79: 15 Have you heard about the story of Moses
79: 16 when his Lord called him in the holy valley, Towa?
79: 17 ‘Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed all bounds.
79: 18 Then say to him, ‘Would you like to purify yourself,
79: 19 and that I shall guide you to your Lord so you would fear Him?
79: 20 Then he showed him the great sign,
79: 21 but Pharaoh rejected and disobeyed.
79: 22 Then he turned away, striving against the truth.
79: 23 Then, he gathered his people and called out,
79: 24 and said, ‘I am your Lord, the most high.’
79: 25 So Allah punished him, making him an example in the Hereafter and this world.
79: 26 Indeed, in that is a lesson for him who fears.
Relationship with the Previous Part
The previous part mentions how the disbelievers rejected Islam, denied the resurrection on the Day of Judgment, and mocked it. Their reaction was hard on Messenger Muhammad. Thus, the following part mentions the story of Messenger Moses and Pharaoh, the tyrant. Messenger Moses suffered great difficulties in inviting Pharaoh to believe in Allah’s Oneness. The story is mentioned to console Messenger Muhammad for his people’s rejection of Islam as well as to warn the disbelievers so that they would know that it would befall them what befell Pharaoh and his people if they insisted on disbelief. That is because though Pharaoh was strong and had great supporters and followers, Allah’s punishment befell him for his insistence on disbelief and tyranny. This punishment stands as a striking example for every tyrant and denier of the truth.
Tafsir
79: 15 Have you heard about the story of Moses
79: 16 when his Lord called him in the holy valley, Towa?
The interrogation is to excite the listeners of the story so that they may pay attention to what they hear and try to understand it.
The address is to Messenger Muhammad to console him for the abuse and rejection of the disbelievers.
O Messenger Muhammad, have you heard about the story of Moses and Pharaoh, the tyrant? If you have not heard about it, then Allah will narrate to you some of the story so that your firmness and determination may increase, as well as you will be certain that Allah will help you and make you victorious over your enemies. Have you heard about the story of Moses when his Lord, Allah, called him in the holy valley of Towa?
79: 17 ‘Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed all bounds.
Allah, Exalted be He, called Messenger Moses and said to him, ‘Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed all bounds in disbelief, disobedience, and oppression.’ Pharaoh is the title used for the monarchs of ancient Egyptian rulers.
79: 18 Then say to him, ‘Would you like to purify yourself,
79: 19 and that I shall guide you to your Lord so you would fear Him?
The interrogation ‘would you…’ is used to encourage and motivate to follow the right path.
O Moses, go to Pharaoh and then say to him, ‘Would you like to purify yourself from the filth of disobeying Allah? Can I show you the path that will make you purify yourself from insolence, transgression, and all that displeases Allah, your Lord? I would like to guide you to the path leading to what pleases Allah and make you know His majesty and greatness so that you will fear Him and obey His commands.’
Messenger Moses told Pharaoh that he would guide him to the path that would make him fear Allah because fear of Allah does not exist except after knowing His majesty and authority. If a person knows the negative consequences of something, he will fear to do it. Similarly, if a person knows Allah’s greatness and power, he will fear to disobey Him, as he will know the negative consequences of such a deed.
Messenger Moses addresses Pharaoh, the tyrant, respectfully, and politely to soften his heart and encourage him to follow the path that pleases Allah. This indicates that the goal of Allah’s Messengers is to guide people to the path that pleases Allah.
79: 20 Then he showed him the great sign,
Messenger Moses obeyed Allah’s command, went to Pharaoh, and invited him to follow the path that pleases Allah. Pharaoh refused to follow the truth and rejected to obey Allah. Thus, Messenger Moses showed him the great sign confirming his truthfulness, namely, he threw his rod and it changed into a snake, and he brought his hand out of his garment and it became white without any blemish.
79: 21 but Pharaoh rejected and disobeyed.
79: 22 Then he turned away, striving against the truth.
79: 23 Then, he gathered his people and called out,
79: 24 and said, ‘I am your Lord, the most high.’
After Pharaoh saw the great sign confirming the truthfulness of Messenger Moses, he arrogantly rejected to follow the path of guidance and disobeyed Allah’s command. Moreover, Pharaoh turned away from following the right path and strived to invalidate the message of Messenger Moses that invited him to obey Allah’s command and follow the path that pleases Him. He gathered his people and said to them, ‘I am your Lord, the most high, and the matter not as Moses says that you have another God.’
Pharaoh’s attitude indicates that he reached a great degree of denial of the truth and insolence. First, he rejected to follow the truth. Second, he strived hard to invalidate the truth. Third, he gathered his people to affirm that his way was the right path and Messenger Moses’ path was wrong, which denotes his haughtiness. Fourth, his statement that he was the most high god indicates that he denied the existence of Allah, the Creator, which is a great sin.
79: 25 So Allah punished him, making him an example in the Hereafter and this world.
79: 26 Indeed, in that is a lesson for him who fears.
Indeed, Pharaoh extremely transgressed to the extent that he claimed that he was the most high lord. Thus, Allah punished him severely. The severest punishment would befall him for his statement ‘I am your Lord, the most high’ in the Hereafter, and he suffered severe punishment in the worldly life for disbelieving in Messenger Moses, namely, he drowned in the sea.
The story of Moses and Pharaoh and the exemplary punishment that he suffered act as a lesson for whoever fears Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Such a person will follow the path that pleases Allah lest a punishment similar to that befell Pharaoh should befall him in this life and the Hereafter.
The story of Moses and Pharaoh is mentioned to console Messenger Muhammad for the abuse and rejection he suffered from the disbelievers of Mecca. It also implies a warning to the disbelievers that if they insist on their disbelief, their end will be like that of Pharaoh, the tyrant.
Learned Lessons from Surah an-Nazi’at Ayah 15-27
• The story of Messenger Moses and Pharaoh acts as a lesson for those who are willing to learn and benefit from the evil end of the disbelievers and the tyrant.
• Pharaoh was strong, but he used his power to disobey Allah and spread corruption on earth. He disbelieved in Allah’s Oneness and claimed that he was the most high Lord of his people. Thus, the result was that he deserved severe punishment in the Hereafter and the worldly life.
• Those who fear Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions learn lessons from what happened to the tyrant, such as Pharaoh.
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