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.
Related Ayahs
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ
And they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Then see how was the end of those who were warned.
فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ مَكْرِهِمْ أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَـٰهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.
فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَّفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ
But today [i.e., the Day of Judgement] you do not hold for one another [the power of] benefit or harm, and We will say to those who wronged, "Taste the punishment of the Fire, which you used to deny."
قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا۟ مِنْهَآ أَهْلَهَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him before I gave you permission. Indeed, this is a conspiracy which you conspired in the city to expel therefrom its people. But you are going to know.