Taha 20:79
Ta-Ha · Juz 16 · Page 317
وَأَضَلَّ فِرۡعَوۡنُ قَوۡمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ ٧٩
And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide [them].
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Tazkirul Quran
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Commentary on 20:77–79
After the confrontation with the magicians, Moses remained in Egypt for many years. On the one hand, he persisted with his preachings to Pharaoh and his community, while on the other hand, he demanded that he be allowed to take his people along with him out of Egypt to the Sinai desert, so that they could freely pray to the one and only God. But Pharaoh neither accepted his advice, nor did he allow him to leave Egypt. At last, at God’s behest, Moses decided to migrate in secrecy. In accordance with a predetermined plan, all the Israelite as well as non-Israelite believers who were there in Egypt at that time gathered at a particular place and from there collectively marched onwards. No sooner had this caravan reached the northern Gulf of the Red Sea than Pharaoh arrived there in pursuit of them with his army. Before them was the wide gulf like a vast sea and behind them was Pharaoh’s army. Then, Moses struck the water of the gulf with his stick, and the water divided into two parts. Moses and his companions, walking on the dry land in the middle, reached the other side safely. On seeing this, Pharaoh also embarked on the same course. But as soon as Pharaoh and his army reached the middle, the two separate walls of the water gushed back in and joined together, so that they were all drowned. The same sea, which had provided a path of deliverance to God’s faithful subjects, became a pit of death for His enemies. Generally, people who rely on their leaders ignore the Truth. Pharaoh’s example certainly shows that a leader’s support can be very weak. In this world, those who chalk out their path by following God’s signs rather than the dictates of some great national figure are the ones to enjoy real support.
Page 317
20:77
وَلَقَدۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِي فَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُمۡ طَرِيقٗا فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ يَبَسٗا لَّا تَخَٰفُ دَرَكٗا وَلَا تَخۡشَىٰ ٧٧
And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken [by Pharaoh] nor be afraid [of drowning]."
20:78
فَأَتۡبَعَهُمۡ فِرۡعَوۡنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمۡ ٧٨
So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, and there covered them from the sea that which covered them,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., not only the water but that which only Allāh knows - terror, pain, regret, etc. ↩
20:79
وَأَضَلَّ فِرۡعَوۡنُ قَوۡمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ ٧٩
And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide [them].
20:80
يَٰبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ قَدۡ أَنجَيۡنَٰكُم مِّنۡ عَدُوِّكُمۡ وَوَٰعَدۡنَٰكُمۡ جَانِبَ ٱلطُّورِ ٱلۡأَيۡمَنَ وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلۡوَىٰ ٨٠
O Children of Israel, We delivered you from your enemy, and We made an appointment with you1 at the right side of the mount, and We sent down to you manna and quails,
1 translator’s note
- i.e., with your prophet, to receive the scripture for you. ↩
20:81
كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنَٰكُمۡ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْ فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غَضَبِيۖ وَمَن يَحۡلِلۡ عَلَيۡهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدۡ هَوَىٰ ٨١
[Saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you and do not transgress [or oppress others] therein, lest My anger should descend upon you. And he upon whom My anger descends has certainly fallen [i.e., perished]."
20:82
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٞ لِّمَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا ثُمَّ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ ٨٢
But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.
20:83
۞ وَمَآ أَعۡجَلَكَ عَن قَوۡمِكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ ٨٣
[Allāh said], "And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?"
20:84
قَالَ هُمۡ أُوْلَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِي وَعَجِلۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ رَبِّ لِتَرۡضَىٰ ٨٤
He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased."
20:85
قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَوۡمَكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِيُّ ٨٥
[Allāh] said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you [departed], and the Sāmirī1 has led them astray."
1 translator’s note
- Translated as "the Samaritan" (from Samaria), a hypocrite among them who led the Children of Israel into idol-worship. ↩
20:86
فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَٰنَ أَسِفٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَلَمۡ يَعِدۡكُمۡ رَبُّكُمۡ وَعۡدًا حَسَنًاۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡعَهۡدُ أَمۡ أَرَدتُّمۡ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غَضَبٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ فَأَخۡلَفۡتُم مَّوۡعِدِي ٨٦
So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved.1 He said, "O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise?2 Then, was the time [of its fulfillment] too long for you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord descend upon you, so you broke your promise [of obedience] to me?"
20:87
قَالُواْ مَآ أَخۡلَفۡنَا مَوۡعِدَكَ بِمَلۡكِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا حُمِّلۡنَآ أَوۡزَارٗا مِّن زِينَةِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ فَقَذَفۡنَٰهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلۡقَى ٱلسَّامِرِيُّ ٨٧
They said, "We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people [of Pharaoh], so we threw them [into the fire], and thus did the Sāmirī throw."