However, the opposite of what Fir`awn sought and intended occurred. The same end struck Fir`awn that he intended to subjugate and humiliate the Children of Israel with. Allah gave victory to the Children of Israel, humiliated and disgraced Fir`awn, and caused him to drown along with his soldiers. When Fir`awn insisted on his evil plot against the Children of Israel,
(Musa said to his people: "Seek help in Allah and be patient'') and promised them that the good end will be theirs and that they will prevail, saying,
("Verily, the earth is Allah's. He gives it as a heritage to whom He wills of His servants; and the (blessed) end is for the pious and righteous persons.'' They said: "We suffered troubles before you came to us, and since you have come to us.'') The Children of Israel replied to Musa, `they (Fir`awn and his people) inflicted humiliation and disgrace on us, some you witnessed, both before and after you came to us, O Musa'! Musa replied, reminding them of their present situation and how it will change in the future,
("It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy...'') encouraging them to appreciate Allah when the afflictions are removed and replaced by a bounty.
(130. And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn with years of drought and lack of fruits (crops), that they might remember (take heed).) (131. But whenever good came to them, they said: "This is for us.'' And if evil afflicted them, they considered it an omen about Musa and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their omens are with Allah but most of them know not.)
وَقَالُواْ مَهۡمَا تَأۡتِنَا بِهِۦ مِنۡ ءَايَةٍ۬ لِّتَسۡحَرَنَا بِہَا فَمَا نَحۡنُ لَكَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ
And they said, "No matter what sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you."
Allah said,
(And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn) We tested and tried them,
(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce,
(and lack of fruits), which is less severe, according to Mujahid. Abu Ishaq narrated that Raja' bin Haywah said, "The date tree used to produce only one date!''
(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions,
(they said, "This is for us.''), because we deserve it,
(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine,
(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him. ) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him,
(but most of them know not.)''
(132. They said (to Musa): "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') (133. So We sent on them: the Tuwfan, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were criminals.) (134. And when the punishment struck them, they said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') (135. But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word!)
فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلۡجَرَادَ وَٱلۡقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَـٰتٍ۬ مُّفَصَّلَـٰتٍ۬ فَٱسۡتَڪۡبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمً۬ا مُّجۡرِمِينَ
So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.
Allah said,
(And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn) We tested and tried them,
(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce,
(and lack of fruits), which is less severe, according to Mujahid. Abu Ishaq narrated that Raja' bin Haywah said, "The date tree used to produce only one date!''
(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions,
(they said, "This is for us.''), because we deserve it,
(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine,
(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him. ) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him,
(but most of them know not.)''
(132. They said (to Musa): "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') (133. So We sent on them: the Tuwfan, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were criminals.) (134. And when the punishment struck them, they said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') (135. But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word!)
وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّجۡزُ قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَى ٱدۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَۖ لَٮِٕن كَشَفۡتَ عَنَّا ٱلرِّجۡزَ لَنُؤۡمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرۡسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ
And when the punishment descended upon them, they said, "O Moses, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. If you [can] remove the punishment from us, we will surely believe you, and we will send with you the Children of Israel."
Allah said,
(And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn) We tested and tried them,
(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce,
(and lack of fruits), which is less severe, according to Mujahid. Abu Ishaq narrated that Raja' bin Haywah said, "The date tree used to produce only one date!''
(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions,
(they said, "This is for us.''), because we deserve it,
(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine,
(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him. ) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him,
(but most of them know not.)''
(132. They said (to Musa): "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') (133. So We sent on them: the Tuwfan, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were criminals.) (134. And when the punishment struck them, they said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') (135. But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word!)
فَلَمَّا ڪَشَفۡنَا عَنۡہُمُ ٱلرِّجۡزَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ هُم بَـٰلِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمۡ يَنكُثُونَ
But when We removed the punishment from them until a term which they were to reach, then at once they broke their word.
Allah said,
(And indeed We punished the people of Fir`awn) We tested and tried them,
(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce,
(and lack of fruits), which is less severe, according to Mujahid. Abu Ishaq narrated that Raja' bin Haywah said, "The date tree used to produce only one date!''
(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions,
(they said, "This is for us.''), because we deserve it,
(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine,
(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him. ) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him,
(but most of them know not.)''
(132. They said (to Musa): "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') (133. So We sent on them: the Tuwfan, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were criminals.) (134. And when the punishment struck them, they said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') (135. But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word!)
فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡيَمِّ بِأَنَّہُمۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَڪَانُواْ عَنۡہَا غَـٰفِلِينَ
So We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.
Allah describes the rebellion, tyranny, defiance of the truth and insistence on falsehood of the people of Fir`awn, prompting them to proclaim,
("Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') They said, `whatever miracle, proof and evidence you bring us, we will neither accept it from you nor believe in you or what you came with.' Allah said,
(So We sent on them the Tufan) Ibn `Abbas commented; "It was a heavy rain that ruined the produce and fruits.'' He is also reported to have said that Tuwfan refers to mass death. Mujahid said it is water that carries the plague every where. As for the locust, it is the well-known insect, which is permissible to eat. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that Abu Ya`fur said that he asked `Abdullah bin Abi Awfa about locust. He said, "We participated in seven battles with the Messenger of Allah , and we used to eat locusts.'' Ash-Shafi`i, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Majah recorded from `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam that his father narrated from Ibn `Umar that the Prophet said,
(We were allowed two dead animals and two (kinds of) blood: fish and locust, and kidney and spleen.) Ibn Abi Najih narrated from Mujahid about Allah's statement,
(So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts...) "Eating the nails on their doors and leaving the wood.'' As for the Qummal, Ibn `Abbas said that it is the grain bug, or, according to another view; small locusts that do not have wings. Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah. Al-Hasan and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that `Qummal' are small black insects. Abu Ja`far bin Jarir recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "When Musa came to Fir`awn, he demanded, `Release the Children of Israel to me.' But, Fir`awn did not comply; and Allah sent the Tuwfan, and that is a rain which continued until they feared that it was a form of torment. They said to Musa, `Invoke your Lord to release us from this rain, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction from them. However, they did not believe, nor did they send the Children of Israel with him. In that year, Allah allowed (the earth) to grow various types of produce, fruits and grass for them as never before. They said, `This is what we hoped for.' So Allah sent the locusts, and the locusts started to feed on the grass. When they saw the effect the locusts had on the grass, they knew that no vegetation would be saved from devastation. They said, `O Musa! Invoke your Lord so that He will remove the locusts from us, and we will believe in you and release the Children of Israel to you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and He removed the locusts. Still, they did not believe and did not send the Children of Israel with him.
They collected grains and kept them in their homes. They said, `We saved our crops.' However, Allah sent the Qummal, grain bugs, and one of them would take ten bags of grains to the mill, but only reap three small bags of grain. They said, `O Musa! Ask your Lord to remove the Qummal (weevil) from us and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and Allah removed the Qummal from them. However, they did not send the Children of Israel with him. Once, when he was with Fir`awn, Musa heard the sound of a frog and said to Fir`awn, `What will you and your people suffer from this (the frogs)' Fir`awn said, `What can frogs do' Yet, by the time that night arrived a person would be sitting in a crowd of frogs that reached up to his chin and could not open his mouth to speak without a frog jumping in it. They said to Musa, `Invoke your Lord to remove these frogs from us, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord, but they did not believe.
Allah then sent blood that filled the rivers, wells and the water containers they had. They complained to Fir`awn, saying, `We are inflicted with blood and do not have anything to drink.' He said, `Musa has bewitched you.' They said, `How could he do that when whenever we look for water in our containers we found that it has turned into blood' They came to Musa and said, `Invoke your Lord to save us from this blood, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord and the blood stopped, but they did not believe nor send the Children of Israel with him.'' A similar account was attributed to Ibn `Abbas, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others among the Salaf. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "The enemy of Allah, Fir`awn, went back defeated and humiliated, after the sorcerers believed (in Musa). He insisted on remaining in disbelief and persisted in wickedness. Allah sent down the signs to him, and he (and his people) were first inflicted by famine. Allah then sent the flood, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs then blood, as consecutive signs. When Allah sent the flood, it filled the surface of the earth with water. But the water level receded, and they could not make use of it to till the land or do anything else. They became hungry. This is when,
(They said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction from them, but they did not keep their promises. So Allah sent locusts that ate the trees and consumed the nails on their doors, until the doors fell from their homes and residences. They again said what they said to Musa before, and he called on his Lord and He removed the affliction. Still, they did not keep their promises, and Allah sent the Qummal. Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to go to a mound and strike it with his staff. So Musa went to a huge mound, struck it with his staff and the Qummal fell out of it in tremendous numbers, until they overwhelmed the houses and food reserves, ultimately depriving them of sleep and rest. When they suffered under this affliction, they said similar to what they said before, and Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction. They did not keep their promise and Allah sent the frogs to them, and they filled the houses, foods and pots. One of them would not pick up a piece of clothing, or uncover some food, without finding frogs in it. When this affliction became hard on them, they made similar promises as before, Musa supplicated to his Lord and Allah removed the affliction. They did not keep any of the promises they made, and Allah sent the blood, and the waters of the people of Fir`awn turned to blood. Any water they collected from a well, a river, or a container, turned to blood.''
(136. So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they belied Our Ayat and were heedless with them.) (137. And We made the people who were considered weak to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed. And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because of their endurance. And We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced, and what they erected.)
وَأَوۡرَثۡنَا ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُواْ يُسۡتَضۡعَفُونَ مَشَـٰرِقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَغَـٰرِبَهَا ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكۡنَا فِيہَاۖ وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْۖ وَدَمَّرۡنَا مَا كَانَ يَصۡنَعُ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَقَوۡمُهُ ۥ وَمَا ڪَانُواْ يَعۡرِشُونَ
And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western ones, which We had blessed. And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.
Allah describes the rebellion, tyranny, defiance of the truth and insistence on falsehood of the people of Fir`awn, prompting them to proclaim,
("Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') They said, `whatever miracle, proof and evidence you bring us, we will neither accept it from you nor believe in you or what you came with.' Allah said,
(So We sent on them the Tufan) Ibn `Abbas commented; "It was a heavy rain that ruined the produce and fruits.'' He is also reported to have said that Tuwfan refers to mass death. Mujahid said it is water that carries the plague every where. As for the locust, it is the well-known insect, which is permissible to eat. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that Abu Ya`fur said that he asked `Abdullah bin Abi Awfa about locust. He said, "We participated in seven battles with the Messenger of Allah , and we used to eat locusts.'' Ash-Shafi`i, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Majah recorded from `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam that his father narrated from Ibn `Umar that the Prophet said,
(We were allowed two dead animals and two (kinds of) blood: fish and locust, and kidney and spleen.) Ibn Abi Najih narrated from Mujahid about Allah's statement,
(So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts...) "Eating the nails on their doors and leaving the wood.'' As for the Qummal, Ibn `Abbas said that it is the grain bug, or, according to another view; small locusts that do not have wings. Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah. Al-Hasan and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that `Qummal' are small black insects. Abu Ja`far bin Jarir recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "When Musa came to Fir`awn, he demanded, `Release the Children of Israel to me.' But, Fir`awn did not comply; and Allah sent the Tuwfan, and that is a rain which continued until they feared that it was a form of torment. They said to Musa, `Invoke your Lord to release us from this rain, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction from them. However, they did not believe, nor did they send the Children of Israel with him. In that year, Allah allowed (the earth) to grow various types of produce, fruits and grass for them as never before. They said, `This is what we hoped for.' So Allah sent the locusts, and the locusts started to feed on the grass. When they saw the effect the locusts had on the grass, they knew that no vegetation would be saved from devastation. They said, `O Musa! Invoke your Lord so that He will remove the locusts from us, and we will believe in you and release the Children of Israel to you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and He removed the locusts. Still, they did not believe and did not send the Children of Israel with him.
They collected grains and kept them in their homes. They said, `We saved our crops.' However, Allah sent the Qummal, grain bugs, and one of them would take ten bags of grains to the mill, but only reap three small bags of grain. They said, `O Musa! Ask your Lord to remove the Qummal (weevil) from us and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and Allah removed the Qummal from them. However, they did not send the Children of Israel with him. Once, when he was with Fir`awn, Musa heard the sound of a frog and said to Fir`awn, `What will you and your people suffer from this (the frogs)' Fir`awn said, `What can frogs do' Yet, by the time that night arrived a person would be sitting in a crowd of frogs that reached up to his chin and could not open his mouth to speak without a frog jumping in it. They said to Musa, `Invoke your Lord to remove these frogs from us, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord, but they did not believe.
Allah then sent blood that filled the rivers, wells and the water containers they had. They complained to Fir`awn, saying, `We are inflicted with blood and do not have anything to drink.' He said, `Musa has bewitched you.' They said, `How could he do that when whenever we look for water in our containers we found that it has turned into blood' They came to Musa and said, `Invoke your Lord to save us from this blood, and we will believe in you and send the Children of Israel with you.' Musa invoked his Lord and the blood stopped, but they did not believe nor send the Children of Israel with him.'' A similar account was attributed to Ibn `Abbas, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others among the Salaf. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "The enemy of Allah, Fir`awn, went back defeated and humiliated, after the sorcerers believed (in Musa). He insisted on remaining in disbelief and persisted in wickedness. Allah sent down the signs to him, and he (and his people) were first inflicted by famine. Allah then sent the flood, the locusts, the Qummal, the frogs then blood, as consecutive signs. When Allah sent the flood, it filled the surface of the earth with water. But the water level receded, and they could not make use of it to till the land or do anything else. They became hungry. This is when,
(They said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Israel go with you.'') Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction from them, but they did not keep their promises. So Allah sent locusts that ate the trees and consumed the nails on their doors, until the doors fell from their homes and residences. They again said what they said to Musa before, and he called on his Lord and He removed the affliction. Still, they did not keep their promises, and Allah sent the Qummal. Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to go to a mound and strike it with his staff. So Musa went to a huge mound, struck it with his staff and the Qummal fell out of it in tremendous numbers, until they overwhelmed the houses and food reserves, ultimately depriving them of sleep and rest. When they suffered under this affliction, they said similar to what they said before, and Musa invoked his Lord and He removed the affliction. They did not keep their promise and Allah sent the frogs to them, and they filled the houses, foods and pots. One of them would not pick up a piece of clothing, or uncover some food, without finding frogs in it. When this affliction became hard on them, they made similar promises as before, Musa supplicated to his Lord and Allah removed the affliction. They did not keep any of the promises they made, and Allah sent the blood, and the waters of the people of Fir`awn turned to blood. Any water they collected from a well, a river, or a container, turned to blood.''
(136. So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they belied Our Ayat and were heedless with them.) (137. And We made the people who were considered weak to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed. And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because of their endurance. And We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced, and what they erected.)
وَجَـٰوَزۡنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ فَأَتَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٍ۬ يَعۡكُفُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَصۡنَامٍ۬ لَّهُمۡۚ قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَى ٱجۡعَل لَّنَآ إِلَـٰهً۬ا كَمَا لَهُمۡ ءَالِهَةٌ۬ۚ قَالَ إِنَّكُمۡ قَوۡمٌ۬ تَجۡهَلُونَ
And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then they came upon a people intent in devotion to [some] idols of theirs. They said, "O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods." He said, "Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.
Allah states that when the people of Fir`awn rebelled and transgressed, even though He inflicted them with consecutive signs, one after another, He took retribution from them by drowning them in the sea that Musa parted by Allah's power, and he and the Children of Israel passed through. In their pursuit, Fir`awn and his soldiers went in the sea chasing Musa and his people. When they all had gone inside the water, the sea closed in on them and they all drowned, because they belied the Ayat of Allah and were heedless of them. Allah said that He has granted the people who were considered weak, the Children of Israel, to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah commented that Allah's statement,
(...the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed.) refers to the Sham area (Greater Syria). Also, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir said that Allah's statement,
(And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because of their endurance.) is explained by Allah's other statement,
(And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and We let Fir`awn and Haman and their hosts receive from them that which they feared) (28:5-6). Further, Allah's statement,
(And We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced,) meaning, We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced, such as agriculture and buildings.
(and what they erected.) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said that
(they erected) means, they built.
(138. And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'') (139. (Musa added:) "Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols' worship). And all that they are doing is in vain.'')
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مُتَبَّرٌ۬ مَّا هُمۡ فِيهِ وَبَـٰطِلٌ۬ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
Indeed, those [worshippers] – destroyed is that in which they are [engaged], and worthless is whatever they were doing."
Allah states that when the people of Fir`awn rebelled and transgressed, even though He inflicted them with consecutive signs, one after another, He took retribution from them by drowning them in the sea that Musa parted by Allah's power, and he and the Children of Israel passed through. In their pursuit, Fir`awn and his soldiers went in the sea chasing Musa and his people. When they all had gone inside the water, the sea closed in on them and they all drowned, because they belied the Ayat of Allah and were heedless of them. Allah said that He has granted the people who were considered weak, the Children of Israel, to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah commented that Allah's statement,
(...the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed.) refers to the Sham area (Greater Syria). Also, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir said that Allah's statement,
(And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because of their endurance.) is explained by Allah's other statement,
(And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and We let Fir`awn and Haman and their hosts receive from them that which they feared) (28:5-6). Further, Allah's statement,
(And We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced,) meaning, We destroyed what Fir`awn and his people produced, such as agriculture and buildings.
(and what they erected.) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said that
(they erected) means, they built.
(138. And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'') (139. (Musa added:) "Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols' worship). And all that they are doing is in vain.'')
قَالَ أَغَيۡرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبۡغِيڪُمۡ إِلَـٰهً۬ا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَڪُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
He said, "Is it other than Allah I should desire for you as a god while He has preferred you over the worlds?"
Allah mentions the words that the ignorant ones among the Children of Israel uttered to Musa after they crossed the sea and witnessed Allah's Ayat and great power.
(And they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship).) Some scholars of Tafsir said that the people mentioned here were from Canaan, or from the tribe of Lakhm. Ibn Jarir commented, "They were worshipping idols that they made in the shape of cows, and this influenced the Children of Israel later when they worshipped the calf. They said here,
("O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'') Musa replied, you are ignorant of Allah's greatness and majesty and His purity from any partners or anything resembling Him.
("Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in) they will perish,
("and all that they are doing is in vain.'') Commenting on this Ayah, Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir reported from Abu Waqid Al-Laythi that they (the Companions) went out from Makkah with the Messenger of Allah for (the battle of) Hunayn. Abu Waqid said, "Some of the disbelievers had a lote tree whose vicinity they used to remain in, and upon which they would hang their weapons on. That tree was called `Dhat Al-Anwat'. So when we passed by a huge, green lote tree, we said, `O Messenger of Allah! Appoint for us a Dhat Al-Anwat as they have.' He said,
(by He in Whose Hand is my soul! You said just as what the people of Musa said to him:
( ("Make for us a god as they have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people. Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in, and all that they are doing is in vain.''))''
(140. He said: "Shall I seek for you an ilah (a god) other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the nations.'') (141. And (remember) when We rescued you from Fir`awn's people, who were afflicting you with the worst torment, killing your sons and letting your women live. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.)