Allah informs His Messenger Muhammad about His Messenger Musa. He mentions
that he sent Musa to Fir`awn and He aided him with miracles. Yet, even after
this, Fir`awn continued in his disbelief and transgression until Allah seized
him with a mighty and powerful punishment. Thus is the punishment of whoever
opposes you (Muhammad ) and rejects that which you have been sent with. This is
why Allah says at the end of the story,
[إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ
لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى ]
(In this is a Lesson for whoever fears.) Allah begins by saying,
[هَلْ أَتَاكَ
حَدِيثُ مُوسَى ]
(Has there come to you the story of Musa) meaning, have you heard of his
story
[إِذْ نَادَاهُ
رَبُّهُ]
(When his Lord called him) meaning, He called out speaking to him.
[بِالْوَادِ
الْمُقَدَّسِ]
(in the holy valley) meaning purified
[طُوًى]
(Tuwa) According to what is correct, it is the name of a valley, as preceded
in Surah Ta Ha. So, He said to him:
[اذْهَبْ إِلَى
فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى ]
(Go to Fir`awn; verily, he has transgressed all bounds.) meaning, he has
become haughty, rebellious and arrogant.
[فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ
إِلَى أَن تَزَكَّى ]
(And say to him: "Would you purify yourself'') meaning, say to him, "Will you
respond to the path and way that will purify you'' This means, `will you submit
(accept Islam) and be obedient'
[وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَى
رَبِّكَ]
(And that I guide to your Lord,) meaning, `I will guide you to the worship of
your Lord.'
[فَتَخْشَى]
(so that you fear) meaning, `so that your heart will become humble, obedient,
and submissive to Him after it was hard, evil, and far away from goodness.'
[فَأَرَاهُ الاٌّيَةَ
الْكُبْرَى ]
(Then he showed him the great sign.) This means that Musa showed him -- along
with this truthful call -- a strong evidence and a clear proof of the
truthfulness of what he had come up with from Allah.
[فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى
]
(But he denied and disobeyed.) meaning, he (Fir`awn) rejected the truth and
opposed what Musa commanded him with of obedience. So what happened with him was
that his heart disbelieved, and Musa (i.e., his call) could not internally or
externally affect it. Along with this, his knowledge that what Musa had come to
him with was the truth, did not necessitate his being a believer in it. This is
because recognition is the knowledge of the heart, and faith is its action. And
it (faith) is to comply with the truth and submit to it. Concerning Allah's
statement,
[ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ
يَسْعَى ]
(Then he turned back, striving.) meaning, in responding to the truth with
falsehood. This was by his gathering the group of magicians in order to confront
that which Musa had come up with of spectacular miracles.
[فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى
]
(So he gathered (his people) and called out) meaning, among his people.
[فَقَالَ أَنَاْ
رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى ]
(Saying; I am your lord, most high.'') Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid both said,
"This is the word which Fir`awn said after he said,
[مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ
مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى]
(`I have not known of any other god for you all other than me) for the past
forty years.''' Allah then says,
[فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ
نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى ]
(So Allah seized him with a punishing example for the Hereafter and the first
(life). ) meaning, Allah avenged Himself against him with a severe vengeance,
and He made an example and admonition of him for those rebellious people in the
world who are like him.
[وَيَوْمَ
الْقِيَـمَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ]
(And on the Day of Resurrection, evil indeed is the gift gifted [i.e., the
curse (in this world) pursued by another curse (in this world) pursued by
another curse (in the Hereafter)].) (11:99) This is as Allah says,
[وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ
أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ ]
(And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire: and on the Day of
Resurrection, they will not be helped.) (28:41) Allah said;
[إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ
لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى ]
(In this is a lesson for whoever fears.)
[أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ
خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا - رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا - وَأَغْطَشَ
لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا - وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ
مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا - مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ
وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ ]
(27. Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed)
(28. He raised its hei- ght, and has perfected it.) (29. Its night He covers and
He brings out its forenoon.) (30. And after that He spread the earth,) (31. And
brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.) (32. And the mountains He
has fixed firmly,) (33. As provision and benefit for you and your cattle.)