“Pharaoh said,” arrogantly, tyrannically, and in an attempt to deceive his foolish people, “Let me kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord.” That is, may Allah disgrace him, he claimed that he would have killed Moses were he not taking his people’s feelings into consideration, and that he would not stop Moses from calling upon his Lord. He then stated what allegedly prompted him to want Moses killed, claiming that he was sincerely advising his people and seeking to eradicate evil from the land: “I fear that he may change your religion or cause corruption to appear in the land.” This is among the strangest things imaginable: the worst of creation warning people against following the best of creation! This is the sort of deception and false promotion that can enter only the mind of those about whom Allah said, “He made fools of his people, and they obeyed him. They were truly a rebellious people.”
“When Pharaoh made that abhorrent statement, prompted by his tyranny and relying upon his own strength and power, Moses sought aid from his Lord and said, “I have sought refuge with my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.” That is, I seek protection in His Lordship, by which He governs every affair, “from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning”—one whose arrogance and lack of belief in the Day of Reckoning drive him to evil and corruption. This includes Pharaoh and others, in accordance with the principle mentioned shortly before. Through His gracious care, Allah protected Moses from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning, and He ordained means by which the evil of Pharaoh and his chiefs was repelled from him.
Among those means was this believing man from Pharaoh’s household and the royal family. His word must have carried weight, especially since he outwardly appeared to agree with them while concealing his faith. They would generally show him a degree of consideration that they would not show him if he openly opposed them. Similarly, Allah protected His Messenger Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—from Quraysh through his uncle Abū Tālib, for Abū Tālib was a prominent man among them and outwardly followed their religion. Had he been a Muslim, that protection would not have been achieved through him.
That rightly guided, intelligent, and prudent believer therefore denounced his people’s conduct and the heinous course they had resolved upon, saying, “Would you kill a man merely because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?” That is, how can you deem it lawful to kill him when his only sin and offense is to say, “My Lord is Allah”? Nor was this merely a claim unsupported by clear proofs. Hence he said, “He has already brought you clear proofs from your Lord.” His proof had become so widely known among them that both young and old were aware of it. In other words, none of this warranted killing him.
Why did you not first refute the truth he brought and counter his proof with another proof that invalidated it? Only then could you consider whether it would be lawful to kill him if you had prevailed over him in argument. But now that his proof has become manifest and his argument has prevailed, ⦗737⦘ vast deserts separate you from any claim that killing him is lawful—deserts across which even the mounts would collapse from exhaustion.
He then presented them with a rational argument that would convince every reasonable person, whichever of the two possibilities one assumed. He said, “If he is a liar, his lie will be upon him; but if he is truthful, some of what he warns you of will befall you.”
That is, there are only two possibilities concerning Moses: either he is lying in his claim or he is telling the truth. If he is lying, his lie will be upon him and its harm will be confined to him. You will suffer no harm from it, since you have refused to answer and believe him. But if he is truthful and has brought you clear proofs, and has informed you that if you do not answer him Allah will punish you in this world and the Hereafter, then some of what he warns you of will inevitably befall you—namely, punishment in this world.
This demonstrates his sound intelligence and the subtle way in which he defended Moses. He offered an answer that gave them no cause for objection and made the matter turn upon those two possibilities; either way, killing Moses would be foolishness and ignorance on their part.
Then—may Allah be pleased with him, forgive him, and have mercy on him—he advanced to something higher than this and explained how close Moses was to the truth. He said, “Indeed, Allah does not guide anyone who is a transgressor”—that is, one who exceeds all bounds by abandoning the truth and embracing falsehood—“and an utter liar,” because he attributes to Allah the falsehood in which he has transgressed. Allah does not guide such a person to the correct path, either to a sound conclusion or to sound evidence for it, nor does He grant him success in following the straight path. In other words, you have seen the truth to which Moses calls and the rational proofs and heavenly miracles that Allah has guided him to present. One who has been guided so perfectly cannot possibly be a transgressor or a liar. This demonstrates the perfection of the believing man’s knowledge, reason, and knowledge of his Lord.
He then warned and sincerely advised his people, frightening them with the punishment of the Hereafter and cautioning them against being deceived by their outward dominion. He said, “My people, sovereignty is yours today, and you are dominant in the land”—that is, in this world, exercising whatever authority you please over your subjects. Suppose this power were made complete and secure—though it never will be—then “who will protect us from Allah’s punishment if it comes upon us?” The excellence of his appeal is evident in the way he included himself with them by saying, “Who will protect us?” and, “If it comes upon us?” He wanted them to understand that he was advising them just as he advised himself and desired for them what he desired for himself.
“Pharaoh said,” opposing him and deceiving his people lest they follow Moses, “I show you only what I see, and I guide you only to the path of right judgment.” He spoke truly when he said, “I show you only what I see,” but what was it that he saw?
He saw fit to make fools of his people so that they would follow him and he could maintain his supremacy through them. He did not believe that the truth was on his side; rather, he saw that it was with Moses, yet denied it despite being inwardly certain of it.
But he lied when he said, “I guide you only to the path of right judgment.” This was a complete reversal of the truth. Had he merely ordered them to follow him in his disbelief and error, the evil would have been less severe. Instead, he ordered them to follow him and claimed that following him meant following the truth, while following the truth meant following error.
“The man who believed said,” repeating his appeal to his people without despairing of their guidance—as is the way of those who call to Allah, who never cease calling to their Lord, are not turned back by anyone who seeks to deter them, and are not dissuaded from repeating their call by the insolence of those whom they address—“My people, I fear for you a day like that of the confederates.” He meant the denying nations that banded together against their prophets and united in opposing them. He then identified them, saying, “Like the fate of the people of Noah, ʿĀd, Thamūd, and those after them.” That is, like their habitual disbelief and denial, and Allah’s customary treatment of them through an immediate punishment in this world before the Hereafter. “Allah does not intend any injustice for His servants,” such that He would punish them for no sin they committed or offense they had previously perpetrated.
After frightening them with punishments in this world, he frightened them with the punishments of the Hereafter, saying, “My people, I fear for you the Day of Calling Out”—that is, the Day of Resurrection, when the inhabitants of Paradise will call out to the inhabitants of the Fire, “We have indeed found what our Lord promised us to be true”—to the end of the verses.
“The inhabitants of the Fire will call out to the inhabitants of Paradise, ‘Pour down upon us some water or some of what Allah has provided you.’ They will reply, ‘Allah has forbidden both to the disbelievers.’”
The inhabitants of the Fire will also call out to Mālik, “Let your Lord put an end to us!” He will reply, “You will remain here.” They will call upon their Lord, saying, “Our Lord, remove us from it! If we ever return, we will indeed be wrongdoers.” He will answer them, “Remain there in disgrace, and do not speak to Me.” And it will be said to the polytheists, “Call upon your partners!” They will call upon them, but they will not respond.
Thus, may Allah be pleased with him, he frightened them with that terrifying Day and grieved over what would befall them if they persisted in their polytheism. He therefore said, “The Day you turn away in flight”—that is, when you are carried off to the Fire—“you will have no protector against Allah.” You will possess no strength of your own with which to repel Allah’s punishment, nor will anyone besides Him come to your aid. “On the Day all secrets are laid bare, he will have neither power nor any helper.”
“Whoever Allah sends astray will have no guide,” for guidance is in Allah’s hand. When He withholds guidance from a servant, knowing that the servant is unfit for it because of his wickedness, there is no way for him to be guided.