We have already discussed the significance of the separate letters.
[تِلْكَ ءَايَـتُ
الْكِتَـبِ الْمُبِينِ ]
(These are the Ayat of the manifest Book.) means the Book which is clear and
makes plain the true reality of things, and tells us about what happened and
what will happen.
[نَتْلُواْ عَلَيْكَ
مِن نَّبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ]
(We recite to you some of the news of Musa and Fir`awn in truth,) This is
like the Ayah,
[نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ
عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ]
(We relate unto you the best of stories) (12:3). which means, `We tell you
about things as they really were, as if you are there and are seeing them
yourself.' Then Allah says:
[إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ
عَلاَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ]
(Verily, Fir`awn exalted himself in the land) means, he was an arrogant
oppressor and tyrant.
[وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا
شِيَعاً]
(and made its people Shiya`) means, he made them into different classes, each
of which he used to do whatever he wanted of the affairs of his state.
[يَسْتَضْعِفُ
طَآئِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ]
(weakening a group among them. ) This refers to the Children of Israel, who
at that time were the best of people, even though this tyrant king overpowered
them, using them to do the most menial work and forcing them to hard labor night
and day for him and his people. At the same time, he was killing their sons and
letting their daughters live, to humiliate them and because he feared that there
might appear among them the boy who would be the cause of his destruction and
the downfall of his kingdom. So Fir`awn took precautions against that happening,
by ordering that all boys born to the Children of Israel should be killed, but
this precaution did not protect him against the divine decree, because when the
term of Allah comes, it cannot be delayed, and for each and every matter there
is a decree from Allah. Allah says:
[وَنُرِيدُ أَن
نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ]
(And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak in the land,) until His
saying;
[يَحْذَرُونَ]
(which they feared.) And Allah did indeed do this to them, as He says:
[وَأَوْرَثْنَا
الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُواْ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ]
(And We made the people who were considered weak) until His saying;
[يَعْرِشُونَ]
(they erected) (7:137). And Allah said:
[كَذَلِكَ
وَأَوْرَثْنَـهَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ ]
(Thus and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them) (26: 59). Fir`awn
hoped that by his strength and power he would be saved from Musa, but that did
not help him in the slightest. Despite his great power as a king he could not
oppose the decree of Allah, which can never be overcome. On the contrary,
Allah's ruling was carried out, for it had been written and decreed from past
eternity that Fir`awn would meet his doom at the hands of Musa.
[وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى
أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى اليَمِّ
وَلاَ تَخَافِى وَلاَ تَحْزَنِى إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَـعِلُوهُ مِنَ
الْمُرْسَلِينَ - فَالْتَقَطَهُ ءَالُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوّاً
وَحَزَناً إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَـمَـنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُواْ خَـطِئِينَ -
وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ لِّى وَلَكَ لاَ تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَى
أَن يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَداً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ ]
(7. And We inspired the mother of Musa: "Suckle him (Musa), but when you fear
for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily, We shall
bring him back to you, and shall make him one of the Messengers.'') (8. Then the
household of Fir`awn picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a
(cause of) grief. Verily, Fir`awn, Haman and their armies were sinners.) (9. And
the wife of Fir`awn said: "A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him
not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.'' And
they perceived not.)