7. Al-A'raaf

And indeed We punished the people of Fir'awn with years of drought and lack of fruits (crops), that they might remember (take heed)(130)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 (131)

Fir'awn and His People suffer Years of Drought

Allah said,

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ

(And indeed We punished the people of Fir'awn) We tested and tried them,

بِالسِّنِينَ

(with years of drought) of famine due to little produce,

وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ

(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!"

لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ - فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ

(That they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them) such as a fertile season and provisions,

قَالُوا لَنَا هَٰذِهِ

(they said, "This is for us."), because we deserve it,

وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ

(and if evil afflicted them) drought and famine,

يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ

(they considered it an omen Musa and those with him.) saying that this hardship is because of them and what they have done.

أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ

(Verily, their omens are with Allah) 'Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas commented on the Ayah,

أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ

(Verily, their omens are with Allah) "Allah says that their afflictions are with and from Him,

وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

(but most of them know not.)"

They said [to Musa]: "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you. (132)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 (133)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. (134)But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word (135)

Allah punishes the People of Fir'awn because of Their Rebellion

Allah describes the rebellion, tyranny, defiance of the truth and insistence on falsehood of the people of Fir'awn, prompting them to proclaim,

مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

("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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ

(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 ﷺ, 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 ﷺ said,

أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ: الْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ وَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ

(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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ

"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 …

They said [to Musa]: "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you. (132)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 (133)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. (134)But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word (135)

Allah punishes the People of Fir'awn because of Their Rebellion

Allah describes the rebellion, tyranny, defiance of the truth and insistence on falsehood of the people of Fir'awn, prompting them to proclaim,

مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

("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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ

(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 ﷺ, 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 ﷺ said,

أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ: الْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ وَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ

(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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ

"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 …

They said [to Musa]: "Whatever Ayat you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you. (132)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 (133)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. (134)But when We removed the punishment from them for a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word (135)

Allah punishes the People of Fir'awn because of Their Rebellion

Allah describes the rebellion, tyranny, defiance of the truth and insistence on falsehood of the people of Fir'awn, prompting them to proclaim,

مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

("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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ

(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 ﷺ, 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 ﷺ said,

أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ: الْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ وَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ

(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,

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ

"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 …

So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they belied Our Ayat and were heedless with them (136)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 (137)

The People of Fir'awn drown in the Sea; the Children of Israel inherit the Holy Land

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,

مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا

(...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,

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا

(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,

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ - وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ

(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,

وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُ

(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.

وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْرِشُونَ

(and what they erected.) Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid said that

يَعْرِشُونَ

(they erected) means, they built.

So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they belied Our Ayat and were heedless with them (136)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 (137)

The People of Fir'awn drown in the Sea; the Children of Israel inherit the Holy Land

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,

مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا

(...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,

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا

(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,

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ - وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ

(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,

وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُ

(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.

وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْرِشُونَ

(and what they erected.) Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid said that

يَعْرِشُونَ

(they erected) means, they built.

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. (138)[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. (139)

The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping

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.

فَأَتَوْا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰ أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ

(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,

يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ

("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.

إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ

("Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in) they will perish,

وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

("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 ﷺ 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,

قُلْتُمْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى لِمُوسَى:

(by He in Whose Hand is my soul! You said just as what the people of Musa said to him:

اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ - إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

("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."))"

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. (138)[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. (139)

The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping

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.

فَأَتَوْا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰ أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ

(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,

يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ

("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.

إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ

("Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in) they will perish,

وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

("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 ﷺ 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,

قُلْتُمْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى لِمُوسَى:

(by He in Whose Hand is my soul! You said just as what the people of Musa said to him:

اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ - إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

("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."))"

He said: "Shall I seek for you an ilah (a god) other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the nations. (140)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 (141)

Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Blessings for Them

Musa reminded the Children of Israel of Allah's blessings, such as saving them from Fir'awn, his tyranny and the humiliation and disgrace they suffered. He reminded them of the glory and revenge against their enemy, when they watched them suffering in disgrace, destroyed by drowning and meeting utter demise. We mentioned this subject in the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.