The Poets (Al-Shu‘ara’)
Verses 52-59 GROUP_949 26.52-59
52
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ
Then We revealed Our will to Moses, saying, ‘Set forth with My servants, in the night, for you will surely be pursued.’
53
فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ
And Pharaoh sent forth heralds to all the cities.
54
إِنَّ هَؤُلَاء لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ
‘These,’ they said, ‘are only a small band—
55
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَائِظُونَ
and they have enraged us—
56
وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَاذِرُونَ
we are a large and watchful force.’
57
فَأَخْرَجْنَاهُم مِّن جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ
So We made them leave their gardens and springs,
58
وَكُنُوزٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ
their treasures and their noble dwellings—
59
كَذَلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
and We made the Children of Israel inheritors of these bounties.
Commentary
(a) In spite of the years spent by Moses in spreading the word of God, Pharaoh did not embrace the Faith. At last when Moses had striven his utmost to convey the divine message to Pharaoh, Almighty God instructed Moses to leave Egypt along with the Children of Israel. When Pharaoh came to know that all of the Children of Israel had left Egypt, he pursued them along with his army and courtiers. Obviously, this step taken by Pharaoh was meant to rout the Children of Israel, but as it turned out, it rebounded upon him. Unaware of their impending fate, Pharaoh and his companions left their palatial dwellings and reached the place where they were all destined to be drowned together in the sea. Almighty God deprived Pharaoh and his companions of the royal amenities they had enjoyed in Egypt, because of their oppressive actions. But He blessed the pious people of the Children of Israel by eventually taking them to Palestine and, there, granting them all kinds of favours.