Tafsir of Surah Al-Qasas - Verse 37

Musa before Fir`awn and His People

Allah tells us how Musa and his brother Harun came before Fir`awn and his chiefs, and showed them the clear miracles and overwhelming proof that Allah had given them to confirm the truth of what they were saying about Allah being One and that His commandments were to be followed. Fir`awn and his chiefs saw that with their own eyes and realized that it was certainly from Allah, but because of their disbelief and sin they resorted to stubbornness and false arguments. This was because they were too evil and arrogant to follow the truth. They said:

مَا هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّفْتَرًى

(This is nothing but invented magic.) meaning, fabricated and made up. They wanted to oppose him by means of their own tricks and their position and power, but this did not work.

وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَـذَا فِى ءَابَآئِنَا الاٌّوَّلِينَ

(Never did we hear of this among our fathers of old.) They were referring worshipping Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. They said: "We have never seen anyone among our forefathers following this religion; we have only ever seen people associating other gods in worship with Allah. Musa said in response to them:

رَبِّى أَعْلَمُ بِمَن جَآءَ بِالْهُدَى مِنْ عِندِهِ

(My Lord knows best him who came with guidance from Him,) meaning, `of me and you, and He will decide between me and you.' So he said:

وَمَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَـقِبَةُ الدَّارِ

(and whose will be the happy end in the Hereafter. ) meaning, who will be supported and will prevail.

إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ

(Verily, the wrongdoers will not be successful.) refers to the idolators who associate others in worship with Allah.

A sermon should have high degree of eloquence

هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا (He is more fluent in his tongue - 28:34). This verse points out that a high degree of oratory and eloquence is desirable for sermons and preaching, and there is no harm if one takes training in that.

Literally, ‘I do not know any being other than myself who is worth worshipping.’ This was not a serious statement. In uttering these words Pharaoh did not intend to state any fact. He only wanted to denigrate Moses. Similarly, when Pharaoh ordered his minister Haman to prepare fired bricks and construct a high tower so that he could peep into the sky and see Moses’s God, this was not a genuine order. Its sole purpose was to make a mockery of Moses.