“Joseph”—son of Jacob, peace be upon them both—“had already come to you before” Moses came, bringing clear proofs that demonstrated his truthfulness, and he commanded you to worship your Lord alone, without partner. “Yet you remained in doubt about what he brought you” ⦗738⦘ throughout his lifetime. “Then, when he died,” your doubt and polytheism only increased, and “you said, ‘Allah will never send any messenger after him.’” That is, this was your false assumption and your notion unbefitting Allah Most High. He does not leave His creation neglected, without commanding and prohibiting them and sending His messengers to them. To suppose that Allah will send no messenger is an errant supposition. Thus He said, “Such is how Allah sends astray whoever is a transgressor and a doubter.” This is their true description—the very description they unjustly and arrogantly applied to Moses. They are the transgressors, for they overstepped the truth and turned away from it toward misguidance; and they are the liars, for they attributed this to Allah and denied His Messenger.
A person characterized by transgression and lying does not relinquish either trait. Allah neither guides him nor grants him success in doing good, because he rejected the truth after it had reached him and he had recognized it. His recompense is that Allah punishes him by withholding guidance, as Allah Most High said, “When they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate”; “We shall turn their hearts and eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time, and We shall leave them wandering blindly in their rebellion”; and “Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”
He then described the transgressing liar, saying, “Those who dispute Allah’s signs,” which distinguish truth from falsehood and, because they are so manifest, are to sight like the sun. Despite their clarity, they dispute them in order to repel and invalidate them, “without any authority having come to them”—that is, without any proof or evidence. This necessarily describes everyone who disputes Allah’s signs, for it is impossible to dispute them with valid authority. No counterargument can stand against the truth, which can never be opposed by either scriptural or rational proof. “How profoundly hateful” is that assertion—which entails rejecting the truth through falsehood—“to Allah and to those who believe!” Allah’s hatred for the one who makes it is especially intense, because it entails denying the truth, affirming falsehood, and attributing that falsehood to Him. These are matters that Allah intensely hates, along with anyone characterized by them. Likewise, His believing servants utterly abhor such a person for it, in accord with their Lord. These believers are the choicest of Allah’s creation, so their abhorrence is evidence of the heinousness of the one they abhor. “In this way”—just as the hearts of Pharaoh’s household were sealed—“Allah seals every heart belonging to an arrogant tyrant”: one who is inwardly arrogant toward the truth by rejecting it and toward people by scorning them, and tyrannical through his abundant injustice and aggression.
“Pharaoh said,” opposing Moses and denying his call to affirm the Lord of all worlds, Who established Himself over the Throne and is exalted above creation, “Hāmān, build me a lofty tower,” meaning a great, elevated structure. Its purpose was that perhaps he might look upon “the God of Moses; and indeed, I think him to be a liar” in his claim that we have a Lord and that He is above the heavens.
Yet Pharaoh wished to take due precautions and investigate the matter for himself. Allah Most High explained what prompted him to make this statement: “Thus the evil of his deed was made alluring to Pharaoh.” His evil conduct was made attractive to him, and Satan continued to adorn it for him, calling to it and presenting it as good, until Pharaoh himself saw it as good, called others to it, and argued as those who possess the truth argue, though he was one of the greatest corrupters. “And he was turned away from the path” of truth because of the falsehood that had been made attractive to him. “Pharaoh’s plot,” by which he sought to scheme against the truth and give people the impression that he was right and Moses was wrong, “only ended in ruin”—that is, loss and destruction, bringing him nothing but misery in this world and the Hereafter.
“The man who believed said,” renewing his counsel to his people, “My people, follow me; I will guide you to the path of right judgment”—not as Pharaoh tells you, for he guides you only to the path of error and corruption.
“My people, this worldly life is but a fleeting enjoyment”: one finds brief enjoyment and pleasure in it, after which it ends and vanishes. Do not let it beguile you or divert you from that for which you were created. “The Hereafter is truly the home of lasting settlement”—the place of permanent residence and settled repose. You should therefore prefer it and perform deeds for it that will bring you happiness there.
“Whoever commits an evil deed”—whether polytheism, wickedness, or disobedience—“will be repaid only with its like.” That is, he will be repaid only with something that harms and grieves him, for the recompense of evil is evil.
“But whoever, male or female, acts righteously”—through deeds of the heart and limbs and words of the tongue—“such people will enter Paradise, where they will be provided for without measure.” That is, they will be given their reward without limit or count; rather, Allah will grant them what their deeds could never attain.