مِن فِرْعَوْنَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَالِيًا مِّنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ 31
Translations
From Pharaoh. Indeed, he was a haughty one among the transgressors.
Transliteration
Min fir'awna, innahu kana 'aliyyan minal-musrifin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Pharaoh as one who was highly exalted among the transgressors and extravagant people. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'aliyyan (exalted/lofty) refers to Pharaoh's arrogance and tyrannical authority over Egypt, while 'musrifin (transgressors) emphasizes his exceeding all bounds in oppression, disbelief, and extravagance. The ayah illustrates how Pharaoh's power and wealth led him to spiritual destruction, serving as a warning against pride and excess.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ad-Dukhan, a Meccan surah that recounts the story of Musa (Moses) and Pharaoh. The broader narrative describes how Allah granted Bani Israel superiority over Pharaoh and his people, and this particular ayah emphasizes Pharaoh's character as a lesson for the Meccan disbelievers who similarly rejected the message of Muhammad (ﷺ). The surah was revealed to strengthen the believers against persecution.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The worst of leaders are those who are tyrannical, and the best of leaders are those who are merciful' (Sahih Muslim 1828). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari regarding 'Ilyas (Elijah) emphasizes that excessive pride and transgression lead to divine punishment, paralleling Pharaoh's fate.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that worldly power and wealth without faith and righteousness lead to spiritual ruin and divine punishment. Believers should guard against arrogance and excessive indulgence, recognizing that true honor comes from obedience to Allah, not from material abundance or authority over others.