فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعًا 103
Translations
So he intended to drive them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him all together.
Transliteration
Fa-arada an yastafizzahum mina al-ardi fa-aghraqnahu wa-man ma'ahu jami'a
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Pharaoh, having witnessed the miraculous signs through Prophet Musa, attempted to expel the Children of Israel from Egypt by force, but Allah drowned him and all his soldiers in the sea as divine punishment for his arrogance and rejection of truth. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'استفزهم' (istafazzahum) means to drive them out hastily or suddenly, reflecting Pharaoh's desperate attempt to eliminate the threat he perceived. This represents the ultimate failure of tyranny against Allah's will and the triumph of divine justice over human oppression.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Al-Isra's narrative recounting of Prophet Musa's confrontation with Pharaoh and the liberation of the Israelites. The surah emphasizes Allah's power and justice by referencing historical events that validate the Qur'anic message. This specific verse concludes the account of Pharaoh's destruction, reinforcing the theme that defiance of Allah's messengers inevitably leads to ruin.
Related Hadiths
The account of Pharaoh's drowning is referenced in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that Pharaoh said 'I believe' only when death overtook him, and Allah responded that belief at that moment would not benefit him (Sahih Bukhari 3400). Additionally, the Qur'an itself in Surah Yunus 10:90-92 provides complementary details of this same event.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no matter how powerful a tyrant appears or how extensive his resources, he cannot stand against Allah's divine will and justice. For believers today, it emphasizes trust in Allah's protection against oppression and the certainty that those who persistently reject divine guidance will face inevitable consequences.