He said, “Your prayer has been answered. So remain steadfast, and do not follow the way of those who do not know.” (89)

Allah Most High says: “And Moses said, ‘Our Lord, You have indeed given Pharaoh and his chiefs splendor’”—that is, worldly possessions—“and wealth in the life of this world. Our Lord, let them lead others astray from Your way.” Scholars differed concerning this particle. It was said that it indicates purpose, meaning: You gave them these things in order to test them, whereupon they would go astray and lead others astray, as in His saying: “Had they remained steadfast on the way, We would have given them abundant water to drink, so that We might test them thereby.” (al-Jinn 16)

It was also said that it indicates the eventual outcome; that is, they would go astray, and the outcome of their affair would be misguidance, as in His saying: “But Pharaoh’s people picked him up, only for him to become an enemy and a source of grief to them.” (al-Qasas 8)

His saying: “Our Lord, obliterate their wealth”: Mujahid said, “Destroy it,” for obliteration means effacement. Most Quran commentators said: Transform it and alter it from its original form.

Qatadah said: Their wealth, fields, crops, and jewels became stones.

Muhammad ibn Kab said: He turned their sugar into stones (1). A man would be in bed with his wife, and the two would become stones; a woman would be standing and baking, and she would become a stone.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: We have been informed that their silver coins and gold coins became engraved stones, retaining their forms as whole coins, halves, and thirds.

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz summoned a pouch containing remnants from Pharaoh’s household. From it he brought out a split egg and a split walnut, which were in fact stone.

Al-Suddi said: Allah transformed their wealth into stones—their palm trees, fruits, flour, and foods—and this was one of the nine signs.

“And harden their hearts,” meaning: Make them harsh and seal them, so that they neither soften nor open themselves to faith. Concerning “so that they will not believe,” it was said that the verb is in the subjunctive as the response to the supplication introduced by the particle fa. It was also said that it is coordinated with “so that they may lead others astray”; that is, so that they may lead others astray and not believe. Al-Farra said: It is a supplication in the jussive form, as though he had said, “O Allah, let them not believe,” “until they see the painful punishment,” which was drowning. Al-Suddi said: Its meaning is: Cause them to die in disbelief.

“He said”—Allah Most High said to Moses and Aaron—“Your prayer has been answered.” The prayer was attributed to both of them even though Moses was the one who supplicated, because it is reported that Moses would supplicate and Aaron would say amin, and saying amin is itself a supplication. Some accounts relate that there was an interval between the supplication