“and his elite”—that is, his people from among the Copts and all who followed his creed—“with splendor and wealth in the life of this world. Our Lord, [You did so] that they might lead others astray from Your path.”
Such worldly finery dazzles anyone who magnifies the importance of this world. The uninformed imagine that Pharaoh and his entourage must surely be upon something sound merely because they possess abundant riches, luxurious garments, comfortable mounts, elegant homes, lofty palaces, delectable foods, pleasing vistas, unassailable dominion, worldly power, and extensive prestige—things of this world, not of religion. “Our Lord, obliterate their wealth….”
Ibn ʿAbbās and Mujāhid said: “i.e., destroy it.” Abū al-ʿĀliyah, al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, and al-Ḍaḥḥāk said: “Turn it into hewn stones that retain the very shapes they formerly had.” Qatādah said: “We have been informed that their crops became stones.” Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb said: “Their sugar was turned into stone”; he also said: “All their property became stone.” This was mentioned to ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. He said to a servant, “Bring me a pouch.” The servant produced one in which were chick-peas and eggs that had been cut up and transformed into stones. Ibn Abī Ḥātim narrated this report.
As for the words, “and harden their hearts so they will not believe until they behold the painful punishment,” Ibn ʿAbbās said: “Seal their hearts.” This was a supplication of wrath for the sake of Allah, His religion, and His proofs, and Allah answered, fulfilled, and accepted it—just as He answered Noah concerning his people when he said: “My Lord, do not leave upon the earth even one of the disbelievers. If You leave them, they will only lead Your servants astray and will beget none but wicked, staunch disbelievers” (Nūḥ 26–27).
Hence, when Moses invoked this curse against Pharaoh and his chiefs and his brother Aaron uttered “Āmīn” to it—thus sharing the merit of the supplication—Allah said: “Your prayer has been answered, so remain upright and do not follow the way of those who do not know” (Yūnus 89).
The exegetes—and many from among the People of the Scripture—relate that the Children of Israel asked Pharaoh’s permission to go out for a festival of theirs. He grudgingly granted it, and they prepared themselves for departure. In reality, it was a stratagem to escape from Pharaoh and his troops. According to the reports of the People of the Scripture, Allah commanded them to borrow jewelry from the Egyptians, who lent them a great deal. They then set out by night and traveled without pause toward the land of Syria. When Pharaoh learned of their flight he was furious, his rage intensified, and he began to rouse his army and assemble his troops in order to overtake them and annihilate them.
Allah the Exalted said:
“We revealed to Moses: ‘Set forth by night with My servants, for you will surely be pursued.’ Then Pharaoh sent recruiters throughout the cities, saying, ‘Indeed, these people are but a small band, yet they have enraged us, and we are a vigilant host.’ Thus We expelled them from gardens and springs, from treasures and a noble station—so it was—and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit all that. They pursued them at sunrise. And when the two companies sighted each other, the companions of Moses said, ‘We will surely be overtaken.’ He replied, ‘No indeed! My Lord is with me; He will guide me.’ Then We revealed to Moses: ‘Strike the sea with your staff,’ and it parted, each part like a towering mountain. We brought the others near, and We delivered Moses and all who were with him, then drowned the others. Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them do not believe. And indeed your Lord—He is the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful.” (al-Shuʿarāʾ 52–68)