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Drowning of Pharaoh and his Army

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Drowning of Pharaoh and his Army

غَرَق فِرْعَوْن

The drowning of Pharaoh and his army is a profoundly significant event in Islamic tradition, marking the dramatic culmination of the tyrannical reign of Pharaoh over the Children of Israel. After years of oppression and the miraculous signs brought by Prophet Musa (Moses), Allah commanded Musa to lead his people to safety. Pharaoh, with his vast army, relentlessly pursued them to the sea. In a breathtaking display of divine power, Allah caused the sea to part, creating a dry path for the Children of Israel. As [We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on], they safely crossed. Pharaoh and his forces, in their arrogance and disbelief, followed them into the parted waters. As the last of the Children of Israel reached the other side, the sea enveloped Pharaoh and his entire army. This was a direct [retribution from Allah] for their denial and heedlessness. Even as [drowning overtook him], Pharaoh’s belated declaration of faith was not accepted. This momentous event, where [We drowned him and those with him all together], stands as a powerful reminder of Allah’s ultimate justice and His protection of the oppressed, offering hope and warning throughout history.

Quran 13 verses

وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَٰكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ

Wa iz faraqnaa bikumul bahra fa anjainaakum wa agh-raqnaaa Aala Fir'awna wa antum tanzuroon

And [recall] when We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.

اور جب ہم نے تمہارے لیے دریا کو پھاڑ دیا تم کو نجات دی اور فرعون کی قوم کو غرق کر دیا اور تم دیکھ ہی تو رہے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Verse 50 refers to certain things which had happened in the days of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) (Moses). He, in his capacity as a messenger of Allah, continued efforts for a long time to make the Pharaoh and his people see Truth, but when they persisted in their denial, Allah commanded him to take t...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And remember when We divided split in two for you on account of you the sea such that you were able to cross it and escape from your enemy; and We delivered you from drowning and drowned Pharaoh’s folk his people with him while you were beholding the sea crashing down on top of them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned Allah said to the Children of Israel, "Remember My favor on you وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَـكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ (And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir`awn's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicti...

فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا غَٰفِلِينَ

Fantaqamnaa minhum fa aghraqnaahum kazzaboo bi Aayaatinaa wa kaanoo 'anhaa ghaafileen

So We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.

تو ہم نے ان سے بدلہ لے کر ہی چھوڑا کہ ان کو دریا میں ڈبو دیا اس لیے کہ وہ ہماری آیتوں کو جھٹلاتے اور ان سے بےپروائی کرتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The sixth punishment has been mentioned in the Qur'an by the Arabic word: رِجز 'Rijz' which signifies plague or pestilence. The number of Egyptians killed in this plague is reported to have been more than seventy thousand. They were relieved of this punishment by the prayer of the prophet Musa (علیہ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So We exacted retribution from them and therefore We drowned them in the sea al-yamm denotes salty waters for the reason that they denied Our signs and were heedless of them not reflecting upon them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The People of Fir`awn drown in the Sea; the Children of Israel inherit the Holy Land Allah states that when the people of Fir`awn rebelled and transgressed, even though He inflicted them with consecutive signs, one after another, He took retribution from them by drowning them in the sea that Musa pa...

كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَكُلٌّ كَانُوا۟ ظَٰلِمِينَ

Kadaabi Aali Fir'awna wallazeena min qablihim; kazzaboo bi Aayaati Rabbihim faahlaknaahum bizunoobihim wa aghraqnaa Aala Fir'awn; wa kullun kaanoo zaalimeen

[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh. And all [of them] were wrongdoers.

جیسا حال فرعونیوں اور ان سے پہلے لوگوں کا (ہوا تھا ویسا ہی ان کا ہوا) انہوں نے اپنے پروردگار کی آیتوں کو جھٹلایا تو ہم نے ان کو ان کے گناہوں کے سبب ہلاک کر ڈالا اور فرعونیوں کو ڈبو دیا۔ اور وہ سب ظالم تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The words used in the first of the verses cited above are almost the same as have appeared a verse earlier in: كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ' (Their way is) like the way of the people of Pharaoh and of...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Like the way of Pharaoh’s folk and those before them they denied the signs of their Lord so We destroyed them for their sins and We drowned the folk of Pharaoh his people together with him and all disbelieving communities were evildoers.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah affirms His perfect justice and fairness in His decisions, for He decided that He will not change a bounty that He has granted someone, except on account of an evil that they committed. Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ و...

وَجَٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ ٱلْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتْ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓا۟ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

Wa jaawaznaa bi Baneee Israaa'eelal bahra fa atba'ahum Fir'awnu wa junooduhoo baghyanw wa 'adwan hattaaa izaaa adrakahul gharaqu qaala aamantu annnahoo laaa ilaaha illal lazeee aamanat bihee Banooo Israaa'eela wa ana minal muslimeen

And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."

اور ہم نے بنی اسرائیل کو دریا سے پار کردیا تو فرعون اور اس کے لشکر نے سرکشی اور تعدی سے ان کا تعاقب کیا۔ یہاں تک کہ جب اس کو غرق (کے عذاب) نے آپکڑا تو کہنے لگا کہ میں ایمان لایا کہ جس (خدا) پر بنی اسرائیل ایمان لائے ہیں اس کے سوا کوئی معبود نہیں اور میں فرمانبرداروں میں ہوں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Mentioned in the fourth verse (90) was the famous miracle of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - the crossing of the sea and the drowning of Pharaoh. There it was said: حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَدْرَ‌كَهُ الْغَرَ‌قُ قَالَ آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَ‌ائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea; and Pharaoh pursued them he caught up with them together with his hosts in insolence and transgression baghyan wa-‘adwan these constitute the direct object denoting reason until when the fate of drowning overtook him he said ‘I believe that annah...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Children of Israel were saved and Fir`awn's People drowned Allah tells us how He caused Fir`awn and his soldiers to drown. The Children of Israel left Egypt in the company of Musa. It was said that there were six hundred thousand soldiers, plus offspring. They borrowed a lot of ornaments from th...

فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعًا

Fa araada any yastafizzahum minal ardi fa aghraqnaahu wa mam ma'ahoo jamee'aa

So he intended to drive them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him all together.

تو اس نے چاہا کہ ان کو سر زمین (مصر) سے نکال دے تو ہم نے اس کو اور جو اس کے ساتھ تھے سب کو ڈبو دیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The first verse (101): وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ mentions the bestowal of nine clear signs on Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . The word: آیَہ ('ayah) carries the meaning of miracle or sign as well as that of the آیَت : ayat or verses of the Qur'an, that is, the divine injunctio...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And he Pharaoh desired to scare them to expel Moses and his people from the land the land of Egypt; so We drowned him and those with him all together.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Nine Signs of Musa Allah tells us that He sent Musa with nine clear signs, which provided definitive proof that his prophethood was real and that what he was conveying from the One Who had sent him to Fira`wn was true. These clear signs were: his staff, his hand, the years of famine, the sea, th...

فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ

Fa atba'ahum Fir'awnu bijunoodihee faghashiyahum minal yammmi maa ghashi yahum

So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, and there covered them from the sea that which covered them,

پھر فرعون نے اپنے لشکر کے ساتھ ان کا تعاقب کیا تو دریا (کی موجوں) نے ان پر چڑھ کر انہیں ڈھانک لیا (یعنی ڈبو دیا)

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The decisive defeat which he suffered in the contest between the right and wrong and between miracle and magic broke the power of the Pharaoh, and the Bani Isra'ile stood united under the leadership of Sayyidni Musa (علیہ السلام) . Allah now commanded Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) to take h...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Then Pharaoh pursued them with his hosts with him Pharaoh alongside them and there engulfed them what did engulf them of the sea and it drowned them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Children of Israel leave Egypt Allah, the Exalted, informs that He commanded Musa to journey at night with the Children of Israel, when Fir`awn refused to release them and send them with Musa. He was to take them away from Fir`awn's captivity. Allah expounds upon this in Surahs other than this n...

فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْلَكِينَ

Fakazzaboohumaa fakaanoo minal mmuhlakeen

So they denied them and were of those destroyed.

تو اُن لوگوں نے اُن کی تکذیب کی سو (آخر) ہلاک کر دیئے گئے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ (and We gave them shelter on a height, a place of rest and running springs). According to Bayan-ul-Qur’ an, this verse refers to the event that a tyrant was resolute to kill Sayyidna ` Isa and his mother (علیہما السلام) right from hi...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So they denied them both and became of those who were destroyed.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Story of Musa, Peace be upon Him; and Fir`awn Allah tells us that He sent Musa, peace be upon him, and his brother Harun to Fir`awn and his chiefs with decisive evidence and definitive proof, but Fir`awn and his people were too arrogant to follow them and obey their commands because they were hu...

وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ

Wa azlafnaa sammal aakhareen

And We advanced thereto the pursuers.

اور دوسروں کو وہاں ہم نے قریب کردیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The reasoning for this he gave إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَ‌بِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (62) "Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me." Such are the moments for the test of faith, when Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was not terror stricken at all, as if he was seeing for himself the way out. Almost the same thing happened...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And there We brought near the others Pharaoh and his folk until they followed them across the same paths.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Fir`awn's Pursuit and Expulsion of the Children of Israel, and how He and His People were drowned More than one of the scholars of Tafsir said that Fir`awn set out with a huge group, a group containing the leaders and entire government of Egypt at that time, i.e., the decision-makers and influential...

ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ

Summa aghraqnal aakhareen

Then We drowned the others.

پھر دوسروں کو ڈبو دیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The reasoning for this he gave إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَ‌بِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (62) "Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me." Such are the moments for the test of faith, when Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was not terror stricken at all, as if he was seeing for himself the way out. Almost the same thing happened...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Then We drowned the others Pharaoh and his folk by closing the sea on them after they had entered the sea and the Children of Israel had exited therefrom.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Fir`awn's Pursuit and Expulsion of the Children of Israel, and how He and His People were drowned More than one of the scholars of Tafsir said that Fir`awn set out with a huge group, a group containing the leaders and entire government of Egypt at that time, i.e., the decision-makers and influential...

فَأَخَذْنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذْنَٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Fa akhaznaahu wa junoo dahoo fanabaznaahum fil yammi fanzur kaifa kaana 'aaqibatuz zaalimeen

So We took him and his soldiers and threw them into the sea. So see how was the end of the wrongdoers.

تو ہم نے اُن کو اور اُن کے لشکروں کو پکڑلیا اور دریا میں ڈال دیا۔ سو دیکھ لو ظالموں کا کیسا انجام ہوا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ (So kindle for me, 0 Haman, a fire on the clay (to bake bricks) - 28:38). When the Pharaoh planned to build a very tall palace for himself, he asked his minister Haman to get the bricks baked properly first, because half baked bricks could not ta...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So We seized him and his hosts and flung them into the waters the sea and they drowned. So behold how was the sequel for the evildoers when they ended up being destroyed.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Arrogance of Fir`awn and His ultimate Destiny Allah tells us of Fir`awn's disbelief and wrongdoing, and how he falsely claimed divinity for his evil self, may Allah curse him. فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ (Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) 43:54 He called on his people to re...

فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

Falammaaa aasafoonan taqamnaa minhum fa aghraqnaahum ajma'een

And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.

جب انہوں نے ہم کو خفا کیا تو ہم نے ان سے انتقام لے کر اور ان سب کو ڈبو کر چھوڑا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا (So, when they provoked our anger, - 43:55). Since Allah Almighty is pure of the states of anger and sorrow, the meaning is that their behavior caused Us to decide that they should be punished. (Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani)
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So when they had angered Us We took vengeance on them and drowned them all.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Fir`awn's Address to His People and how Allah punished Him Allah tells us how Fir`awn stubbornly persisted in his rebellion and disbelief. He assembled his people and addressed them in a vainglorious fashion, boasting of his dominion over Egypt. أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَـذِهِ الاٌّنْهَـرُ تَجْ...

وَٱتْرُكِ ٱلْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا إِنَّهُمْ جُندٌ مُّغْرَقُونَ

Watrukil bahra rahwan innahum jundum mughraqoon

And leave the sea in stillness. Indeed, they are an army to be drowned."

اور دریا سے (کہ) خشک (ہو رہا ہوگا) پار ہو جاؤ (تمہارے بعد) ان کا تمام لشکر ڈبو دیا جائے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَاتْرُ‌كِ الْبَحْرَ‌ رَ‌هْوًا "And leave the sea in the state of stillness; (44:24) " The word rahwan means 'to be still/calm/motionless'. When Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) and his companions crossed the sea, Musa ill naturally desired for the sea to go back to its original state. So he wanted to str...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And leave the sea behind once you and your companions have crossed it at rest still and calm until the Egyptians enter it indeed they will be a drowned host’ — he Moses was reassured by this statement — and they were indeed drowned.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Story of Musa and Fir`awn, and how the Children of Israel were saved Allah tells us, `before these idolators, We tested the people of Fir`awn, the copts of Egypt.' وَجَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ كَرِيمٌ (when there came to them a noble Messenger.) means, Musa, peace be upon him, the one to whom Allah spoke...

فَأَخَذْنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذْنَٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ

Fa akhaznaahu wa junoo dahoo fanabaznaahum fil yammi wa huwa muleem

So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.

تو ہم نے اس کو اور اس کے لشکروں کو پکڑ لیا اور ان کو دریا میں پھینک دیا اور وہ کام ہی قابل ملامت کرتا تھا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: After the mention of the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) ، the people of Musa (علیہ السلام) ، Fir'aun and others are taken up briefly. When Musa (علیہ السلام) delivered the message of truth to Fir'aun, the latter reacted thus: فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُ‌كْنِهِ (So he turned away along with his chiefs,...51:39) Th...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So We seized him and his hosts and cast flung them into the waters the sea and so they drowned for he that is Pharaoh was blameworthy guilty of what is blameworthy such as denying the messengers and claiming divinity.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Lessons from the Destruction of Fir`awn, `Ad, Thamud, and the People of Nuh Allah the Exalted said, وَفِى مُوسَى إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ بِسُلْطَـنٍ مُّبِينٍ (And in Musa, when We sent him to Fir`awn with a manifest authority.) meaning, with clear proof and plain evidence, فَتَوَلَّى بِر...

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