The Poets — Verse 61

Fir`awn's Pursuit and Expulsion of the Children of Israel, and how He and His People were drowned More than one of the scholars of Tafsir said that Fir`awn set out with a huge group, a group containing the leaders and entire government of Egypt at that time, i.e., the decision-makers and influential figures, princes, ministers, nobles, leaders and soldiers. فَأَتْبَعُوهُم مُّشْرِقِينَ (So, they pursued them at sunrise.) means, they caught up with the Children of Israel at sunrise. فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَا الْجَمْعَانِ (And when the two hosts saw each other,) means, each group saw the other. At that point, قَالَ أَصْحَـبُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ (the companions of Musa said: "We are sure to be overtaken.") This was because Fir`awn and his people caught up with them on the shores of the Red Sea, so the sea was ahead of them and Fir`awn and his troops were behind them. Hence they said: فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَا الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَـبُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ - قَالَ كَلاَّ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ ("We are sure to be overtaken." (Musa) said: "Nay, verily with me is my Lord. He will guide me.") meaning, `nothing of what you fear will happen to you, for Allah is the One Who commanded me to bring you here, and He does not go back on His promise.' Harun, peace be upon him, was in the front, with Yusha` bin Nun and a believer from the family of Fir`awn, and Musa, peace be upon him, was in the rear. More than one of the scholars of Tafsir said that they stood there not knowing what to do, and Yusha` bin Nun or the believer from the family of Fir`awn said to Musa, peace be upon him, "O Prophet of Allah, is it here that your Lord commanded you to bring us" He said: "Yes." Then Fir`awn and his troops drew near and were very close indeed. At that point Allah commanded his Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, to strike the sea with his staff, so he struck it, and it parted, by the will of Allah. Allah says: فَانفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ (And it parted, and each separate part became like huge mountain.) meaning, like mighty mountains. This was the view of Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and others. `Ata' Al-Khurasani said, "It refers to a pass between two mountains." Ibn `Abbas said, "The sea divided into twelve paths, one for each of the tribes." As-Suddi added, "And in it there were windows through which they could see one another, and the water was erected like walls." Allah sent the wind to the sea bed to make it solid like the land. Allah says: فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقاً فِى الْبَحْرِ يَبَساً لاَّ تَخَافُ دَرَكاً وَلاَ تَخْشَى (and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken nor being afraid) (20:77). And here He says: وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الاٌّخَرِينَ (Then We brought near the others to that place.) Ibn `Abbas, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Qatadah and As-Suddi said: وَأَزْلَفْنَا (Then We brought near) means, "We brought Fir`awn and his troops near to the sea." وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَى وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ - ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الاٌّخَرِينَ (And We saved Musa and all those with him. Then We drowned the others.) meaning: `We saved Musa and the Children of Israel and whoever followed their religion, and none of them were destroyed, but Fir`awn and his troops were drowned and not one of them remained alive, but was destroyed.' Then Allah says: إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً (Verily, in this is indeed a sign,) meaning, this story with its wonders and tales of aid to the believing servants of Allah is definitive proof and evidence of Allah's wisdom. إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لأَيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ - وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (yet most of them are not believers. And verily your Lord, He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. ) The explanation of this phrase has already been discussed above.

And when the two hosts sighted each other the companions of Moses said ‘We have been caught!’ Pharaoh’s hosts have caught us up and we have no power against them.

“No indeed, surely with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” Do not despair, for the hidden gentleness is our guide and the concealed artisanry is lying in wait for Pharaoh. Surely with me is my Lord. In this statement Moses made himself solitary. He did not say “with us is our Lord,” because the decree had already gone forth that after the destruction of Pha- raoh and the Egyptians, a group of the Children of Israel would become calf-worshipers. This is why he made himself solitary. Again, when MuṣṬafā was in the cave with Abū Bakr, the greatest of the sincerely truthful, he had recognized the realities and meanings of the states of that sincerely truthful man, so he joined him with himself in declaring with-ness. He said, “Surely God is with us” [9:40]. A subtle point: Moses brought forth with me because he was looking from himself to the Real. But MuṣṬafā said, “Surely God is with us” because he was looking from the Real to himself. This is like His words, “Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow?” [25:45]. He did not say, “the shadow, how thy Lord stretched it out.” Moses had the state of the desirers, but MuṣṬafā had the state of the desired. The former is the road of the travelers, the latter the attribute of those snatched away. It has been said that when Pharaoh reached the shore and saw the sea split open and the roads apparent, he said to his people, “This sea has split in fear of me, and I am your Lord the most high [79:24].” When he said that, Gabriel wanted to chastise him, so he spread his wings to knock him to the ground. The command came from the Compeller of the World, “No, Gabriel. Only those who fear death should be hurried to punishment.” It has also been said that Moses said about himself, “Surely with me is my Lord,” and the Exalted Lord said about the community of AḤmad, “Surely God is with those who are godwary” [16:128]. God did not reject what Moses said about himself, for He showed him the road of de- liverance and lifted the deceit of the enemy away from him. What then do you say about what the Real Himself said concerning the community of AḤmad? It is even more appropriate that He fulfill the promise He gave, deliver them from the sorrow of sins, and convey them to His mercy and forgiveness.

“No indeed, surely with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” Do not despair, for the hidden gentleness is our guide and the concealed artisanry is lying in wait for Pharaoh. Surely with me is my Lord. In this statement Moses made himself solitary. He did not say “with us is our Lord,” because the decree had already gone forth that after the destruction of Pha- raoh and the Egyptians, a group of the Children of Israel would become calf-worshipers. This is why he made himself solitary. Again, when MuṣṬafā was in the cave with Abū Bakr, the greatest of the sincerely truthful, he had recognized the realities and meanings of the states of that sincerely truthful man, so he joined him with himself in declaring with-ness. He said, “Surely God is with us” [9:40]. A subtle point: Moses brought forth with me because he was looking from himself to the Real. But MuṣṬafā said, “Surely God is with us” because he was looking from the Real to himself. This is like His words, “Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow?” [25:45]. He did not say, “the shadow, how thy Lord stretched it out.” Moses had the state of the desirers, but MuṣṬafā had the state of the desired. The former is the road of the travelers, the latter the attribute of those snatched away. It has been said that when Pharaoh reached the shore and saw the sea split open and the roads apparent, he said to his people, “This sea has split in fear of me, and I am your Lord the most high [79:24].” When he said that, Gabriel wanted to chastise him, so he spread his wings to knock him to the ground. The command came from the Compeller of the World, “No, Gabriel. Only those who fear death should be hurried to punishment.” It has also been said that Moses said about himself, “Surely with me is my Lord,” and the Exalted Lord said about the community of AḤmad, “Surely God is with those who are godwary” [16:128]. God did not reject what Moses said about himself, for He showed him the road of de- liverance and lifted the deceit of the enemy away from him. What then do you say about what the Real Himself said concerning the community of AḤmad? It is even more appropriate that He fulfill the promise He gave, deliver them from the sorrow of sins, and convey them to His mercy and forgiveness.

“No indeed, surely with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” Do not despair, for the hidden gentleness is our guide and the concealed artisanry is lying in wait for Pharaoh. Surely with me is my Lord. In this statement Moses made himself solitary. He did not say “with us is our Lord,” because the decree had already gone forth that after the destruction of Pha- raoh and the Egyptians, a group of the Children of Israel would become calf-worshipers. This is why he made himself solitary. Again, when MuṣṬafā was in the cave with Abū Bakr, the greatest of the sincerely truthful, he had recognized the realities and meanings of the states of that sincerely truthful man, so he joined him with himself in declaring with-ness. He said, “Surely God is with us” [9:40]. A subtle point: Moses brought forth with me because he was looking from himself to the Real. But MuṣṬafā said, “Surely God is with us” because he was looking from the Real to himself. This is like His words, “Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow?” [25:45]. He did not say, “the shadow, how thy Lord stretched it out.” Moses had the state of the desirers, but MuṣṬafā had the state of the desired. The former is the road of the travelers, the latter the attribute of those snatched away. It has been said that when Pharaoh reached the shore and saw the sea split open and the roads apparent, he said to his people, “This sea has split in fear of me, and I am your Lord the most high [79:24].” When he said that, Gabriel wanted to chastise him, so he spread his wings to knock him to the ground. The command came from the Compeller of the World, “No, Gabriel. Only those who fear death should be hurried to punishment.” It has also been said that Moses said about himself, “Surely with me is my Lord,” and the Exalted Lord said about the community of AḤmad, “Surely God is with those who are godwary” [16:128]. God did not reject what Moses said about himself, for He showed him the road of de- liverance and lifted the deceit of the enemy away from him. What then do you say about what the Real Himself said concerning the community of AḤmad? It is even more appropriate that He fulfill the promise He gave, deliver them from the sorrow of sins, and convey them to His mercy and forgiveness.

“No indeed, surely with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” Do not despair, for the hidden gentleness is our guide and the concealed artisanry is lying in wait for Pharaoh. Surely with me is my Lord. In this statement Moses made himself solitary. He did not say “with us is our Lord,” because the decree had already gone forth that after the destruction of Pha- raoh and the Egyptians, a group of the Children of Israel would become calf-worshipers. This is why he made himself solitary. Again, when MuṣṬafā was in the cave with Abū Bakr, the greatest of the sincerely truthful, he had recognized the realities and meanings of the states of that sincerely truthful man, so he joined him with himself in declaring with-ness. He said, “Surely God is with us” [9:40]. A subtle point: Moses brought forth with me because he was looking from himself to the Real. But MuṣṬafā said, “Surely God is with us” because he was looking from the Real to himself. This is like His words, “Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow?” [25:45]. He did not say, “the shadow, how thy Lord stretched it out.” Moses had the state of the desirers, but MuṣṬafā had the state of the desired. The former is the road of the travelers, the latter the attribute of those snatched away. It has been said that when Pharaoh reached the shore and saw the sea split open and the roads apparent, he said to his people, “This sea has split in fear of me, and I am your Lord the most high [79:24].” When he said that, Gabriel wanted to chastise him, so he spread his wings to knock him to the ground. The command came from the Compeller of the World, “No, Gabriel. Only those who fear death should be hurried to punishment.” It has also been said that Moses said about himself, “Surely with me is my Lord,” and the Exalted Lord said about the community of AḤmad, “Surely God is with those who are godwary” [16:128]. God did not reject what Moses said about himself, for He showed him the road of de- liverance and lifted the deceit of the enemy away from him. What then do you say about what the Real Himself said concerning the community of AḤmad? It is even more appropriate that He fulfill the promise He gave, deliver them from the sorrow of sins, and convey them to His mercy and forgiveness.

�No indeed, surely with me is my Lord; He will guide me.�Do not despair, for the hidden gentleness is our guide and the concealed artisanry is lying in wait for Pharaoh.Surely with me is my Lord. In this statement Moses made himself solitary. He did not say �with us is our Lord,� because the decree had already gone forth that after the destruction of Pha- raoh and the Egyptians, a group of the Children of Israel would become calf-worshipers. This is why he made himself solitary. Again, when MuṣṬafā was in the cave with Abū Bakr, the greatest of the sincerely truthful, he had recognized the realities and meanings of the states of that sincerely truthful man, so he joined him with himself in declaring with-ness. He said, �Surely God is with us� [9:40].A subtle point: Moses brought forth with me because he was looking from himself to the Real. But MuṣṬafā said, �Surely God is with us� because he was looking from the Real to himself. This is like His words, �Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow?� [25:45]. He did not say, �the shadow, how thy Lord stretched it out.� Moses had the state of the desirers, but MuṣṬafā had the state of the desired. The former is the road of the travelers, the latter the attribute of those snatched away.It has been said that when Pharaoh reached the shore and saw the sea split open and the roads apparent, he said to his people, �This sea has split in fear of me, and I am your Lord the most high [79:24].� When he said that, Gabriel wanted to chastise him, so he spread his wings to knock him to the ground. The command came from the Compeller of the World, �No, Gabriel. Only those who fear death should be hurried to punishment.�It has also been said that Moses said about himself, �Surely with me is my Lord,� and the Exalted Lord said about the community of AḤmad, �Surely God is with those who are godwary� [16:128]. God did not reject what Moses said about himself, for He showed him the road of de- liverance and lifted the deceit of the enemy away from him. What then do you say about what the Real Himself said concerning the community of AḤmad? It is even more appropriate that He fulfill the promise He gave, deliver them from the sorrow of sins, and convey them to His mercy and forgiveness.

فلما رأى كل واحد من الفريقين الآخر قال أصحاب موسى: إنَّ جَمْعَ فرعون مُدْرِكنا ومهلكنا.

"فلما تراءى الجمعان" أي رأى كل من الفريقين صاحبه فعند ذلك "قال أصحاب موسى إنا لمدركون" وذلك أنهم انتهى بهم السير إلى سيف البحر وهو بحر القلزم فصار أمامهم البحر وقد أدركهم فرعون بجنوده.

( فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الجمعان ) أى : تقاربا بحيث يرى كل فريق خصمه .( قَالَ ) بنو إسرائيل لنبيهم موسى - عليه السلام - والخوف يملأ نفوسهم : ( إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ) أى : سيدركنا بعد قليل فرعون وجنوده ، ولا قدرة لنا .. . على قتالهم . .

يقول تعالى ذكره: فلما تناظر الجمعان: جمع موسى وهم بنو إسرائيل, وجمع فرعون وهم القبط ( قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ) أي إنا لملحقون, الآن يلحقنا فرعون وجنوده فيقتلوننا, وذكر أنهم قالوا ذلك لموسى, تشاؤما بموسى.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى, قال: ثنا المعتمر بن سليمان, عن أبيه, قال: قلت لعبد الرحمن ( فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ) قال: تشاءموا بموسى, وقالوا: أُوذِينَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا .حدثنا موسى, قال: ثنا أسباط, عن السديّ: ( فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ ) فنظرت بنو إسرائيل إلى فرعون قد رمقهم قالوا (إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ) (قالوا) يَامُوسَى (أُوذِينَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا) اليوم يدركنا فرعون فيقتلنا, إنا لمدركون; البحر بين أيدينا, وفرعون من خلفنا.حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن أبي بكر, عن شهر بن حوشب, عن ابن عباس, قال: لما انتهى موسى إلى البحر, وهاجت الريح العاصف, فنظر أصحاب موسى خلفهم إلى الريح, وإلى البحر أمامهم (قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ * قَالَ كَلا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ).واختلفت القرّاء في قراءة ذلك, فقرأته عامة قرّاء الأمصار سوى الأعرج ( إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ), وقرأه الأعرج: " إنَّا لَمُدَرَّكُونَ" كما يقال نـزلت, وأنـزلت. والقراءة عندنا التي عليها قرّاء الأمصار, لإجماع الحجة من القرّاء عليها.

( فلما تراءى الجمعان ) أي : تقابلا بحيث يرى كل فريق صاحبه ، وكسر حمزة الراء من " تراءى " وفتحها الآخرون . ( قال أصحاب موسى إنا لمدركون ) أي : سيدركنا قوم فرعون ولا طاقة لنا بهم . )

فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ (61 أي لما بلغ فرعون وجنوده قريباً من مكان جموع بني إسرائيل بحيث يرى كل فريق منهما الفريق الآخر . فالترائي تَفاعل لأنه حصول الفعل من الجانبين .وقولهم : { إنا لمُدْرَكون } بالتأكيد لشدة الاهتمام بهذا الخبر وهو مستعمل في معنى الجزع . و { كَلاَّ } ردع . وتقدم في سورة مريم ( 79 ) { كلا سنكتب ما يقول } ردع به موسى ظنهم أنهم يدركهم فرعون ، وعلَّل رَدْعهم عن ذلك بجملة : { إن معي ربي سيهدين } .وإسناد المعية إلى الرب في { إن معي ربي } على معنى مصاحبة لطف الله به وعنايته بتقدير أسباب نجاته من عدوه . وذلك أن موسى واثق بأن الله منجيه لقوله تعالى : { إنّا معكم مستَمعون } [ الشعراء : 15 ] ، وقوله : { اسْرِ بعبادي إنكم مُتَّبعون } [ الشعراء : 52 ] كما تقدم آنفاً أنه وعد بضمان النجاة .

فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ أي رأى كل منهما صاحبه، قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى شاكين لموسى وحزنين إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ

[ ص: 100 ] قوله تعالى : فلما تراءى الجمعان أي تقابلا الجمعان بحيث يرى كل فريق صاحبه ; وهو " تفاعل " من الرؤية . قال أصحاب موسى إنا لمدركون أي قرب منا العدو ولا طاقة لنا به . وقراءة الجماعة : " لمدركون " بالتخفيف من " أدرك " . ومنه : حتى إذا أدركه الغرق . وقرأ عبيد بن عمير والأعرج والزهري : ( لمدركون ) بتشديد الدال من ادرك . قال الفراء : حفر واحتفر بمعنى واحد ، وكذلك " لمدركون " و " لمدركون " بمعنى واحد . النحاس : وليس كذلك يقول النحويون الحذاق ، إنما يقولون : مدركون ملحقون ، و " مدركون " مجتهد في لحاقهم ، كما يقال : كسبت بمعنى أصبت وظفرت ، واكتسبت بمعنى اجتهدت وطلبت وهذا معنى قول سيبويه .

Pursued by Pharaoh, the Children of Israel reached a place where before them was the sea, and behind them were Pharaoh and his army. Seeing this critical situation, the Children of Israel were terrified. According to the Bible, they said to Moses, ‘Were there no graves in Egypt that you have brought us from there to this deserted place to die?’ But Moses was sure that Almighty God would help them. So, in obedience to the commandment of the Almighty, Moses struck the sea-water with his rod. The water was thereupon split asunder. On both the sides, the water stood like high walls and in between there appeared a dry path. The Children of Israel traversed this path and reached the other side. On seeing this, Pharaoh thought that he too could cross over by this path. He did not know that, only seconds before, the path had miraculously appeared by the order of God. Pharaoh set foot upon it along with his whole army. No sooner had they reached the middle than the standing sea water gushed from both sides and rose to a uniform level. Pharaoh and his entire army were immdediately drowned. At one and the same time, deliverance was planned for one group, and death and destruction for the other.

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.

(And when the two hosts) the group of Moses and that of Pharaoh (saw each other, those with Moses said: Lo! we are indeed caught) O Moses, they have caught up with us.