Surah Ash-Shu'ara 26:10-33 - Quran Translation Commentary

10. Here the chronicle of Prophet Moosa has been presented. In connection with its explanation. Surah Taha, Notes Nos. 9 to 94 should be kept in view.

11. The people of Firaun have been termed as the wrong-doing nation because their transgression and tyranny had reached the extreme limits and they had stooped down to barbarism, the obvious example of which was their practice of killing of the new-born babies of the Muslim minority (Bani Israil).

12. That is: They are not afraid of their Lord, while indulging in tyrannical and wrong-doing acts, that His wrath will descend down on them and they could be the victim of His painful punishment.

13. Such a state was created in view of the heavy responsibilities of the prophethood, and this sense of responsibility was very acutely felt by Prophet Moosa.

14. That is: His tongue is affected by the sense of his responsibility and it does not move smoothly.

15. This was not Prophet Moosa’s refusal to accept the messengership of Allah, as is mentioned in Bible, (Exodus Chapter 4: 13-14), but it was an expression of his own limitation and the expected difficulties in view of the great responsibilities of prophethood, so that Allah might help him.

It gives an idea as to what great responsibility the office of prophethood entails, for accepting which even a man like Prophet Moosa shudders.

16. For explanation, please see Surah Taha Note No 42. This event is narrated in detail in Surah Qasas.

17. That is: Firaun’s nation will not be able to kill you. Nor any thing will come in the way of your fulfilling the duties of the prophethood.

18. That is: We will be with you to hear whatever will be said, and We will also be aware what reply Firaun will give. So you need not worry. Whatever help you would need, We will give.

19. Firaun’s claim to be the Lord was limited to his country, Egypt, and that too in a particular meaning, therefore, Prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him) was directed to present himself as a messenger of the Lord of the worlds, so that Firaun should know that Allah was the Lord and Master of the entire universe including Egypt.

20. The demand for sending away Bani Israil was not a national one, but it was Allah’s command which was to be communicated to Firaun by Prophets Moosa and Haroon as directed by Allah. These prophets were entrusted with the task of leading out the Bani Israil from Egypt along with the task of presenting Allah’s message to Firaun, therefore, in the very beginning they presented this demand along, with the Dawah. From the text it is quite clear that this demand was presented in the very beginning. Therefore, this theory is refuted that during the dawah stages if any national question comes up it should not be presented before a Non-Islamic or tyrant government, even though the national interests demand that it should be presented, For further explanation, please see Surah A’raf Note No.161.

21. In his childhood, by the wonderful power of Allah, Prophet Moosa was brought up in Firaun’s home. Details can be seen in Surah Taha, Notes Nos. 36 to 41.

22. Refers to that event of killing which was erroneously committed by Prophet Moosa. For explanation, please see Surah Taha, Note No 43.

23. This was the admission of Prophet Moosa without caring for his own safety, but this error was committed by him when the path of guidance was not opened for him. It is opened now, that is now he has been appointed a prophet, and is now, traversing in full light. Therefore, no useful purpose will be served by talking of the past.

It may be noted that the word ‘dhalalat’ (astray) used in the text is not used to connote straying in matters of belief and action, but is used against the light of knowledge that was gained by him after prophethood. He had not killed the Copt wilfully, but the victim had died by receiving a fist blow. Therefore, it was a killing totally unintended, accidental, and from the wordings, of Prophet Moosa’s prayer on the occasion for his salvation it is clear that even at that time he was on right guidance. (Surah Qasas, ayat Nos. 15 to 17).

24. That is: From the fear of your punishment.

25. Command here means wisdom, sagacity.

26. This was a fact-revealing and a very fitting, answer by Prophet Moosa to Firaun. It meant that you remember the favour you did to me by bringing me up, but you forgot the oppressions to which you are subjecting my community, Bani Israil by treating them as slaves: Do you want that I should repay your favour by not raising my voice against the oppression to which you are subjecting my community, and that I should allow you to do whatever you like? Is it your intention that I should be so burdened under your favour that you did to me in my childhood that I should not utter a word in protest to get my community released from your oppression?

27. From the query of Firaun it appears that Firaun did not believe that there was a Lord of the universe who organised all the affairs of world. As for his claim of being the Chief Lord, it was confined to the limits of Egypt and was on account of being its ruler. The Pharaohs of Egypt linked their relationship to the sun god, as we have clarified in Surah A’raf Note No.180. According to him whoever is the ruler, for the subjects he is the chief leader and also their deity. He has the authority to give whatever command he likes and there is no one who can prevent him from doing so. In this way he was as the claimant of his rulership of both the aspects-political as well as religious or temporal and spiritual. Therefore, he used to issue whatever commands he wished and he also demanded that the people should worship him. It would not be correct to suppose his claim to mean only political rulership.

28. Belief or faith comes from knowledge. And an important means of getting knowledge is arguments and signs. The meaning of what Prophet Moosa said was that this vast universe which includes the sky, earth, sun, moon and stars, etc., clearly prove that here is an Exalted Being who is the Creator of the entire universe and also its master and owner, and whose rule covers each and everything, therefore the real Lord of man is also the same Being. The faith and belief of this reality can be gained by you if you ponder this universe in the light of the argument, reason.

29. This was an expression of wonder and taunt on the reply from Prophet Moosa.

30. This is additional clarification of the fact as to who is the Lord of the Worlds. Besides it was also a hint that if Firaun is your Lord, then who was the Lord of your forefathers? This pharaoh was born subsequently, therefore, he could not claim to be the Lord of their forefathers. But the lordship of the Creator of the universe is all pervading, He is the Lord of all the people, past and present and those who will be born in future.

31. When Firaun could not give a reply to Prophet Moosa, he alleged that he was a madman. He knew that Prophet Moosa was not mad. If he had considered him mad, he would not have continued with the discussion further, nor would he have thought him to be a danger for his kingdom, for a madman poses no problems for a state.

32. That is: Who rules over the East and the West ? Under whose command the sun rises and sets? And who is it whose word acts as a command for everything that exists between the east and the west? If man uses his common sense, then there is no other reply than that only Allah is the Lord of the Worlds. By mentioning east and west, the idea was to point out that Firaun was the ruler temporarily of only a limited region of land, how could he be the Lord when he neither has authority over the east nor the west.

33. It should be noted that the claim of Firaun was not only for recognising him as the ruler of the land (political) but also that of spiritual lordship (god). He wanted that people should also worship him, so that he should enjoy the position of holiness among his subjects and the basis of his kingdom may also be strong.

34. Conversion of the staff into a snake was a miracle from Allah, which was bestowed on Prophet Moosa. His staff in reality used to turn into a snake whose shape used to be that of a python. It was a clear sign of the fact that Prophet Moosa was sent by the Being who is the Lord of the universe and has control over all things.

35.This was the second miracle which was bestowed on Prophet Moosa by Allah. For explanation, see Surah Taha, Note No.23.