Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Ash-Shu'ara 26:61–83
26:61Page 370
فَلَمَّا تَرَٰٓءَا ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ قَالَ أَصۡحَٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدۡرَكُونَ ٦١
And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses said, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!"
قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَىٰ إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ﴿61﴾ قَالَ كَلَّا ۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ﴿62﴾
(The Companions of Musa said: "Surely we are overtaken." He said, "Never! Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me -26:61-62.
When the Pharaoh's army, which was in their pursuit, reached right behind them, all the people of Bani Isra'il called out ` We are caught'. And there was little doubt in their nabbing as the river was in front of them and the Pharaoh's enormous army behind them. Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was fully aware of the situation, but his belief in the promise of Allah was unshaken like a rock. He, therefore, replied firmly that they will never be caught.
26:62–83Page 370
قَالَ كـَلَّآۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهۡدِينِ ٦٢
[Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me."
فَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرۡقٖ كَٱلطَّوۡدِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٦٣
Then We inspired to Moses, "Strike with your staff the sea," and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain.
وَأَزۡلَفۡنَا ثَمَّ ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ ٦٤
And We advanced thereto the others [i.e., the pursuers].
وَأَنجَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٦٥
And We saved Moses and those with him, all together.
ثُمَّ أَغۡرَقۡنَا ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ ٦٦
Then We drowned the others.
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ٦٧
Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٦٨
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَأَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٦٩
And recite to them the news of Abraham,
إِذۡ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ٧٠
When he said to his father and his people, "What do you worship?"
قَالُواْ نَعۡبُدُ أَصۡنَامٗا فَنَظَلُّ لَهَا عَٰكِفِينَ ٧١
They said, "We worship idols and remain to them devoted."
قَالَ هَلۡ يَسۡمَعُونَكُمۡ إِذۡ تَدۡعُونَ ٧٢
He said, "Do they hear you when you supplicate?
أَوۡ يَنفَعُونَكُمۡ أَوۡ يَضُرُّونَ ٧٣
Or do they benefit you, or do they harm?"
قَالُواْ بَلۡ وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا كَذَٰلِكَ يَفۡعَلُونَ ٧٤
They said, "But we found our fathers doing thus."
قَالَ أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡبُدُونَ ٧٥
He said, "Then do you see what you have been worshipping,
أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُمُ ٱلۡأَقۡدَمُونَ ٧٦
You and your ancient forefathers?
فَإِنَّهُمۡ عَدُوّٞ لِّيٓ إِلَّا رَبَّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧٧
Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds,1
ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَنِي فَهُوَ يَهۡدِينِ ٧٨
Who created me, and He [it is who] guides me.
وَٱلَّذِي هُوَ يُطۡعِمُنِي وَيَسۡقِينِ ٧٩
And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink.
وَإِذَا مَرِضۡتُ فَهُوَ يَشۡفِينِ ٨٠
And when I am ill, it is He who cures me
وَٱلَّذِي يُمِيتُنِي ثُمَّ يُحۡيِينِ ٨١
And who will cause me to die and then bring me to life
وَٱلَّذِيٓ أَطۡمَعُ أَن يَغۡفِرَ لِي خَطِيٓـَٔتِي يَوۡمَ ٱلدِّينِ ٨٢
And who I aspire that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense."
رَبِّ هَبۡ لِي حُكۡمٗا وَأَلۡحِقۡنِي بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٨٣
[And he said], "My Lord, grant me authority and join me with the righteous.
The reasoning for this he gave إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (62) "Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me." Such are the moments for the test of faith, when Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was not terror stricken at all, as if he was seeing for himself the way out. Almost the same thing happened with Holy Prophet ﷺ at the time of migration while hiding in the cave of Thaur. The enemy had reached right at the opening of the cave in his pursuit. In fact they were so close that they could have seen him if they had looked down towards their toes. Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ got alarmed a little, but Holy Prophet ﷺ said exactly the same thing لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا ` Do not grieve, Allah is surely with us' (9:40). It is worth noting in the two incidents that while Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) said to his Ummah in order to console them مَعِيَ رَبِّي ` With me is my Lord', Holy Prophet ﷺ said toSayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ in reply ` Allah is with us (two) '. It is a special privilege of the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ that his followers are also honoured by the company of Allah when they are with their Rasul.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences