Al-Qasas 28:38
The Stories · Juz 20 · Page 390
وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمۡتُ لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرِي فَأَوۡقِدۡ لِي يَٰهَٰمَٰنُ عَلَى ٱلطِّينِ فَٱجۡعَل لِّي صَرۡحٗا لَّعَلِّيٓ أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٣٨
And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Hāmān, [a fire] upon the clay1 and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
1 translator’s note
- From which bricks are made. ↩
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Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 28:37–38
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.
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28:36
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالُواْ مَا هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٞ مُّفۡتَرٗى وَمَا سَمِعۡنَا بِهَٰذَا فِيٓ ءَابَآئِنَا ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٣٦
But when Moses came to them with Our signs as clear evidences, they said, "This is not except invented magic, and we have not heard of this [religion] among our forefathers."
28:37
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ مِنۡ عِندِهِۦ وَمَن تَكُونُ لَهُۥ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلدَّارِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٣٧
And Moses said, "My Lord is more knowing [than we or you] of who has come with guidance from Him and to whom will be succession in the home.1 Indeed, wrongdoers do not succeed."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in this world or in the Hereafter. ↩
28:38
وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمۡتُ لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرِي فَأَوۡقِدۡ لِي يَٰهَٰمَٰنُ عَلَى ٱلطِّينِ فَٱجۡعَل لِّي صَرۡحٗا لَّعَلِّيٓ أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٣٨
And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Hāmān, [a fire] upon the clay1 and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
1 translator’s note
- From which bricks are made. ↩
28:39
وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡنَا لَا يُرۡجَعُونَ ٣٩
And he was arrogant, he and his soldiers, in the land, without right, and they thought that they would not be returned to Us.
28:40
فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّۖ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٠
So We took him and his soldiers and threw them into the sea.1 So see how was the end of the wrongdoers.
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) caused them to leave all their worldly wealth behind and enter the sea in pursuit of the Children of Israel. See 26:52-66. ↩
28:41
وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ أَئِمَّةٗ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِۖ وَيَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ ٤١
And We made them leaders1 inviting to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., examples or precedents, followed by subsequent tyrants. ↩
28:42
وَأَتۡبَعۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لَعۡنَةٗۖ وَيَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ هُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمَقۡبُوحِينَ ٤٢
And We caused to overtake them in this world a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be of the despised.1
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "those made hideous," who will be far removed from all good and mercy. ↩
28:43
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَآ أَهۡلَكۡنَا ٱلۡقُرُونَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ بَصَآئِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٣
And We gave Moses the Scripture, after We had destroyed the former generations, as enlightenment for the people and guidance and mercy that they might be reminded.