إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ 4
Translations
Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.
Transliteration
Inna Fir'awna 'ala fi al-ardi wa ja'ala ahlaha shi'a'an yastadh'ifu ta'ifatan minhum yudhabbihu abnaa'ahum wa yastahyi nisaa'ahum. Innahu kana mina al-mufsideen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Pharaoh's tyranny and oppression in Egypt, where he divided the people into factions and subjugated the Israelites specifically, slaughtering their sons while sparing their daughters for servitude. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Pharaoh's actions were driven by his fear of a prophecy that a child from the Israelites would be his downfall, making him one of the greatest spreaders of corruption (mufsidun) despite his worldly power. The ayah illustrates how material dominion without righteousness leads to systematic injustice and moral degradation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears early in Surah Al-Qasas, which details the life story of Prophet Musa (Moses). It establishes the oppressive context that necessitated Musa's mission and God's intervention. The surah was revealed in Mecca to comfort the persecuted Muslims by reminding them of how God saved the believers from previous tyrannies.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Verily, the most merciful of people towards children are those who show mercy to children. Show mercy to the children of others, and Allah will show mercy to your children' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). This contrasts with Pharaoh's cruelty and emphasizes the Islamic value of protecting vulnerable populations.
Themes
Key Lesson
No amount of worldly power or authority justifies the exploitation of vulnerable populations; true corruption lies not in powerlessness but in the abuse of power to oppress others. Muslims should remember that God's justice ultimately prevails against tyrants, and we are called to protect the weak rather than exploit them.
Related Ayahs
فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكَ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allāh? Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَغْوَيْنَآ أَغْوَيْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا غَوَيْنَا ۖ تَبَرَّأْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كَانُوٓا۟ إِيَّانَا يَعْبُدُونَ
Those upon whom the word will have come into effect will say, "Our Lord, these are the ones we led to error. We led them to error just as we were in error. We declare our disassociation [from them] to You. They did not used to worship [i.e., obey] us."
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَٱسْتَوَىٰٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.
فَلَمَّآ أَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَبْطِشَ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۢا بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِينَ
And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."