The Ant, The Ants — Verse 14

The Story of Musa and the End of Fir`awn Here Allah tells His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ about what happened to Musa, peace be upon him, how Allah chose him, spoke with him and gave him mighty, dazzling signs and overwhelming proof, and sent him to Fir`awn and his people, but they denied the proof, disbelieved in him and arrogantly refused to follow him. Allah says: إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لاًّهْلِهِ (when Musa said to his household), meaning, remember when Musa was traveling with his family and lost his way. This was at night, in the dark. Musa had seen a fire beside the mountain, i.e., he had noticed a fire burning brightly, and said, لاًّهْلِهِ إِنِّى آنَسْتُ نَاراً سَـَاتِيكُمْ مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ (to his household: "Verily, I have seen a fire; I will bring you from there some information...") meaning, `about the way we should take.' أَوْ ءَاتِيكُمْ بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ (or I will bring you a burning ember, that you may warm yourselves.) meaning, so that they could keep warm. And it was as he said: "He came back with great news, and a great light." Allah says: فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَن بُورِكَ مَن فِى النَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (But when he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is whosoever is in the fire, and whosoever is round about it!") meaning, when he came to it, he saw a great and terrifying sight: the fire was burning in a green bush, and the fire was burning ever brighter while the bush was growing ever more green and beautiful. Then he raised his head, and saw that its light was connected to the clouds of the sky. Ibn `Abbas and others said, "It was not a fire, rather it was shining light." According to one report narrated from Ibn `Abbas, it was the Light of the Lord of the worlds. Musa stood amazed by what he was seeing, and نُودِىَ أَن بُورِكَ مَن فِى النَّارِ (he was called: "Blessed is whosoever is in the fire...") Ibn `Abbas said, "This means, Holy is (whosoever is in the fire)." وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and whosoever is round about it) means, of the angels. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan and Qatadah. وَسُبْحَـنَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (And glorified be Allah, the Lord of all that exists), Who does whatever He wills and there is nothing like Him among His creation. Nothing He has made can encompass Him, and He is the Exalted, the Almighty, Who is utterly unlike all that He has created. Heaven and earth cannot contain Him, but He is the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who is far above any comparison with His creation. يمُوسَى إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (O Musa! Verily, it is I, Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.) Allah told him that the One Who was addressing him was his Lord Allah, the All-Mighty, Who has subjugated and subdued all things, the One Who is Wise in all His words and deeds. Then He commanded him to throw down the stick that was in his hand, so that He might show him clear proof that He is the One Who is able to do all things, whatever He wills. When Musa threw that stick down, it changed into the form of a huge and terrifying snake, moving quickly despite its size. Allah says: فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ (But when he saw it moving as if it were a Jann (snake).) Jann refers to a type of snake that is the fastest-moving and most agile. When Musa saw that with his own eyes, وَلَّى مُدْبِراً وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ (he turned in flight, and did not look back.) meaning, he did not turn around, because he was so afraid. Allah's saying: يمُوسَى لاَ تَخَفْ إِنِّى لاَ يَخَافُ لَدَىَّ الْمُرْسَلُونَ (O Musa! Fear not: verily, the Messengers fear not in front of Me.) means, `do not be afraid of what you see, for I want to choose you as a Messenger and make you a great Prophet.' إَلاَّ مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْناً بَعْدَ سُوءٍ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (Except him who has done wrong and afterwards has changed evil for good; then surely, I am Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This is an exception of the exclusionary type. This is good news for mankind, for whoever does an evil deed then gives it up and repents and turns to Allah, Allah will accept his repentance, as He says: وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى (And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds, and then Ahtada.) (20:82) وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ (And whoever does evil or wrongs himself...) (4:110). And there are many other Ayat which say the same. وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ (And put your hand into the opening of your garment, it will come forth white without hurt.) This is another sign, further brilliant proof of the ability of Allah to do whatever He wills. It is also confirmation of the truth of the one to whom the miracle was given. Allah commanded him to put his hand into the opening of his garment, and when he put his hand in and took it out again, it came out white and shining as if it were a piece of the moon or a flash of dazzling lightning. فِى تِسْعِ ءَايَـتٍ (among the nine signs) means, `these are two of the nine signs which you will be supported with and which will serve as proof for you. ' إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ (to Fir`awn and his people. Verily, they are a people who are rebellious.) These were the nine signs of which Allah said: وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ ءَايَـتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ (And indeed We gave Musa nine clear signs) (17:101) -- as we have stated there. فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَـتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً (But when Our Ayat came to them, clear to see,), i.e., clear and obvious, قَالُواْ هَـذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (they said: "This is a manifest magic".) They wanted to oppose it with their own magic, but they were defeated and were returned disgraced. وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا (And they belied them) means, verbally, وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ (though they themselves were convinced thereof.) means, they knew deep down that this was truth from Allah, but they denied it and were stubborn and arrogant. ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً (wrongfully and arrogantly) means, wronging themselves because this was the despicable manner to which they were accustomed, and they were arrogant because they were too proud to follow the truth. Allah said: فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (So, see what was the end of the mischief-makers.) meaning, `see, O Muhammad, what were the consequences of their actions when Allah destroyed them and drowned every last one of them in a single morning.' The point of this story is: beware, `O you who disbelieve in Muhammad ﷺ and deny the Message that he has brought from his Lord, lest the same thing that befell them befall you also.' But what is worse, is that Muhammad ﷺ is nobler and greater than Musa, and his proof is stronger than that of Musa, for the signs that Allah has given him are combined with his presence and his character, in addition to the fact that previous Prophets foretold his coming and took a covenant from the people that they would follow him if they should see him, may the best of blessings and peace from his Lord be upon him.

And they denied them they did not affirm them though in reality their souls had been convinced in other words though they were certain that these signs were from God wrongfully and arrogantly in defiance of believing in what Moses had brought these two adverbs refer back to the cause of their denial. So behold O Muhammad (s) how was the sequel for the agents of corruption a sequel which you know they were destroyed.

وكذَّبوا بالمعجزات التسع الواضحة الدلالة على صدق موسى في نبوته وصدق دعوته، وأنكروا بألسنتهم أن تكون من عند الله، وقد استيقنوها في قلوبهم اعتداءً على الحق وتكبرًا على الاعتراف به، فانظر -أيها الرسول- كيف كان مصير الذين كفروا بآيات الله وأفسدوا في الأرض، إذ أغرقهم الله في البحر؟ وفي ذلك عبرة لمن يعتبر.

"وجحدوا بها" أي في ظاهر أمرهم "واستيقنتها أنفسهم" أي علموا في أنفسهم أنها حق عند الله ولكن جحدوها وعاندوها وكابروها "ظلما وعلوا" أي ظلما من أنفسهم سجية ملعونة وعلوا أي استكبارا عن اتباع الحق ولهذا قال تعالى: "فانظر كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين" أي انظر يا محمد كيف كان عاقبة أمرهم في إهلاك الله إياهم وإغراقهم عن آخرهم فى صبيحة واحدة وفحوى الخطاب يقول إحذروا أيها المكذبون لمحمد الجاحدون لما جاء به من ربه أن يصيبكم ما أصابهم بطريق الأولى والأخرى فإن محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم أشرف وأعظم من موسى وبرهانه أدل وأقوى من برهان موسى بما آتاه الله من الدلائل المقترنة بوجوده في نفسه وشمائله وما سبقه من البشارات من الأنبياء به وأخذ المواثيق له عليه من ربه أفضل الصلاة والسلام.

وقوله : ( وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا ) من الجحود . وهو إنكار الحق مع العلم بأنه حق ، يقال : جحد فلان حق غيره ، إذا أنكره مع علمه به .وقوله : ( واستيقنتهآ ) من الإيقان وهو الاعتقاد الجازم الذى لا يطرأ عليه شك وجىء بالسين لزيادة التأكيد .والمعنى : وذهب موسى - عليه السلام - ومعه المعجزات الدالة على صدقه ، إلى فرعون وقومه ليدعوهم إلى إخلاص العبادة لله - تعالى - وحده ، فلما جاءهم موسى بتلك المعجزات المضيئة الواضحة للدلالة على صدقه ، قالوا على سبيل العناد والغرورو ، هذا الذى نراه منك يا موسى ، سحر بين وظاهر فى كونه سحرا .وجحد فرعون وقومه هذه المعجزات التى جاء بها موسى من عند ربه - تعالى - ، مع أن أنفسهم قد علمت علماً لا شك معه أنها معجزات وليست سحراً ، ولكنهم خالفوا علمهم ويقينهم ( ظُلْماً ) للآيات حيث أنزلوها عن منزلتها الرفيعة وسموها سحراً ( وَعُلُوّاً ) أى : ترفعا واستكباراً عن الإيمان بها .( فانظر ) أيها العاقل ( كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ المفسدين ) ؟ لقد كانت عاقبتهم أن أغرقهم الله جميعاً ، بسبب كفرهم وظلمهم وجحودهم وفسادهم فى الأرض .وفى التعبير بقوله : ( فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ آيَاتُنَا . . ) إشعار بأن هذه الآيات الدالة على صدق موسى - عليه السلام - قد وصلت إليهم بدون أن يتعبوا أنفسهم فى الذهاب إليها ، فهى جاءتهم إلى بيوتهم لكى تهديهم إلى الصراط المستقيم ، ولكنهم قابلوا ذلك بالكفر والجحود .وأسند - سبحانه - المجىء إلى الآيات وأضافها إلى ذاته - تعالى - للإشارة إلى أنها خارجة عن أن تكون من صنع موسى ، وإنما هى من صنع الله - تعالى - ومن فعله ، و موسى ما هو إلا منفذ لما أمره ربه ، ومؤيد لما منحه إياه من معجزات دالة على صدقه فيما يبلغه عنه .وقوله : ( ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً ) منصوبان على أنهما مفعولان لأجله ، أو على أنهما حالان من فاعل جحدوا .أى : جحدوا الآيات مع تيقنهم أنها من عند الله ، من أجل الظلم لها والتعالى على من جاء بها ، أو : جحدوا بها حالة كونهم ظالمين لها ، ومستكبرين عنها .وفى قوله - سبحانه - : ( فانظر كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ المفسدين ) تسلية عظمى للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم عما أصابه من الكافرين .فهم كانوا كفرعون وقومه فى جحود الحق الذى جاءهم به الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم مع يقينهم بأنه حق ، ولكن حال بينهم وبين الدخول أسباب متعددة ، على رأسها العناد ، والحسد ، مع يقينهم بأنه حق ، ولكن حال بينهم وبين الدخول أسباب متعددة ، على رأسها العناد ، والحسد ، والعكوف على ما كان عليه الآباء ، والكراهية لتغيير الأوضاع التى تهواها نفوسهم ، وزينتها لهم شهواتهم .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (14)وقوله: (وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا ) يقول: وكذبوا بالآيات التسع أن تكون من عند الله.كما حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج: (وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا ) قال: الجحود: التكذيب بها. وقوله: (وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ) يقول: وأيقنتها قلوبهم, وعلموا يقينا أنها من عند الله, فعاندوا بعد تبينهم الحق, ومعرفتهم به.كما حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن عطاء الخراساني, عن ابن عباس: (وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ) قال: يقينهم في قلوبهم.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد في قول الله: (وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ) قال: استيقنوا أن الآيات من الله حق, فلم جحدوا بها؟ قال: ظلما وعلوّا.وقوله: (ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ) يعني بالظلم: الاعتداء, والعلو: الكبر, كأنه قيل: اعتداء وتكبرا.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, في قوله: (ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ) قال: تعظما واستكبارا, ومعنى ذلك: وجحدوا بالآيات التسع ظلما وعلوّا, واستيقنتها أنفسهم أنها من عند الله, فعاندوا الحقّ بعد وضوحه لهم, فهو من المؤخر الذي معناه التقديم.وقوله: (فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ).ويقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم: فانظر يا محمد بعين قلبك كيف كان عاقبة تكذيب هؤلاء الذين جحدوا آياتنا حين جاءتهم مبصرة, وماذا حل بهم من إفسادهم في الأرض ومعصيتهم فيها ربهم, وأعقبهم ما فعلوا, فإن ذلك أخرجهم من جنات وعيون, وزروع ومقام كريم, إلى هلاك في العاجل بالغرق, وفي الآجل إلى عذاب دائم لا يفتر عنهم وهم فيه مبلسون. يقول: وكذلك يا محمد سنتي في الذين كذّبوا بما جئتهم به من الآيات على حقيقة ما تدعوهم إليه من الحق من قومك.

( وجحدوا بها ) أي : أنكروا الآيات ولم يقروا أنها من عند الله ) ( واستيقنتها أنفسهم ) أي : علموا أنها من عند الله ، قوله : ( ظلما وعلوا ) أي : شركا وتكبرا عن أن يؤمنوا بما جاء به موسى ( فانظر كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين )

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (14)والجحود : الإنكار باللسان .و { استيْقنتها } بمعنى أيقنت بها ، فحُذف حرف الجر وعدي الفعل إلى المجرور على التوسع أو على نزع الخافض ، أي تحققتها عقولُهم ، والسين والتاء للمبالغة . والظلم في تكذيبهم الرسول لأنهم ألصقوا به ما ليس بحق فظلموه حقه .والعلو : الكبر ويحسن أن تكون جملة : { واستيقنتها } حالية ، فقوله : { ظلماً وعلواً } نشر على ترتيب اللفّ . فالظلم في الجحد بها والعلوّ في كونهم موقنين بها .وانتصب { ظلماً وعلوّاً } على الحال من ضمير { جحدوا } وجعل ما هو معلوم من حالهم فيما لحق بهم من العذاب بمنزلة الشيء المشاهد للسامعين فأمر بالنظر إليه بقوله : { فانظر كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين } . والخطاب لغير معين . ويجوز أن يكون الخطاب للنبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم تسلية له بما حلّ بالمكذبين بالرسل قبله لأن في ذلك تعريضاً بتهديد المشركين بمثل تلك العاقبة .و { كيف } يجوز أن يكون مجرّداً عن معنى الاستفهام منصوباً على المفعولية ، ويجوز أن يكون استفهاماً معلِّقاً فعلَ النظر عن العمل ، والاستفهام حينئذ للتعجيب .

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا أي: كفروا بآيات الله جاحدين لها، وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ أي: ليس جحدهم مستندا إلى الشك والريب، وإنما جحدهم مع علمهم ويقينهم بصحتها ظُلْمًا منهم لحق ربهم ولأنفسهم، وَعُلُوًّا على الحق وعلى العباد وعلى الانقياد للرسل، فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ أسوأ عاقبة دمرهم الله وغرقهم في البحر وأخزاهم وأورث مساكنهم المستضعفين من عباده.

وجحدوا بها واستيقنتها أنفسهم ظلما وعلوا أي تيقنوا أنها من عند الله وأنها ليست سحرا ، ولكنهم كفروا بها وتكبروا أن يؤمنوا بموسى . وهذا يدل على أنهم كانوا معاندين . و ( ظلما و علوا ) منصوبان على نعت مصدر محذوف ، أي وجحدوا بها جحودا ظلما وعلوا . والباء زائدة أي وجحدوها ; قاله أبو عبيدة . فانظر يا محمد كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين أي آخر أمر الكافرين الطاغين ، انظر ذلك بعين قلبك وتدبر فيه . الخطاب له والمراد غيره .

Moses had gone to the mountain to obtain a burning brand. But after reaching it, he came to know that he had been called there to have prophethood bestowed upon him. When Almighty God blesses any subject of His with a special gift, He gives it suddenly and unexpectedly, so that the recipient may attribute it directly to God and develop in himself the most profound feelings of gratitude towards Him. On the one hand, the community of Moses (the Children of Israel), though a believing community, had degenerated. On the other, Moses had to proclaim the message of God to a tyrant king like Pharaoh. Therefore, Almighty God blessed him with the miracle of the stick at the very beginning of his mission. This stick was an enduring divine power for Moses, by means of which nine miracles were performed to awe the Pharaoh, apart from the miracles which were meant for the Children of Israel. The miracles of Moses finally established his truthfulness. In spite of this, Pharaoh and his companions did not accept him. The reasons for this were their proneness to transgression, their false pride, and their unwillingness to curtail their freedom. Moreover, they knew that accepting Moses’s preaching would amount to negating their own greatness. And who accepts Truth at the expense of his own greatness?

إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًا بَعْدَ سُوءٍ فَإِنِّي غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ ﴿11﴾ Except him who did wrong, then after (doing) evil replaced (it) with good, then I am Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. 27:11 The miracle of the staff of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was mentioned in the verse prior to this, where it was also stated that when the staff turned into serpent, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) himself started running out of fear. The other miracle of illuminative hand of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) is related in the verse next to above referred verse. Then why this exception is mentioned in between two verses relating to miracles, and whether this exception is snapped from the subject (munqati`) or is it adjoining (muttasil)? The commentators have different view points on this subject. Some have declared it as snapped from the subject. In that case the verse will read as that in the previous verse it was stated that messengers do not get frightened, then it was also mentioned, by the way, as to who are the ones who should get frightened. They are those who have committed any sin, but later repented and sought Allah's pardon and performed good deeds. Although Allah Ta’ ala would pardon their sins, but even then there would be possibility of traces of sins being left over. It is for this reason that they always remain fearful of Allah. But If the exception is regarded adjoining with the subject, then the meaning of the verse would be that Allah's messengers do not get frightened except those who have committed some trifle or minor mistake and have repented on that. In that situation such trifle sins are forgiven. But the actual position is that even if there were some minor slips by the messengers, they were not regarded as sins - neither small nor big. Although they looked like sins but factually they were errors of ijtihad. According to this interpretation, this exception is an allusion toward the incident of the Egyptian who was killed by Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) by error of judgment. Although this error was pardoned by Allah Ta’ ala, yet its effect remained with Musa I leaving some fear of the incident. Had this incident not have occurred, there would not have been any fear of the sort.

(And they denied them) they denied the tokens, (though their souls acknowledged them) after being accepted by their souls that they were from Allah, (for spite) out of opposition and enmity (and arrogance) and haughtiness and pride. (Then see) O Muhammad (the nature of the consequence for the wrong-doers) how was the end result of the idolaters, Pharaoh and his people, how We destroyed them in the sea!