And the Pharaoh said to his people: "O people, is not mine the kingdom of Egypt and these rivers that flow at my feet? Can you still not comprehend?
And said Firaun, “O my people! Is not the kingdom of Egypt for me, and these rivers that flow beneath me? So do you not see?”
And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people: 'O my people, do I not possess the kingdom of Egypt, and these rivers flowing beneath me? What, do you not see?
And Pharaoh issued a call to his people, say­ing: “O my people! Does not the dominion over Egypt belong to me, since all these running waters flow at my feet? Can you not, then, see [that I am your lord supreme]?
And Fir'awn proclaimed among his people, saying: O my people! is not mine the dominion of Mis and witness yonder rivers flowing underneath me? See ye not?
And Fir'aun (Pharaoh) proclaimed among his people, saying: "O my people! Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me. See you not then?
Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, “O my people, do I not own the Kingdom of Egypt, and these rivers flow beneath me? Do you not see?
And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people: “My people, do I not have dominion over Egypt, and are these streams not flowing beneath me? Can't you see?
And Fir`awn proclaimed among his people (saying): "O my people! Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me. See you not then"
And Pharaoh caused a proclamation to be made among his people saying: O my people! Is not mine the sovereignty of Egypt and these rivers flowing under me? Can ye not then discern?
And Pharaoh proclaimed to his people, saying, ‘O my people! Do not the kingdom of Egypt and these rivers that run at my feet belong to me? Do you not perceive?
Then Pharaoh made a proclamation to his people: 'My people, is the kingdom of Egypt not mine and these rivers which flow beneath me? What, can you not see?
And Pharaoh called out among his people; he said, "O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me; then do you not see?
The Pharaoh shouted to his people, "My people, is the kingdom of Egypt not mine? and can you not see that the streams flow from beneath my palace?
And Firon proclaimed amongst his people: O my people! is not the kingdom of Egypt mine? And these rivers flow beneath me; do you not then see?
Wan<u>a</u>d<u>a</u> firAAawnu fee qawmihi q<u>a</u>la y<u>a</u> qawmi alaysa lee mulku mi<u>s</u>ra wah<u>ath</u>ihi alanh<u>a</u>ru tajree min ta<u>h</u>tee afal<u>a</u> tub<u>s</u>iroon<b>a</b>
Pharaoh called to his people, "My people, is the Kingdom of Egypt not mine? And these rivers that flow at my feet, are they not mine? Do you not see?
And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: "O my people! Does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, (witness) these streams flowing underneath my (palace)? What! see ye not then?
وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِى قَوْمِهِۦ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِىٓ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
Pharaoh called out among his people, bragging about his kingdom, “O my people! Do I not own the country of Egypt, and these rivers that flow beneath my palaces? Do you not see my kingdom and recognise my greatness?”
Pharaoh called out among his people, bragging about his kingdom, “O my people! Do I not own the country of Egypt, and these rivers that flow beneath my palaces? Do you not see my kingdom and recognise my greatness?”
<h2 class="title">Fir`awn's Address to His People and how Allah punished Him</h2><p>Allah tells us how Fir`awn stubbornly persisted in his rebellion and disbelief. He assembled his people and addressed them in a vainglorious fashion, boasting of his dominion over Egypt.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَـذِهِ الاٌّنْهَـرُ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِى</div><p>(Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me) Qatadah said, "They had gardens and rivers of flowing water."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ</div><p>(See you not then) means, `do you not see my position of might and power' -- implying that Musa and his followers were poor and weak. This is like the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى - فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى - فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى </div><p>(Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, saying: "I am your lord, most high." So Allah seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression.) (79:23-25)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ أَنَآ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَـذَا الَّذِى هُوَ مَهِينٌ</div><p>(Am I not better than this one who is despicable) As-Suddi said, "He was saying, `indeed I am better than this one, who is despicable'." Some of the grammarians of Basrah said that Fir`awn -- may the curse of Allah be upon him -- was saying that he was better than Musa, peace be upon him. But this is an obvious lie, may continued curses be upon him until the Day of Resurrection. By describing Musa as despicable he meant -- as Sufyan said -- insignificant. Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "He meant, weak." Ibn Jarir said, "He meant, he had no power, authority or wealth."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُبِينُ</div><p>(and can scarcely express himself clearly) means, he cannot speak clearly, he stammers and cannot speak well. Fir`awn's description of Musa as "despicable" is a lie; rather it is he who was despicable and insignificant, lacking in physical, moral and religious terms, and it is Musa who was noble, truthful, righteous and upright.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُبِينُ</div><p>(and can scarcely express himself clearly). This was also a lie. Although something happened to Musa's tongue when he was a child, when it was burnt by a coal. He asked Allah to loosen the knot from his tongue (i.e., to correct his speech defect) so that they could understand what he said, and Allah had answered his prayer and said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يمُوسَى</div><p>(You are granted your request, O Musa) (20:36). It may be the case that some problem remained which he had not asked to be relieved of, as Al-Hasan Al-Basri suggested, and that he had asked only to be relieved of that which stood in the way of his conveying the Message. A person cannot be blamed for physical matters over which he has no control. Even though Fir`awn had the intelligence to understand that, he wanted to confuse and mislead his people, who were ignorant and stupid. So he said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَوْلاَ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ</div><p>(Why then are not golden bracelets bestowed on him...) meaning, adornments which are placed on the arms. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Qatadah and others.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ</div><p>(or angels sent along with him) meaning, to serve him and to testify that he is telling the truth. He looked only at outward appearances and did not understand the true inner matters that are clearer than what he focused on, if only he had understood that. Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ</div><p>(Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) meaning, he confused them and invited them to misguidance, and they responded to him.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ</div><p>(Verily, they were ever a people who were rebellious.) Then Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ </div><p>(So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said it means: "When they angered Us means, they provoked Our wrath." Ad-Dahhak said, it means "They made Us angry." This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Qatadah, As-Suddi and other scholars of Tafsir. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Uqbah bin `Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِذَا رَأَيْتَ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُعْطِي الْعَبْدَ مَا يَشَاءُ، وَهُوَ مُقِيمٌ عَلى مَعَاصِيهِ، فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ اسْتِدْرَاجٌ مِنْهُ لَه»</div><p>(When you see that Allah gives a person what he wants even though he is persisting in sin, that means that Allah is enticing him into destruction.) Then he recited:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ </div><p>(So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.) It was reported that Tariq bin Shihab said, "I was with `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, and the issue of sudden death was mentioned. He said, `It is a relief for the believer and a source of regret for the disbeliever.' Then he recited the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ </div><p>(So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all). " `Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I found that punishment comes with negligence, meaning the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ </div><p>(So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all)."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ سَلَفاً وَمَثَلاً لِّلاٌّخِرِينَ </div><p>(And We made them a precedent, and an example to later generations.) Abu Mijlaz said, "Precedent for others who do the same as they did." He and Mujahid said, "An example, i.e., a lesson to those who come after them." Allah is the One Who guides to the straight path, and unto Him is the final return.</p>
Fir`awn's Address to His People and how Allah punished HimAllah tells us how Fir`awn stubbornly persisted in his rebellion and disbelief. He assembled his people and addressed them in a vainglorious fashion, boasting of his dominion over Egypt.أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَـذِهِ الاٌّنْهَـرُ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِى(Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me) Qatadah said, "They had gardens and rivers of flowing water."أَفلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ(See you not then) means, `do you not see my position of might and power' -- implying that Musa and his followers were poor and weak. This is like the Ayah:فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى - فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى - فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى (Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, saying: "I am your lord, most high." So Allah seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression.) (79:23-25)أَمْ أَنَآ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَـذَا الَّذِى هُوَ مَهِينٌ(Am I not better than this one who is despicable) As-Suddi said, "He was saying, `indeed I am better than this one, who is despicable'." Some of the grammarians of Basrah said that Fir`awn -- may the curse of Allah be upon him -- was saying that he was better than Musa, peace be upon him. But this is an obvious lie, may continued curses be upon him until the Day of Resurrection. By describing Musa as despicable he meant -- as Sufyan said -- insignificant. Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "He meant, weak." Ibn Jarir said, "He meant, he had no power, authority or wealth."وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُبِينُ(and can scarcely express himself clearly) means, he cannot speak clearly, he stammers and cannot speak well. Fir`awn's description of Musa as "despicable" is a lie; rather it is he who was despicable and insignificant, lacking in physical, moral and religious terms, and it is Musa who was noble, truthful, righteous and upright.وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُبِينُ(and can scarcely express himself clearly). This was also a lie. Although something happened to Musa's tongue when he was a child, when it was burnt by a coal. He asked Allah to loosen the knot from his tongue (i.e., to correct his speech defect) so that they could understand what he said, and Allah had answered his prayer and said:قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يمُوسَى(You are granted your request, O Musa) (20:36). It may be the case that some problem remained which he had not asked to be relieved of, as Al-Hasan Al-Basri suggested, and that he had asked only to be relieved of that which stood in the way of his conveying the Message. A person cannot be blamed for physical matters over which he has no control. Even though Fir`awn had the intelligence to understand that, he wanted to confuse and mislead his people, who were ignorant and stupid. So he said:فَلَوْلاَ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ(Why then are not golden bracelets bestowed on him...) meaning, adornments which are placed on the arms. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Qatadah and others.أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ(or angels sent along with him) meaning, to serve him and to testify that he is telling the truth. He looked only at outward appearances and did not understand the true inner matters that are clearer than what he focused on, if only he had understood that. Allah says:فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ(Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) meaning, he confused them and invited them to misguidance, and they responded to him.إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ(Verily, they were ever a people who were rebellious.) Then Allah says:فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said it means: "When they angered Us means, they provoked Our wrath." Ad-Dahhak said, it means "They made Us angry." This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Qatadah, As-Suddi and other scholars of Tafsir. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Uqbah bin `Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:«إِذَا رَأَيْتَ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُعْطِي الْعَبْدَ مَا يَشَاءُ، وَهُوَ مُقِيمٌ عَلى مَعَاصِيهِ، فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ اسْتِدْرَاجٌ مِنْهُ لَه»(When you see that Allah gives a person what he wants even though he is persisting in sin, that means that Allah is enticing him into destruction.) Then he recited:فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.) It was reported that Tariq bin Shihab said, "I was with `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, and the issue of sudden death was mentioned. He said, `It is a relief for the believer and a source of regret for the disbeliever.' Then he recited the Ayah:فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all). " `Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I found that punishment comes with negligence, meaning the Ayah:فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all)."فَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ سَلَفاً وَمَثَلاً لِّلاٌّخِرِينَ (And We made them a precedent, and an example to later generations.) Abu Mijlaz said, "Precedent for others who do the same as they did." He and Mujahid said, "An example, i.e., a lesson to those who come after them." Allah is the One Who guides to the straight path, and unto Him is the final return.