وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءَاتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَأَهُۥ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَٰلًا فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِكَ ۖ رَبَّنَا ٱطْمِسْ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَٱشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ ٱلْأَلِيمَ 88
Translations
And Moses said, "Our Lord, indeed You have given Pharaoh and his establishment splendor and wealth in the worldly life, our Lord, that they may lead [men] astray from Your way. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment."
Transliteration
Wa qala Musa rabbana innaka ataita Fir'awna wa mala'ahu zeenataw wa amwalan fil hayatid dunya rabbana liyudillu 'an sabileek rabbana utmis 'ala amwalihim waashdud 'ala qulubihim fala yu'minun hatta yaraw al-'adhaban alaleem
Tafsir (Explanation)
Musa (Moses) calls upon Allah after witnessing Pharaoh and his chiefs granted worldly adornments and wealth that they exploit to lead people away from Allah's path. He supplicates to Allah to destroy their wealth and harden their hearts, so they will not believe until they witness the painful punishment. Classical exegetes like Ibn Kathir explain that this dua reflects Musa's deep concern for his people's guidance and his recognition that some hearts have become so hardened in rejection that only witnessing divine punishment will convince them of truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the narrative of Musa and Fir'awn (Pharaoh) in Surah Yunus, which presents the conflict between the message of monotheism and pharaonic tyranny. The context describes the rejection Musa faced despite clear signs, and this dua represents Musa's appeal to Allah after exhausting all means of persuasion. It reflects the broader Quranic theme of how material prosperity can be a trial that leads people astray.
Related Hadiths
The principle of hardened hearts is referenced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim regarding the ayah 'Allah has sealed their hearts' (2:7), which indicates that rejection of truth leads to spiritual blindness. Additionally, hadiths emphasize that wealth and children are trials (fitnah) as mentioned in Surah At-Taghabun 64:15.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material prosperity is not a sign of Allah's pleasure but can be a test that leads people astray, and that true guidance requires not only intellectual understanding but openness of heart. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to seek spiritual wealth over material gain and to remain vigilant against letting worldly possessions distance us from Allah's path.