The Story, Stories, The Narrative — Verse 39

28:39 · al-Qasas

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وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُۥ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَیۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَظَنُّوۤا۟ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَیۡنَا لَا یُرۡجَعُونَ ۝٣٩
wa-is'takbara huwa wajunūduhu fī l-arḍi bighayri l-ḥaqi waẓannū annahum ilaynā lā yur'jaʿūn
The Story, Stories, The Narrative / al-Qasas (28:39)
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Abdel Haleem

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Pharaoh and his armies behaved arrogantly in the land with no right- they thought they would not be brought back to Us
wa-is'takbara huwa wajunūduhu fī l-arḍi bighayri l-ḥaqi waẓannū annahum ilaynā lā yur'jaʿūn

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Tafsir Commentary

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
The Arrogance of Fir`awn and His ultimate Destiny Allah tells us of Fir`awn's disbelief and wrongdoing, and how he falsely claimed divinity for his evil self, may Allah curse him. فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ (Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) 43:54 He called on his people to recognize his divinity, and they responded, because of their weak and foolish minds. So, he said: يأَيُّهَا الْملأ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى (O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me.) Allah tells us about Fir`awn: فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى - فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى - فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى - إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى (Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, saying: "I am your lord, most high." So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah.) (79:23-26) meaning: he brought his people together and called to them in a loud voice, shouting that, and they responded to him obediently. So Allah took revenge on him, and made him a lesson to others in this world and the Hereafter. He even confronted Musa with that, and said: لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـهَاً غَيْرِى لأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ (If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners) (26:29). فَأَوْقِدْ لِى يَهَـمَـنُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّى صَرْحاً لَّعَلِّى أَطَّلِعُ إِلَى إِلَـهِ مُوسَى (So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a Sarh in order that I may look at the God of Musa;) He commanded his minister and adviser Haman to bake bricks for him, i.e., to make bricks in order to build a Sarh, a exalted towering palace. This is like the Ayah, وَقَالَ فَرْعَوْنُ يهَـمَـنُ ابْنِ لِى صَرْحاً لَّعَـلِّى أَبْلُغُ الاٌّسْبَـبَ - أَسْبَـبَ السَّمَـوَتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَى إِلَـهِ مُوسَى وَإِنِّى لاّظُنُّهُ كَـذِباً وَكَـذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا كَـيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلاَّ فِى تَبَابٍ (And Fir`awn said: "O Haman! Build me a Sarh that I may arrive at the ways -- the ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar." Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction) (40:36-37). Fir`awn built this tower, which was the highest structure ever seen on earth, because he wanted to show his people that Musa was lying when he claimed that there was a God other than Fir`awn. Fir`awn said: وَإِنِّى لأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَـذِبِينَ (and verily, I think that he (Musa) is one of the liars.) meaning, `when he says that there is a lord other than me.' The issue was not whether Allah had sent Musa, because he did not acknowledge the existence of the Creator in the first place. On the contrary, he said: وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (And what is the Lord of Al-`Alamin) (26:23) and: لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـهَاً غَيْرِى لأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ (If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.) (26:29) and he said: يأَيُّهَا الْملأ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى (O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me.) This was the view of Ibn Jarir. وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ يُرْجَعُونَ (And he and his armies were arrogant in the land, without right, and they thought that they would never return to Us.) means, they were arrogant oppressors who spread much mischief in the land, and they believed that there would be no Resurrection. فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ - إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ (So, your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment. Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them).) (89:13-14). Allah says here: فَأَخَذْنَـهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَـهُمْ فِى الْيَمِّ (So, We seized him and his armies, and We threw them all into the sea.) meaning, `We drowned them in the sea in a single morning, and not one of them was left.' فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الظَّـلِمِينَوَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ (So, behold what was the end of the wrongdoers. And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire) for those who followed them and took the same path as they did, rejecting the Messengers and denying the Creator. وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ (and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped.) their humiliation in this world is combined with and connected to their humiliation in the Hereafter, as Allah says: أَهْلَكْنَـهُمْ فَلاَ نَـصِرَ لَهُمْ (We have destroyed them. And there was none to help them) (47:13). وَأَتْبَعْنَـهُم فِى هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً (And We made a curse to follow them in this world,) Allah decreed that they and their king Fir`awn should be cursed by the believers among His servants who follow His Messengers, just as in this world they were cursed by the Prophets and their followers. وَيَوْمَ القِيَـمَةِ هُمْ مِّنَ الْمَقْبُوحِينَ (and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be among disgraced.) Qatadah said, "This Ayah is like the Ayah, وَأُتْبِعُواْ فِى هَـذِهِ لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ (They were pursued by a curse in this (life) and on the Day of Resurrection. Evil indeed is the gift given.) (11:99)."
Tafsir al-Jalalayn
And he and his hosts acted arrogantly in the land the land of Egypt without right and thought they would not return to Us read active yarji‘ūna or passive yurja‘ūna ‘they would not be brought back’.
Tafsir Muyassar
واستعلى فرعون وجنوده في أرض "مصر" بغير الحق عن تصديق موسى واتِّباعه على ما دعاهم إليه، وحسبوا أنهم بعد مماتهم لا يبعثون.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
وقوله تعالى: "واستكبر هو وجنوده في الأرض بغير الحق وظنوا أنهم إلينا لا يرجعون" أي طغوا وتجبروا وأكثروا في الأرض الفساد واعتقدوا أنه لا قيامة ولا معاد "فصب عليهم ربك سوط عذاب إن ربك لبالمرصاد".
Tafsir Al Wasit
ثم بين - سبحانه - الأسباب التى حملت فرعون على هذا القول الساقط الكاذب ، فقال : ( واستكبر هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الأرض بِغَيْرِ الحق وظنوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ يُرْجَعُونَ ) .والاستكبار : التعالى والتطاول على الغير بحمق وجهل . أى : وتعالى فرعون وجنوده فى الأرض التى خلقناها لهم ، دون أن يكون لهم أى حق فى هذا التطاول والتعالى ، وظنوا واعتقدوا أنهم إلينا لا يرجعون ، لمحاسبتهم ومعاقبتهم يوم القيامة .
Tafsir al-Tabari
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لا يُرْجَعُونَ (39)يقول تعالى ذكره: ( وَاسْتَكْبَرَ ) فرعون ( وَجُنُودُهُ ) في أرض مصر عن تصديق موسى واتباعه على ما دعاهم إليه من توحيد الله, والإقرار بالعبودية له بغير الحقّ، يعني تَعدِّيًا وعتوًّا على ربهم ( وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لا يُرْجَعُونَ ) يقول: وحسبوا أنهم بعد مماتهم لا يبعثون, ولا ثواب, ولا عقاب, فركبوا أهواءهم, ولم يعلموا أن الله لهم بالمرصاد, وأنه لهم مجاز على أعمالهم الخبيثة.
Tafseer Al-Baghawi
( واستكبر هو وجنوده في الأرض بغير الحق وظنوا أنهم إلينا لا يرجعون ) قرأ نافع ، وحمزة ، والكسائي ويعقوب : " يرجعون " بفتح الياء وكسر الجيم ، والباقون بضم الياء وفتح الجيم .
Tafseer Tanwir al-Miqbas
وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا يُرْجَعُونَ (39)الاستكبار : أشد من الكبر ، أي تكبر تكبراً شديداً إذ طمع في الوصول إلى الرب العظيم وصول الغالب أو القرين .و { جنوده } : أتباعه . فاستكباره هو الأصل واستكبار جنوده تبع لاستكباره لأنهم يتّبعونه ويتلقون ما يمليه عليهم من العقائد .و { الأرض } يجوز أن يراد بها المعهودة ، أي أرض مصر وأن يراد بها الجنس ، أي في عالم الأرض لأنهم كانوا يومئذ أعظم أمم الأرض .وقوله { بغير الحق } حال لازمة لعاملها إذ لا يكون الاستكبار إلا بغير الحق .وقوله { وظنوا أنهم إلينا لا يرجعون } معلوم بالفحوى من كفرهم بالله ، وإنما صرح به لأهمية إبطاله فلا يكتفى فيه بدلالة مفهوم الفحوى ، ولأن في التصريح به تعريضاً بالمشركين في أنهم وإياهم سواء فليضعوا أنفسهم في أي مقام من مقامات أهل الكفر ، وقد كان أبو جهل يلقب عند المسلمين بفرعون هذه الأمة أخذاً من تعريضات القرآن .ومعنى ذلك : ظنوا أن لا بعث ولا رجوع لأنهم كفروا بالمرجوع إليه . فذكر { إلينا } لحكاية الواقع وليس بقيد فلا يتوهم أنهم أنكروا البعث ولم ينكروا وجود الله مثل المشركين . وتقديم { إلينا } على عامله لأجل الفاصلة .ويجوز أن يكون المعنى : وظنوا أنهم في منعة من أن يرجعوا في قبضة قدرتنا كما دل عليه قوله في سورة [ الشعراء : 24 - 25 ] { قال رب السماوات والأرض وما بينهما إن كنتم موقنين قال لمن حوله ألا تستمعون } استعجاباً من ذلك . وعلى هذا الاحتمال فالتعريض بالمشركين باق على حاله فإنهم ظنوا أنهم في منعة من الاستئصال فقالوا { اللهم إن كان هذا هو الحق من عندك فأمطر علينا حجارة من السماء } [ الأنفال : 32 ] .قرأ نافع وحمزة والكسائي { لا يرجعون } بفتح ياء المضارعة من ( رجع ) . وقرأه الباقون بضمها من ( أرجع ) إذا فعل به الرجوع .
Tafseer Al Saddi
قال تعالى: { وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ } استكبروا على عباد اللّه، وساموهم سوء العذاب، واستكبروا على رسل اللّه، وما جاءوهم به من الآيات، فكذبوها، وزعموا أن ما هم عليه أعلى منها وأفضل.{ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا يُرْجَعُونَ } فلذلك تجرأوا، وإلا فلو علموا، أو ظنوا أنهم يرجعون إلى اللّه، لما كان منهم ما كان.
Tafseer Al Qurtubi
قوله تعالى : ( واستكبر ) أي تعظم ( هو وجنوده ) أي تعظموا عن الإيمان بموسى في الأرض بغير الحق أي بالعدوان ، أي لم تكن له حجة تدفع ما جاء به موسى وظنوا أنهم إلينا لا يرجعون أي توهموا أنه لا معاد ولا بعث . وقرأ نافع وابن محيصن وشيبة وحميد ويعقوب وحمزة والكسائي : ( لا يرجعون ) بفتح الياء وكسر الجيم على أنه مسمى الفاعل ، الباقون : ( يرجعون ) على الفعل المجهول وهو اختيار أبي عبيد ، والأول اختيار أبي حاتم
Tazkirul Quran
Moses’ mission was to bring about a godly revolution in the human individual. His aim was that man should develop fear of God. This was aimed at all individuals, including the individual who occupied the throne of the country. It is common for one who attains to power and authority to develop a false sense of pride. This was equally true of Pharaoh. Moses warned Pharaoh that if he conducted himself arrogantly, he would be seized upon by God. But Pharaoh refused to accept his advice. The result was that he was drowned.
Ma'arif-ul-Quran
Commentary فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ (So kindle for me, 0 Haman, a fire on the clay (to bake bricks) - 28:38). When the Pharaoh planned to build a very tall palace for himself, he asked his minister Haman to get the bricks baked properly first, because half baked bricks could not take the load of a tall building. Some people have observed that the Pharaoh was the first one to have tough bricks baked for the buildings, as no one had used them before. Historical narrations have recorded that Haman had collected fifty thousand masons for building this palace. Skilled labour, such as carpenters and blacksmith, were additional. This palace was built so tall that there was no parallel to it in the world. When it was completed, Allah Ta` ala commanded Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) to knock it down. He struck only one blow to it and it tumbled down in three pieces, killing thousands of soldiers of the Pharaoh's army. (Qurtubi)
Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas
(And he and his hosts) the Copts (were haughty) too proud to accept faith (in the land) of Egypt (without right) to do so, (and deemed that they would never be brought back to Us) in the Hereafter.
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