The Poets — Verse 16

Between Musa and Fir`awn Allah tells us what He commanded His servant, son of `Imran and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him, who spoke with Him, to do, when He called him from the right side of the mountain, and conversed with him, and chose him, sent him, and commanded him to go to Fir`awn and his people. Allah says: وَإِذْ نَادَى رَبُّكَ مُوسَى أَنِ ائْتَ الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ - قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَلا يَتَّقُونَ - قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ - وَيَضِيقُ صَدْرِى وَلاَ يَنطَلِقُ لِسَانِى فَأَرْسِلْ إِلَى هَـرُونَ - وَلَهُمْ عَلَىَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ (And when your Lord called Musa: "Go to the people who are wrongdoers. The people of Fir`awn. Will they not have Taqwa" He said: "My Lord! Verily, I fear that they will deny me, And my breast straitens, and my tongue expresses not well. So send for Harun. And they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear they will kill me.") So, Musa asked Allah to remove these difficulties for him, as he said in Surah Ta Ha: قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى - وَيَسِّرْ لِى أَمْرِى (Musa said: "O my Lord! Open for me my chest. And ease my task for me.") (20:25-26) until: قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يمُوسَى (You are granted your request, O Musa!) (20:36) وَلَهُمْ عَلَىَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ (And they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear they will kill me.) because he had killed that Egyptian, which was the reason that he left the land of Egypt. قَالَ كَلاَّ ((Allah) said: "Nay!...") Allah told him: do not be afraid of anything like that. This is like the Ayah, سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَـناً (Allah said: "We will strengthen your arm through your brother, and give you both power) meaning, proof; فَلاَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِـْايَـتِنَآ أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَـلِبُونَ (so they shall not be able to harm you, with Our signs, you two as well as those who follow you will be the victors) (28:35), فَاذْهَبَا بِـَايَـتِنَآ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ مُّسْتَمِعُونَ (Go you both with Our signs. Verily, We shall be with you, listening.) This is like the Ayah, إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَى (I am with you both, hearing and seeing) (20:46). Meaning, `I will be with you by My protection, care, support and help.' فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (And go both of you to Fir`awn, and say: `We are the Messengers of the Lord of the all that exists.') This is like the Ayah, إِنَّا رَسُولاَ رَبِّكَ (Verily, we are both Messengers of your Lord) (20:47). which means, `both of us have been sent to you,' أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ (So allow the Children of Israel to go with us.) Meaning, `let them go, free them from your captivity, subjugation and torture, for they are the believing servants of Allah, devoted to Him, and with you they are in a position of humiliating torture.' When Musa said that to him, Fir`awn turned away and ignored him completely, regarding him with scorn and thinking little of him. Saying: أَلَمْ نُرَبِّكَ فِينَا وَلِيداً (Did we not bring you up among us as a child) meaning, we brought you up among us, in our home and on our bed, we nourished you and did favors for you for many years, and after all that you responded to our kindness in this manner: you killed one of our men and denied our favors to you.' So he said to him: وَأَنتَ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ (While you were one of the ingrates.) meaning, one of those who deny favors. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, and was the view favored by Ibn Jarir. قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَآ إِذاً ((Musa) said: "I did it then...") meaning, at that time, وَأَنَاْ مِنَ الضَّآلِّينَ (when I was in error.) meaning, `before revelation was sent to me and before Allah made me a Prophet and sent me with this Message.' فَفَرَرْتُ مِنكُمْ لَمَّا خِفْتُكُمْ فَوَهَبَ لِى رَبِّى حُكْماً وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (So, I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord has granted me Hukm, and made me one of the Messengers.) means, `the first situation came to an end and another took its place. Now Allah has sent me to you, and if you obey Him, you will be safe, but if you oppose Him, you will be destroyed.' Then Musa said: وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَىَّ أَنْ عَبَّدتَّ بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ (And this is the past favor with which you reproach me, -- that you have enslaved the Children of Israel.) meaning, `whatever favors you did in bringing me up are offset by the evil you did by enslaving the Children of Israel and using them to do your hard labor. Is there any comparison between your favors to one man among them and the evil you have done to all of them What you have mentioned about me is nothing compared to what you have done to them.'

So the two of you approach Pharaoh and say “Indeed We are — indeed each of the two of us is the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds to you

قال الله لموسى: كلا لن يقتلوك، وقد أجبت طلبك في هارون، فاذهبا بالمعجزات الدالة على صدقكما، إنا معكم بالعلم والحفظ والنصرة مستمعون. فأتِيَا فرعون فقولا له: إنا مرسَلان إليك وإلى قومك من رب العالمين: أن اترك بني إسرائيل؛ ليذهبوا معنا.

"فأتيا فرعون فقولا إنا رسول رب العالمين" كقوله في الآية الأخرى "إنا رسولا ربك" أي كل منا أرسل إليك.

والفاء فى قوله : ( فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فقولا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ العالمين أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بني إِسْرَائِيلَ ) لترتيب ما بعدها على ما قبلها من الوعد برعايتهما .و " أن " فى قوله ( أَنْ أَرْسِلْ ) مفسرة . لتضمن الإرسال المفهوم من الرسول معنى القول .أى : اذهبا وأنتما متسلحان بآياتنا الدالة على صدقكما ، فنحن معكم برعايتنا وقدرتنا . فأتيا فرعون بدون خوف أو وجل منه ( فقولا ) له بكل شجاعة وجراءة ( إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ العالمين ) أى : رب جميع العوالم التى من بينها عالم الجن . وعالم الملائكة .وقد أرسلنا - سبحانه - إليك ، لكى تطلق سراح بنى إسرائيل من ظلمك وبغيك ، وتتركهم يذهبون معنا إلى أرض الله الواسعة لكى يعبدوا الله - تعالى - وحده .قال الآلوسى : " وإفراد الرسولى فى قوله ( إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ العالمين ) لأنه مصدر بحسب الأصل ، وصف به كما يوصف بغيره من المصادر للمبالغة ، كرجل عدل . . . أو لوحدة المرسل أو المرسل به - أى : لأنهما ذهبا برسالة واحدة وفى مهمى واحدة " .وإلى هنا تكون الآيات الكريمة قد قصت علينا ، ما أمر الله - تعالى - به نبيه موسى - عليه السلام - وما زوده به - سبحانه - من إرشاد وتعليم ، بعد أن التمس منه - سبحانه - العون والتأييد .

وقوله: ( فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولا ) ... الآية, يقول: فأت أنت يا موسى وأخوك هارون فرعون.( فَقُولا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ) إليك ب ( أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ) وقال رسول ربّ العالمين, وهو يخاطب اثنين بقوله فقولا لأنه أراد به المصدر من أرسلت, يقال: أرسلت رسالة ورسولا كما قال الشاعر:لَقَـدْ كَـذَبَ الوَاشُـونَ ما بُحْتُ عِندَهمْبِسُـــوءٍ وَلا أرْسَــلْتُهُمْ بِرَسُــولِ (10)يعنى برسالة, وقال الآخر:ألا مــنْ مُبْلِــغٌ عَنّــي خُفافــارَسُــولا بَيْــتُ أهلِــكَ مُنْتَهاهـا (11)يعني بقوله: رسولا رسالة, فأنث لذلك الهاء.-------------------الهوامش :(10) البيت في (اللسان: رسل). وفي رواية "بليلى" في موضع "بسوء". قال: والإرسال التوجيه، وقد أرسل إليه. والاسم الرسالة (بكسر الراء المشددة وفتحها) والرسول والرسيل. الأخيرة عن ثعلب. وأنشد: "لقد كذب الواشون.ز" البيت قال: والرسول بمعنى الرسالة يؤنث ويذكر. وفي (اللسان: رسل) رواية أخرى للبيت كرواية المؤلف، ونسبه إلى كثير.(11) البيت لعباس بن مرداس (اللسان: رسل). قال: فأنث الرسول (بعود الضمير المؤنث) حيث كان بمعنى الرسالة. وهذا البيت من المقطوعة التي منها الشاهد السابق (ص 37) وهو: "فأيي ما وأيك.." البيت. يهجو به العباس بن مرداس خفاف بن ندبة لشيء كان بينهما (خزانة الأدب للبغدادي 2: 229).

فأتيا فرعون فقولا إنا رسول رب العالمين ) ولم يقل : رسولا رب العالمين ، لأنه أراد الرسالة ، أي : أنا ذو رسالة رب العالمين ، كما قال كثير :لقد كذب الواشون ما بحت عندهم بسر ولا أرسلتهم برسولأي : بالرسالة ، وقال أبو عبيدة : يجوز أن يكون الرسول بمعنى الاثنين والجمع ، تقول العرب : هذا رسولي ووكيلي وهذان وهؤلاء رسولي ووكيلي ، كما قال الله تعالى : " وهم لكم عدو " ( الكهف - 50 ) ، وقيل : معناه كل واحد منا رسول رب العالمين )

فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولَا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (16

فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أي أرسلنا إليك لتؤمن به وبنا وتنقاد لعبادته وتذعن لتوحيده.

قوله تعالى : فأتيا فرعون فقولا إنا رسول رب العالمين قال أبو عبيدة : " رسول " بمعنى " رسالة " والتقدير على هذا ; إنا ذوو رسالة رب العالمين . قال الهذلي :ألكني إليها وخير الرسول أعلمهم بنواحي الخبر" ألكني إليها " معناه : أرسلني . وقال آخر :لقد كذب الواشون ما بحت عندهم بسر ولا أرسلتهم برسولآخر :ألا أبلغ بني عمرو رسولا بأني عن فتاحتكم غنيوقال العباس بن مرداس :ألا من مبلغ عني خفافا رسولا بيت أهلك منتهاها[ ص: 90 ] يعني رسالة ؛ فلذلك أنثها . قال أبو عبيد : ويجوز أن يكون الرسول في معنى الاثنين والجمع ; فتقول العرب : هذا رسولي ووكيلي ، وهذان رسولي ووكيلي ، وهؤلاء رسولي ووكيلي . ومنه قوله تعالى : فإنهم عدو لي . وقيل : معناه إن كل واحد منا رسول رب العالمين .

One chosen by God to represent Him is in every way under His protection. Moreover, he is given some special signs which indicate clearly that his mission is an affair of God. But, in spite of that, man has gone so far in transgression as not to admit this. The Quran does not specify the details of the demand made by Moses on Pharaoh with regard to the Children of Israel. But the Torah elaborates upon the subject in the following sections: Exodus 4/18, 5/1 , 8/25-27 . According to the description in the Bible, it appears that this journey of Moses was not for the purpose of migration but for instruction. In Egypt, the cow was considered holy. Due to this centuries-old tradition, even the the Children of Israel had been influenced by this belief. Now, Moses wanted to take the Children of Israel out of the polytheistic atmosphere of Egypt for a few days, keep them in a pure atmosphere and re-educate them.

Commentary Request for favourable conditions for obedience is not tantamount to making excuses قَالَ رَ‌بِّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ ﴿12﴾ وَيَضِيقُ صَدْرِ‌ي وَلَا يَنطَلِقُ لِسَانِي فَأَرْ‌سِلْ إِلَىٰ هَارُ‌ونَ ﴿13﴾ وَلَهُمْ عَلَيَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ ﴿14﴾ He (Musa) said, "My Lord, I fear they will belie me. [ 12] And my heart gets straitened and my tongue is not fluent; so send for Harun. [ 13] And they have a charge of offence against me and I fear they will kill me;" [ 14] This verse indicates that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) requested Allah to provide him with some resources to help them in carrying out his mission. It leads to the principle that so far as the objective is to obey Allah's command, praying for some helping resources cannot be regarded as seeking ruses and excuses to escape from the required act. The request of Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام was only to facilitate the implementation of Allah's command which is quite lawful. The meaning of the word dalal used for Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَا إِذًا وَأَنَا مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ He said, "I did that at that time when I was one of the unaware people. (26:20) This was the answer of Musa (علیہ السلام) to the objection of the Pharaoh that Musa (علیہ السلام) had killed an Egyptian. The gist of the answer is that it was not a deliberate murder; in fact the Egyptian was killed by mistake, because Musa (علیہ السلام) had only struck him with a blow which, by accident, caused his death. The word used, by the present verse, for this mistake is derived from ضَلَال (dalal) which is commonly used for intentional error. But the word is also used for 'unawareness' (which includes unintentional mistakes) It is this meaning that is intended here. This interpretation is supported by Qatdah and Ibn Zaid رحمۃ اللہ علیہم . It is impossible for man to comprehend fully the entity and reality of the magnificence of Allah Ta’ ala قَالَ فِرْ‌عَوْنُ وَمَا رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ Pharaoh said, "And what is the Lord of the worlds?" (26:23) This verse proves that it is not possible to know the exact reality of Allah's Being. Since the Pharaoh had asked a question regarding Allah Ta’ ala's intrinsic-self and reality, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) instead of giving a direct answer to his query, described the attributes of Allah Ta’ ala in reply. He hinted in his reply that it is not possible for a man to perceive the essence and reality of Allah Ta’ ala. Hence, it was a futile question. (Ruh)

(And come together unto Pharaoh and say: Lo! we bear a message of the Lord of the Worlds) to you and to your people,