28:3 Al-Qasas (The Stories)

ومن جملة ما أبان، قصة موسى وفرعون، فإنه أبداها، وأعادها في عدة مواضع، وبسطها في هذا الموضع فقال: { نَتْلُوا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ } فإن نبأهما غريب، وخبرهما عجيب.{ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ } فإليهم يساق الخطاب، ويوجه الكلام، حيث إن معهم من الإيمان، ما يقبلون به على تدبُّر ذلك، وتلقِّيه بالقبول والاهتداء بمواقع العبر، ويزدادون به إيمانا ويقينا، وخيرا إلى خيرهم، وأما من عداهم، فلا يستفيدون منه إلا إقامة الحجة عليهم، وصانه اللّه عنهم، وجعل بينهم وبينه حجابا أن يفقهوه.

وقوله: "نتلوا عليك من نبإ موسى وفرعون بالحق" الآية كما قال تعالى: "نحن نقص عليك أحسن القصص" أي نذكر لك الأمر على ما كان عليه كأنك تشاهد وكأنك حاضر.

Which was revealed in Makkah

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Ma`diykarib said: "We came to `Abdullah and asked him to recite to us:

طسم

(Ta Sin Mim.) the two hundred. He said, `I do not know it; you should go to someone who learned it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Khabbab bin Al-Aratt.' So we went to Khabbab bin Al-Aratt and he recited it to us, may Allah be pleased with him."

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Story of Musa and Fir`awn, and what Allah intended for Their People

We have already discussed the significance of the separate letters.

تِلْكَ ءَايَـتُ الْكِتَـبِ الْمُبِينِ

(These are the Ayat of the manifest Book.) means the Book which is clear and makes plain the true reality of things, and tells us about what happened and what will happen.

نَتْلُواْ عَلَيْكَ مِن نَّبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ

(We recite to you some of the news of Musa and Fir`awn in truth,) This is like the Ayah,

نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ

(We relate unto you the best of stories) (12:3). which means, `We tell you about things as they really were, as if you are there and are seeing them yourself.' Then Allah says:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلاَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(Verily, Fir`awn exalted himself in the land) means, he was an arrogant oppressor and tyrant.

وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعاً

(and made its people Shiya`) means, he made them into different classes, each of which he used to do whatever he wanted of the affairs of his state.

يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ

(weakening a group among them. ) This refers to the Children of Israel, who at that time were the best of people, even though this tyrant king overpowered them, using them to do the most menial work and forcing them to hard labor night and day for him and his people. At the same time, he was killing their sons and letting their daughters live, to humiliate them and because he feared that there might appear among them the boy who would be the cause of his destruction and the downfall of his kingdom. So Fir`awn took precautions against that happening, by ordering that all boys born to the Children of Israel should be killed, but this precaution did not protect him against the divine decree, because when the term of Allah comes, it cannot be delayed, and for each and every matter there is a decree from Allah. Allah says:

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak in the land,) until His saying;

يَحْذَرُونَ

(which they feared.) And Allah did indeed do this to them, as He says:

وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُواْ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ

(And We made the people who were considered weak) until His saying;

يَعْرِشُونَ

(they erected) (7:137). And Allah said:

كَذَلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَـهَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ

(Thus and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them) (26: 59). Fir`awn hoped that by his strength and power he would be saved from Musa, but that did not help him in the slightest. Despite his great power as a king he could not oppose the decree of Allah, which can never be overcome. On the contrary, Allah's ruling was carried out, for it had been written and decreed from past eternity that Fir`awn would meet his doom at the hands of Musa.

We will recount narrate to you something of the tale of Moses and Pharaoh truthfully for a people who believe for their sake since they are the ones to benefit from such an account.

Commentary

Surah Al-Qasas is the very last among the Makki Surahs. It was revealed between Makkah and Juhfah (Rabigh) during the migration. It is mentioned in some narrations that during the journey from Makkah to Madinah when the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached near Juhfah or Rabigh, Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) came to him and enquired whether he was feeling home sick, as he was leaving the place where he was born and spent all his life. To this the Holy Prophet ﷺ replied in the affirmative. Then Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) recited this Surah and gave him the good tiding that ultimately Makkah will fall to him and come under his control. The related verse is as follows:

إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَ‌ضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْ‌آنَ لَرَ‌ادُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٍ

Surely the one who has enjoined the Qura'n upon you will surely bring you back to the place of return - 28:85

Surah Al-Qasas begins with the story of Sayyidna Musa first briefly then in detail. Firs- half of the Surah contains Sayyidna Musa's (علیہ السلام) episodes with the Pharaoh, and towards the end of the Surah his episode with Qarun is related.

The story of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) is related extensively in the Qur’ an, at places briefly while at others in detail. In Surah Al-Kahf (Cave) that part of the story is related in which he encountered Al-Al-khadir (علیہ السلام) . Then, in Surah Taha other parts of the story are related in some detail, while some details are related in Surah An-Naml. Now, in Surah Al-Qasas they are being reiterated. In Surah Taha where Allah Ta` ala has said about Musa (علیہ السلام) فَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا (And We tested you with a great ordeal - 20:40). Imam Nasa'i and some other commentators have penned down the entire story at that point. The writer has followed suit, and by quoting Ibn Kathir has written the whole story under Surah Taha. All the relevant parts of the story, it's related important issues, and rulings have been discussed in detail under Surahs al-Kahf and Taha. For any reference of an issue or ruling it would be apt to look up there. Now in this Surah commentary will be restricted to brief explanation of the wordings of these verses.