In these verses Allah informs of His sending Musa with His signs and clear
proofs to Fir'awn, the king of the Coptic people, and his chiefs.
[فَاتَّبَعُواْ
أَمْرَ فِرْعَوْنَ]
(but they followed the command of Fir`awn.) This means that they followed his
path, way and methodology in transgression.
[وَمَآ أَمْرُ
فِرْعَوْنَ بِرَشِيدٍ]
(and the command of Fir`awn was no right guide.) This means there was no
right guidance in it. It was only ignorance, misguidance, disbelief and
stubbornness. Just as they followed him in this life and he was their leader and
chief, likewise he will lead them to the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection. He
will lead them directly to it and they will drink from springs of destruction.
Fir`awn will have a great share in that awful punishment. This is as Allah, the
Exalted, said,
[فَعَصَى فِرْعَوْنُ
الرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذْنَـهُ أَخْذاً وَبِيلاً ]
(But Fir`awn disobeyed the Messenger; so We seized him with a severe
punishment.)[73:16] Allah also said,
[فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى -
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى - فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى - فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى
- فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى - إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ
لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى ]
(But Fir`awn belied and disobeyed. Then he turned his back, striving (against
Allah). Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, Saying: "I am your lord,
most high.'' So Allah, seized him with exemplary punishment for his last and
first transgression. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever
fears Allah.)[79:21-26] Allah also said,
[يَقْدُمُ قَوْمَهُ
يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَأَوْرَدَهُمُ النَّارَ وَبِئْسَ الْوِرْدُ الْمَوْرُودُ
]
(He will go ahead of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and will lead
them into the Fire, and evil indeed is the place to which they are led.) This
will be the condition of those who were followed. They will have a great share
of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. This is as Allah says,
[لِكُلٍّ ضِعْفٌ
وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَعْلَمُونَ]
(For each one there is double (torment), but you know not.) [7:38] Allah also
says that the disbelievers will say while they are in the Hellfire,
[رَبَّنَآ إِنَّآ
أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَآءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلاْرَبَّنَآ ءَاتِهِمْ
ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ]
("Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled
us from the (right) way. Our Lord! Give them double torment.'') [33:67-68]
Concerning the statement,
[وَأُتْبِعُواْ فِى
هَـذِهِ لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ]
(They were pursued by a curse in this (deceiving life of this world) and (so
they will be pursued by a curse) on the Day of Resurrection. ) meaning, `We have
made them to be followed by something more than the punishment of the Fire and
that is their being cursed in this life.'
[وَيَوْمَ
الْقِيَـمَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ]
(and on the Day of Resurrection, evil is the gift granted.) Mujahid said,
"Another curse will be added to them on the Day of Resurrection, so these are
two curses.'' `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said,
[بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ
الْمَرْفُودُ]
(evil indeed is the gift granted.) "The curse of this life and the
Hereafter.'' Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah both said the same thing. This is similar to
Allah's statement,
[وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ
أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ -
وَأَتْبَعْنَـهُم فِى هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ القِيَـمَةِ هُمْ مِّنَ
الْمَقْبُوحِينَ ]
(And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire: and on the Day of
Resurrection, they will not be helped. And We made a curse to follow them in
this world, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be among the
despised.)[28:41-42] Allah also says,
[النَّارُ
يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ
أَدْخِلُواْ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ]
(The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when
the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir`awn's
people to enter the severest torment!'')[40:46]
[ذَلِكَ مِنْ
أَنْبَآءِ الْقُرَى نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌ وَحَصِيدٌ - وَمَا
ظَلَمْنَـهُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ
ءَالِهَتَهُمُ الَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ لَّمَّا جَآءَ
أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ ]
(100. That is some of the news of the (population of) towns which We relate
unto you; of them, some are (still) standing, and some have been (already)
reaped.) (101. We wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. So their gods
whom they call upon besides Allah, profited them naught when there came the
command of your Lord, nor did they add aught to them but destruction.)