VisualDhikr|

Pharaoh's Persecution of Bani Israel

View in graph
event

Pharaoh's Persecution of Bani Israel

إِضْطِهَاد فِرْعَوْن

Pharaoh's persecution of the Children of Israel (Bani Israel) is a profoundly significant narrative in Islamic tradition, serving as a powerful testament to divine justice and the ultimate triumph over tyranny. Under Pharaoh's oppressive rule, the Children of Israel endured immense suffering, as he [exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them]. A particularly brutal aspect of this persecution involved [slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive]. This systematic dehumanization and cruelty was a deliberate policy, intended to weaken and subjugate them, as Pharaoh's people declared, ["We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them"]. The Quran describes this period as [afflicting them with the worst torment], highlighting the severity of their trial. This harrowing experience underscores the importance of patience in the face of injustice and reminds believers that Allah (God) is the ultimate rescuer of the oppressed, eventually leading to their miraculous deliverance and a powerful lesson for all time.

Quran 5 verses

وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَٰكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ وَفِى ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

Wa iz najjainaakum min Aali Fir'awna yasoomoonakum sooo'al azaabi yuzabbihoona abuaaa'akum wa yastahyoona nisaaa'akum; wa fee zaalikum balaaa'um mir Rabbikum 'azeem

And [recall] when We saved your forefathers from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the worst torment, slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.

اور (ہمارے ان احسانات کو یاد کرو) جب ہم نے تم کو قومِ فرعون سے نجات بخشی وہ (لوگ) تم کو بڑا دکھ دیتے تھے تمہارے بیٹوں کو تو قتل کر ڈالتے تھے اور بیٹیوں کو زندہ رہنے دیتے تھے اور اس میں تمہارے پروردگار کی طرف سے بڑی (سخت) آزمائش تھی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Verse 47 had spoken of the special favours shown to the Israelites by Allah. Now, with Verse 49 begins the account of these favours. Someone had made a prediction to the Pharaoh (فرعون) that a child was going to be born among the Israelites who would destroy his kingship. So, he began slaughtering a...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And remember when We delivered you your forefathers the address here and henceforth directed to those living at the time of the our Prophet is about how God blessed their forefathers and is intended to remind them of God’s grace so that they might believe; from the folk of Pharaoh who were visiting ...
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...

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُۥ لِيُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَٰهِرُونَ

Wa qaalal mala-u min qawmi Fir'awna atazaru Moosaa wa qawmahoo liyufsidoo fil ardi wa yazaraka wa aalihatak; qaala sanuqattilu abnaaa 'ahum wa nastahyee nisaaa'ahum wa innaa fawqahum qaahiroon

And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said," Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."

اور قومِ فرعون میں جو سردار تھے کہنے لگے کہ کیا آپ موسیٰ اور اس کی قوم کو چھوڑ دیجیے گا کہ ملک میں خرابی کریں اور آپ سے اور آپ کے معبودوں سے دست کش ہوجائیں۔ وہ بولے کہ ہم ان کے لڑکوں کو قتل کرڈالیں گے اور لڑکیوں کو زندہ رہنے دیں گے اور بےشک ہم ان پر غالب ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Pharaoh was frightened It is to be noted that the Pharaoh was in some degree successful in keeping his ignorant people in their former ignorance through his clever and false statements, but at the same time, they strangely noted that all the fury and rage of Pharaoh was limited to the sorcerers only...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Then the council of Pharaoh’s folk said to him to Pharaoh ‘Will you leave Moses and his people to work corruption in the land by calling to disobedience against you and flout you and your gods?’ — he had fashioned small idols for them to worship and had said to them ‘I am your lord and their lord’ w...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Fir`awn vows to kill the Children of Israel, Who complain to Musa; Allah promises Them Victory Allah mentions the conspiracy of Fir`awn and his people, their ill intentions and their hatred for Musa and his people. وَقَالَ الْمَلأ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَونَ (The chiefs of Fir`awn's people said), to Fir`aw...

وَإِذْ أَنجَيْنَٰكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ وَفِى ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

Wa iz anjainaakum min Aali Fir'awna yasoomoo nakum sooo'al 'azaab, yuqattiloona abnaaa'akum wa yastahyoona nisaaa'akum; wa fee zaalikum balaaa'um mir Rabbikum 'azeem

And [recall, O Children of Israel], when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, [who were] afflicting you with the worst torment - killing your sons and keeping your women alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.

(اور ہمارے ان احسانوں کو یاد کرو) جب ہم نے تم کو فرعونیوں (کے ہاتھ) سے نجات بخشی وہ لوگ تم کو بڑا دکھ دیتے تھے۔ تمہارے بیٹوں کو قتل کر ڈالتے تھے اور بیٹیوں کو زندہ رہنے دیتے تھے۔ اور اس میں تمہارے پروردگار کی طرف سے سخت آزمائش تھی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: After the miraculous victory of the Israelites over Pharaoh and his people, and having a life of ease and comfort, they started to show the signs of ignorance as people of wealth show when given a life of luxury and opulence. The first impertinent request they made was to the prophet Musa (علیہ السل...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And remember when We delivered you anjaynākum a variant reading has anjākum ‘He delivered you’ from Pharaoh’s folk who were inflicting upon you who were burdening you and making you taste terrible chastisement the worst kind of chastisement namely slaying your sons and sparing retaining your women; ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Blessings for Them Musa reminded the Children of Israel of Allah's blessings, such as saving them from Fir`awn, his tyranny and the humiliation and disgrace they suffered. He reminded them of the glory and revenge against their enemy, when they watched the...

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

Inna Fir'awna 'alaa fil ardi wa ja'ala ahlahaa shiya'ai yastad'ifu taaa'ifatam minhum yuzabbihu abnaaa'ahum wa yastahyee nisaaa'ahum; innahoo kaana minal mufsideen

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.

کہ فرعون نے ملک میں سر اُٹھا رکھا تھا اور وہاں کے باشندوں کو گروہ گروہ بنا رکھا تھا اُن میں سے ایک گروہ کو (یہاں تک) کمزور کر دیا تھا کہ اُن کے بیٹوں کو ذبح کر ڈالتا اور اُن کی لڑکیوں کو زندہ رہنے دیتا۔ بیشک وہ مفسدوں میں تھا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: 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) ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Truly Pharaoh had exalted himself in the land the land of Egypt and reduced its people into sects groups to serve him oppressing a group of them namely the Children of Israel slaughtering their sons the new-born and sparing their women keeping them alive — for some of the Egyptian priests had told h...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): 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 K...

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَبْنَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ وَٱسْتَحْيُوا۟ نِسَآءَهُمْ وَمَا كَيْدُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍ

Falamuna jaaa'ahum bil haqqi min 'indinaa qaaluq tulooo abnaaa'al lazeena aamanoo ma'ahoo wastahyoo nisaaa'ahum; wa maa kaidul kaafireena illaa fee dalaal

And when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, "Kill the sons of those who have believed with him and keep their women alive." But the plan of the disbelievers is not except in error.

غرض جب وہ ان کے پاس ہماری طرف سے حق لے کر پہنچے تو کہنے لگے کہ جو اس کے ساتھ (خدا پر) ایمان لائے ہیں ان کے بیٹوں کو قتل کردو اور بیٹیوں کو زندہ رہنے دو۔ اور کافروں کی تدبیریں بےٹھکانے ہوتی ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Frequent references were made earlier in the text to the warnings given to deniers of pure monotheism and prophethood which brought more opposition and hostility from disbelievers. Naturally, this situation made the Holy Prophet ﷺ sad. It was to comfort him that, in nearly two sections ci...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So when he brought them the truth from Us they said ‘Slay the sons of those who believe with him and spare keep alive their women’. But the guile of the disbelievers is ever in error in perdition.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Story of Musa and Fir`awn Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the disbelief of his people and gives him the glad tidings of good consequences and victory in this world and the Hereafter, as happened to Musa bin `Imran, peace be upon him, whom Allah sent with clear proof and definitive evid...

A detailed scholarly analysis for this topic is not yet available. Get in touch to request one.

Related Topics