Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/49)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

When they obeyed him in this, the wrath of the All-Powerful Lord—mighty and unconquerable—flared against them. He exacted from them the most severe retribution, drowning Pharaoh and his troops in a single morning. Not one of them escaped; not a single soul survived. All were swallowed by the waters and then entered the Fire. A curse pursued them in this world before all people, and on the Day of Resurrection—what an evil gift they shall receive!—they will be among the disgraced.

An Account of the Destruction of Pharaoh and His Hosts

When the Copts of Egypt persisted in their unbelief, arrogance, and defiance—following their king Pharaoh and opposing Allah’s prophet, messenger, and interlocutor, Moses son of ʿImrān, peace be upon him—Allah set before the Egyptians overwhelming, decisive proofs. He showed them wonders that shattered the bounds of the ordinary, dazzling eyes and bewildering minds. Yet they would not take heed, desist, withdraw, or turn back, and only a few of them believed.

It is said that only three believed: Pharaoh’s wife—about whom the People of the Scripture have no knowledge—the believer from Pharaoh’s household whose exhortation, counsel, and argument were mentioned earlier, and the sincere man who came running from the farthest part of the city and said, “Moses, the chiefs are conspiring to kill you; leave, for I truly give you good advice” (al-Qasas 20). This was stated by Ibn ʿAbbās in the report related by Ibn Abī Ḥātim; by it he meant others than the sorcerers, for the latter were Copts.

Others maintained that a group of Copts from Pharaoh’s own people believed, as did all the sorcerers and the entire community of the Children of Israel. This is supported by the Almighty’s words: “Only a few of his people believed in Moses, despite the fear of Pharaoh and their chiefs that he would persecute them; Pharaoh was indeed a tyrant in the land, and he was truly one of the transgressors” (Yūnus 83).

The pronoun in the phrase “a few of his people” refers to Pharaoh, as the context indicates; some, however, said it refers to Moses because he is the nearer antecedent, but the first view is clearer, as established in the Tafsīr. Their faith remained concealed because they feared Pharaoh—his cruelty, might, and authority—and feared that their own chiefs would betray them to him and he would force them from their religion.

Allah, exalted is He, informs us about Pharaoh—and Allah suffices as Witness—saying: “Indeed Pharaoh behaved arrogantly in the land,” meaning that he was a stubborn tyrant who exalted himself without right; “and he was one of the prodigals,” that is, excessive in all his affairs and conduct. Yet he was only a malignant root whose uprooting was imminent, a foul fruit ready to be plucked, a cursed soul whose destruction had been decreed.

At that point Moses said, “O my people, if you truly believe in Allah, then place your trust in Him, if you have indeed submitted.” They replied, “In Allah we place our trust. Our Lord, do not …”

(1) As read in manuscripts B and T. In manuscript A: “wa la yabqa” (and none remains). (2) In manuscript T: “the destruction of Pharaoh and his soldiers.” (3) In manuscript B: “the weighty, conclusive proofs.” (4) Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vol. 2, p. 427. (5) anja‘āfahā: literally “its uprooting.” The verb ja‘afa and its derived form anja‘afa mean to overthrow someone, striking him to the ground so that he collapses.

وأطاعوه فيه، اشتد غضب الربّ القدير العزيز الذي لا يُغَالَب ولا يمانَع عليهم، فانتقم منهم أشد الانتقام، وأغرقه هو وجنوده في صبيحة واحدة، فلم يفلت منهم أحدٌ ولم يبق (١) منهم ديَّار، بل كلٌّ قد غرق فدخل النار، وأُتبعوا لعنة في هذه الدار بين العالمين، ويوم القيامة بئس الرفد المرفود، ويوم القيامة هم من المقبوحين. ذكر هلَاك فرعون وجنوده (٢) لما تمادى قبطُ مصر على كفرهم وعتوِّهم وعنادهم، متابعة لملكهم فرعون، ومخالفة لنبي الله ورسوله وكليمه موسى بن عمران (عليه السلام) ، وأقام الله على أهل مصر الحجج (٣) العظيمة القاهرة، وأراهم من خوارق العادات ما بَهر الأبصار وحيَّر العقول، وهم مع ذلك لا يرعوون، ولا ينتهون، ولا ينزعون، ولا يرجعون، ولم يؤمن منهم إلا القليل، قيل: ثلاثة، وهم: امرأة فرعون -ولا علم لأهل الكتاب بخبرها- ومؤمن آل فرعون الذي تقدمت حكاية موعظته، ومشورته، وحجَّته عليهم، والرجل الناصح الذي جَاءَ يَسْعَى من أقصى المدينة فقال: ﴿يَامُوسَى إِنَّ الْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ﴾ [القصص: ٢٠] قاله ابن عباس؛ فيما رواه ابن أبي حاتم عنه، ومراده غيرَ السَّحَرةِ، فإنَّهم كانوا من القبط. وقيل: بل آمن طائفة من القبط من قوم فرعون، والسَّحرة كلّهم، وجميع شعب بني إسرائيل. ويدلُّ على هذا قوله تعالى: ﴿فَمَا آمَنَ لِمُوسَى إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ عَلَى خَوْفٍ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ﴾ [يونس: ٨٣] ، فالضمير في قوله: ﴿إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ﴾ عائدٌ على فرعون، لأن السياق يدلُّ عليه، وقيل: على موسى لقربه، والأول أظهر كما هو مقرر في "التفسير" (٤) . وإيمانهم كان خفية لمخافتهم من فرعون وسَطوته وجبروته وسلطته، ومن ملئهم أن ينفُوا عليهم إليه فيفتنهم عن دينهم. قال الله تعالى مخبرًا عن فرعون، وكفى بالله شهيدًا: ﴿وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾ أي جبّارٍ عنيدٍ مستعلٍ بغير الحق ﴿وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ﴾ أي: في جميع أموره، وشؤونه، وأحواله، ولكنه جرثومةٌ قد حان انجعافها (٥) ، وثمرةٌ خبيثة قد آن قطافها، ومهجةٌ ملعونة قد حُتم إتلافها. وعند ذلك قال موسى: ﴿وَقَالَ مُوسَى يَاقَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ (٨٤) فَقَالُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا

(١) كذا في ب وط. وفي أ: ولا يبقى. (٢) في ط: هلاك فرعون وجنوده. (٣) في ب: الحجج البالغة العظيمة. (٤) تفسير ابن كثير (٢/ ٤٢٧). (٥) انجعافها: انقلاعها. يقال: جعفه فانجعف: أي صرعه وضرب به الأرض فانصرع.