The Poets — Verse 62

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.

He Moses said ‘Certainly not! they shall not catch us up; indeed I have my Lord with me to provide assistance. He will guide me’ to the route of deliverance.

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me.The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading!What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: �Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.� This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, �My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!� [20:26] and so on.Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, �who created me, so He is guiding me.� In other words: �He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.�This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, �O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself!�O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.�

قال موسى لهم: كلا ليس الأمر كما ذكرتم فلن تُدْرَكوا؛ إن معي ربي بالنصر، سيهديني لما فيه نجاتي ونجاتكم.

لهذا قالوا "إنا لمدركون قال كلا إن معي ربي سيهدين" أي لا يصل إليكم شيء مما تحذرون فإن الله سبحانه هو الذي أمرني أن أسير ههنا بكم وهو سبحانه وتعالى لا يخلف الميعاد وكان هارون عليه السلام في المقدمة ومعه يوشع بن نون ومؤمن آل فرعون وموسى عليه السلام في الساقة وقد ذكر غير واحد من المفسرين أنهم وقفوا لا يدرون ما يصنعون وجعل يوشع بن نون أو مؤمن آل فرعون يقول لموسى عليه السلام يا نبي الله ههنا أمرك ربك أن تسير؟ فيقول نعم فاقترب فرعون وجنوده ولم يبق إلا القليل فعند ذلك أمر الله نبييه موسى عليه السلام أن يضرب بعصاه البحر فضربه وقال انفلق بإذن الله وروى ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبو زرعة حدثنا صفوان بن صالح حدثنا الوليد حدثنا محمد بن حمزة بن يوسف عن عبدالله بن سلام أن موسى عليه السلام لما انتهى إلى البحر قال: يا من كان قبل كل شيء والمكون لكل شيء والكائن بعد كل شيء اجعل لنا مخرجا.

وهنا رد عليهم موسى - عليه السلام - بثقة وثبات بقوله : ( كَلاَّ ) أى : كلا لن يدرككم ، فاثبتوا ولا تجزعوا ( إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ) .بهذا الجزم والتأكيد رد موسى على بنى إسرائيل ، وهو رد يدل على قوة إيمانه ، وثبات يقينه ، وثقته التى لا حدود لها فى نصر الله - تعالى - له ، وفى هدايته إياه إلى طريق الفوز والفلاح .

وقوله: ( كَلا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ) قال موسى لقومه: ليس الأمر كما ذكرتم, كلا لن تدركوا إن معي ربي سيهدين, يقول: سيهدين لطريق أنجو فيه من فرعون وقومه.كما حدثني ابن حميد, قال: ثنا سلمة, عن ابن إسحاق, عن محمد بن كعب القرظي, عن عبد الله بن شداد بن الهاد, قال: لقد ذكر لي أنه خرج فرعون في طلب موسى على سبعين ألفا من دُهم الخيل, سوى ما في جنده من شية الخيل, وخرج موسى حتى إذا قابله البحر, ولم يكن عنه منصرف, طلع فرعون في جنده من خلفهم ( فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ قَالَ كَلا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ) أي للنجاة, وقد وعدني ذلك, ولا خُلف لموعوده.حدثنا موسى, قال: ثنا عمرو, قال: ثنا أسباط, عن السديّ: ( قَالَ كَلا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ) يقول: سيكفيني, وقال: عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ .

( قال ) موسى ثقة بوعد الله إياه : ) ( كلا ) لن يدركونا ، ( إن معي ربي سيهدين ) يدلني على طريق النجاة .

قَالَ كَلَّا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (62) وجملة : { سيهدين } مستأنفة أو حال من { ربّي } . ولا يضر وجود حرف الاستقبال لأن الحال مقدرة كما في قوله تعالى حكاية عن إبراهيم { قال إني ذاهب إلى ربّي سَيَهْدِين } [ الصافات : 99 ] . والمعنى : أنه سيبيّن لي سبيل سلامتنا من فرعون وجنده .

قَالَ موسى, مثبتا لهم, ومخبرا لهم بوعد ربه الصادق: كُلا أي: ليس الأمر كما ذكرتم, أنكم مدركون، إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ لما فيه نجاتي ونجاتكم.

قوله تعالى : قال كلا إن معي ربي سيهدين لما لحق فرعون بجمعه جمع موسى وقرب منهم ، ورأت بنو إسرائيل العدو القوي والبحر أمامهم ساءت ظنونهم ، وقالوا لموسى ، على جهة التوبيخ والجفاء : " إنا لمدركون " فرد عليهم قولهم وزجرهم وذكرهم وعد الله سبحانه له بالهداية والظفر " كلا " أي لم يدركوكم إن معي ربي أي بالنصر على العدو . " سيهدين " أي سيدلني على طريق النجاة ،

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.

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 اللَّـهَ 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.

(He said) Moses said: (Nay) they have not, (verily! for lo! my Lord is with me. He will guide me) He will save me from them and guide me to the right way.