Yunus 10:87
Jonah · Juz 11 · Page 218
وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوۡمِكُمَا بِمِصۡرَ بُيُوتٗا وَٱجۡعَلُواْ بُيُوتَكُمۡ قِبۡلَةٗ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨٧
And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah1 and establish prayer and give good tidings to the believers."
1 translator’s note
- In order that they might pray therein unseen by their enemy. ↩
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 10:87
The word ‘qiblah’ in Arabic means a place to be turned towards or a centre of attention. Here, the statement ‘build houses in the city’ means that some houses or suitable portions of these houses in the settlements of Israelites should be set apart for use as centres for the missionary efforts of Moses; religious gatherings could be held there for consultation, and planning could be done there for God’s word to be spread peacefully. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, was very displeased by Moses’ sermons about the unity of God and the Hereafter. He imposed the most severe restrictions on him (Moses), so much so that it became very difficult for Moses to continue his dawah activities openly. At that time it was commanded that, instead of clashing with Pharaoh, the Israelites should continue their activities within a close circle; they should form small missionary and organisational centres in their settlements; and continue their work in a limited sphere without creating any disturbance. The second command which was given to them under these circumstances was to say their prayers regularly, in order to develop a bond with God and to seek His help. They were to arrange to pray, both individually as well as collectively. Prayer is in fact a method of seeking the help of God by getting close to Him. By becoming engrossed in prayer, a servant of God brings himself to the position of humility and modesty, and it is in this position that he meets God; there is no other point from which he can meet God. The secret of the welfare and salvation of the Israelites was hidden in this plan which was shown to them. This command was, in a way, a piece of good news for them, indicating that God was going to bring them out of the prevailing conditions into which their enemies had thrust them.
Page 218
10:79
وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ ٱئۡتُونِي بِكُلِّ سَٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٖ ٧٩
And Pharaoh said, "Bring to me every learned magician."
10:80
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰٓ أَلۡقُواْ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلۡقُونَ ٨٠
So when the magicians came, Moses said to them, "Throw down whatever you will throw."
10:81
فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئۡتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحۡرُۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبۡطِلُهُۥٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصۡلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ٨١
And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allāh will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allāh does not amend the work of corrupters.
10:82
وَيُحِقُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَرِهَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٨٢
And Allāh will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."
10:83
فَمَآ ءَامَنَ لِمُوسَىٰٓ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٞ مِّن قَوۡمِهِۦ عَلَىٰ خَوۡفٖ مِّن فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَإِيْهِمۡ أَن يَفۡتِنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ لَعَالٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٨٣
But no one believed Moses, except [some] offspring [i.e., youths] among his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his establishment that they would persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.
10:84
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِن كُنتُمۡ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ فَعَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلُوٓاْ إِن كُنتُم مُّسۡلِمِينَ ٨٤
And Moses said, "O my people, if you have believed in Allāh, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims [i.e., submitting to Him]."
10:85
فَقَالُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا فِتۡنَةٗ لِّلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٨٥
So they said, "Upon Allāh do we rely. Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial for the wrongdoing people
10:86
وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحۡمَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٨٦
And save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people."
10:87
وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوۡمِكُمَا بِمِصۡرَ بُيُوتٗا وَٱجۡعَلُواْ بُيُوتَكُمۡ قِبۡلَةٗ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨٧
And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah1 and establish prayer and give good tidings to the believers."
1 translator’s note
- In order that they might pray therein unseen by their enemy. ↩
10:88
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءَاتَيۡتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَأَهُۥ زِينَةٗ وَأَمۡوَٰلٗا فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِكَۖ رَبَّنَا ٱطۡمِسۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ وَٱشۡدُدۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ ٨٨
And Moses said, "Our Lord, indeed You have given Pharaoh and his establishment splendor and wealth in the worldly life, our Lord, that they may lead [men] astray from Your way. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment."