ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ 43
Translations
Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.
Transliteration
Idhhaba ila Fir'awna innahu tagha
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) to go to Pharaoh and deliver the divine message, despite his tyranny and arrogance. The word 'tagha' (طغىٰ) means he has transgressed all bounds and exceeded limits in his rebellion against Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah demonstrates the divine command to convey the message of tawhid (monotheism) even to the most oppressive rulers, emphasizing the duty of prophets to call all people to Allah regardless of their station or disposition.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's commissioning as a prophet (20:9-36). After Allah revealed Himself to Musa at Mount Tur through the burning bush, He appointed both Musa and his brother Harun as messengers with the specific mission to confront Pharaoh and liberate the Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
Related Hadiths
The Qur'an itself references this mission extensively (7:103-137, 26:10-68). A related hadith in Sahih Bukhari describes the qualities needed by those who call others to Allah, emphasizing wisdom and patience—attributes essential for Musa's difficult task of approaching Pharaoh.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that spreading the message of truth is a sacred duty that cannot be abandoned due to the hardness or power of those who reject it; we are commanded to deliver the message wisely and truthfully, while leaving the outcome to Allah, just as Musa was sent to Pharaoh despite knowing his resistance.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ أَتَتْكَ ءَايَـٰتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا ۖ وَكَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ تُنسَىٰ
[Allāh] will say, "Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten."
قَالَ عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى فِى كِتَـٰبٍ ۖ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّى وَلَا يَنسَى
[Moses] said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."
وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ
But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]:
فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولَآ إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّكَ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَا تُعَذِّبْهُمْ ۖ قَدْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُ عَلَىٰ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance.