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Ayat
Terjemahan Per Kata
أَنۡ
bahwa
أَرۡسِلۡ
lepaskan
مَعَنَا
bersama kami
بَنِيٓ
Bani
إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ
Israil
أَنۡ
bahwa
أَرۡسِلۡ
lepaskan
مَعَنَا
bersama kami
بَنِيٓ
Bani
إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ
Israil
Terjemahan
lepaskanlah Bani Israil (pergi) bersama kami."
Tafsir
(Hendaklah) hendaknya (lepaskanlah untuk pergi bersama kami) ke negeri Syam (kaum Bani Israel") maka Nabi Musa dan Nabi Harun datang kepada Firaun lalu keduanya mengatakan apa yang telah disebutkan tadi.
Tafsir Surat Ash-Shu'ara': 10-22
Dan (ingatlah) ketika Tuhanmu menyeru Musa (dengan Firman-Nya), "Datanglah kaum yang zalim itu, (yaitu) kaum Firaun. Mengapa mereka tidak bertakwa? Berkata Musa, "Ya Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku takut bahwa mereka akan mendustakan aku. Dan (karenanya) sempitlah dadaku dan tidak lancar lidahku, maka utuslah (Jibril) kepada Harun. Dan aku berdosa terhadap mereka, maka aku takut mereka akan membunuhku.Allah berfirman, "Jangan takut (mereka tidak akan dapat membunuhmu), maka pergilah kamu berdua dengan membawa ayat-ayat Kami (mukjizat-mukjizat) sesungguhnya Kami bersamamu mendengarkan (apa-apa yang mereka katakan). Maka datanglah kamu berdua kepada Fir'aun dan katakanlah olehmu, 'Sesungguhnya kami adalah rasul Tuhan semesta alam, lepaskanlah Bani Israil (pergi) beserta kami.' Fir'aun menjawab, 'Bukankah kami telah mengasuhmu di antara (keluarga) kami, waktu kamu masih anak-anak dan kamu tinggal bersama kami beberapa tahun dari umurmu, dan kamu telah berbuat suatu perbuatan yang telah kamu lakukan itu dan kamu termasuk golongan orang-orang yang tidak membalas budi.
'Berkata Musa, 'Aku telah melakukannya, sedangkan aku di waktu itu termasuk orang-orang yang khilaf. Lalu aku lari meninggalkan kalian ketika aku takut kepada kalian, kemudian Tuhanku memberikan kepadaku ilmu serta Dia menjadikanku salah seorang di antara rasul-rasul. Budi yang kamu limpahkan kepadaku itu adalah (disebabkan) kamu telah memperbudak Bani Israil." Allah ﷻ menceritakan tentang perintah-Nya kepada hamba, rasul, dan Kalim-Nya, yaitu Musa a.s. ketika Dia menyerunya dari sisi kanan Bukit Tur; saat itu Allah berbicara langsung dengannya dan mengangkatnya menjadi seorang utusan.
Lalu Allah memerintahkan kepadanya agar pergi menemui Fir'aun dan bala tentaranya. Karena itulah disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: "Datangilah kaum-kaum yang zalim itu, (yaitu) kaum Firaun. Mengapa mereka tidak bertakwa? Berkata Musa, "Ya Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku takut bahwa mereka akan mendustakan aku. Dan (karenanya) sempitlah dadaku dan tidak lancar lidahku, maka utuslah (Jibril) kepada Harun. Dan aku berdosa terhadap mereka, maka aku takut mereka akan membunuhku. (Asy-Syu'ara': 10-14) Ini merupakan alasan, yang dimaksudkan ialah memohon kepada Allah agar hambatan-hambatan tersebut dilenyapkan darinya.
Seperti pengertian yang terdapat di dalam firman-Nya surat Taha, yaitu: berkata Musa: "Ya Tuhanku, lapangkanlah untukku dadaku, dan mudahkanlah untukku urusanku, dan lepaskanlah kekakuan dari lidahku, supaya mereka mengerti perkataanku, dan Jadikanlah untukku seorang pembantu dari keluargaku, (yaitu) Harun, saudaraku, teguhkanlah dengan Dia kekuatanku, dan jadikankanlah Dia sekutu dalam urusanku, supaya Kami banyak bertasbih kepada Engkau, dan banyak mengingat Engkau.
Sesungguhnya Engkau adalah Maha melihat (keadaan) kami". Allah berfirman: "Sesungguhnya telah diperkenankan permintaanmu, Hai Musa." (Taha: 25-36) Adapun firman Allah ﷻ: Dan aku berdosa terhadap mereka, maka aku takut mereka akan membunuhku. (Asy-Syu'ara': 14) Yakni karena aku telah membunuh seorang Qibti yang berakibat aku keluar dari negeri Mesir. Allah berfirman, "Jangan takut." (Asy-Syu'ara': 15) Allah ﷻ berfirman kepada Musa, "Janganlah kamu merasa takut terhadap sesuatu pun yang kamu pikirkan itu." Ayat ini semakna dengan apa yang disebutkan oleh firman-Nya dalam ayat lain, yaitu: Allah berfirman, Kami akan membantumu dengan saudaramu, dan Kami berikan kepadamu berdua kekuasaan yang besar, maka mereka tidak dapat mencapaimu; (berangkatlah kamu berdua) dengan membawa mukjizat Kami, kamu berdua dan orang yang mengikuti kamulah yang menang.(Al-Qasas: 35) Sedangkan firman Allah ﷻ: maka pergilah kamu berdua dengan membawa ayat-ayat Kami (mukjizat-mukjizat); sesungguhnya Kami bersama kalian mendengarkan (apa-apa yang mereka katakan). (Asy-Syu'ara': 15) Semakna dengan apa yang disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: sesungguhnya Aku beserta kamu berdua, Aku mendengar dan melihat. (Taha: 46) Yaitu sesungguhnya Aku selalu bersama kamu berdua melalui pemeliharaan-Ku, penjagaan-Ku, pertolongan-Ku, dan dukungan-Ku.
Firman Allah ﷻ: Maka datanglah kamu berdua kepada Firaun dan katakanlah olehmu, "Sesungguhnya kami adalah rasul Tuhan semesta alam. (Asy-Syu'ara': 16) Semakna dengan firman-Nya: Sesungguhnya kami berdua adalah utusan Tuhanmu. (Taha: 47) Maksudnya, masing-masing dari kami adalah utusan Tuhan kepadamu. Lepaskanlah Bani Israil (pergi) beserta kami. (Asy-Syu'ara': 17) Yakni bebaskanlah mereka dari perbudakanmu, karena sesungguhnya mereka adalah hamba-hamba Allah yang beriman dan bala tentara-Nya yang ikhlas, sekarang mereka berada di dalam penindasan dan penyiksaanmu yang merendahkan martabat mereka.
Setelah Musa mengatakan demikian, maka Fir'aun berpaling dan sama sekali tidak mengindahkannya, lalu memandang ke arah Musa dengan pandangan yang sinis dan meremehkan seraya berkata seperti yang diceritakan oleh firman-Nya: Bukankah kami telah mengasuhmu di antara (keluarga) kami, waktu kamu masih kanak-kanak. (Asy-Syu'ara: 18), hingga akhir ayat. Yakni bukankah kamu orang yang pernah kami asuh di rumah kami dan di atas pelaminan kami, serta kami buat kamu hidup senang selama beberapa tahun.
Tetapi setelah itu kamu balas kebaikan itu dengan perbuatanmu itu; kamu telah membunuh seseorang dari kami dan mengingkari kesenangan yang pernah kuberikan kepadamu. Karena itulah Fir'aun mengatakan, seperti yang disitir oleh firman-Nya: dan kamu termasuk golongan orang-orang yang tidak membalas budi. (Asy-Syu'ara': 19) Yang dimaksud dengan kafir dalam ayat ini ialah mengingkari nikmat yang pernah diberikan. Demikianlah menurut pendapat Ibnu Abbas dan Abdur Rahman ibnu Zaid ibnu Aslam, lalu dipilih oleh Ibnu Jarir.
Berkata Musa, "Aku telah melakukannya, sedangkan aku di waktu itu termasuk orang-orang yang khilaf. (Asy-Syu'ara': 20) Artinya, saat itu aku masih belum diberi wahyu dan belum mendapat nikmat kenabian dan kerasulan. Ibnu Abbas r.a., Mujahid, Qatadah, dan Ad-Dahhak serta lain-lainnya mengatakan sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: sedangkan aku termasuk orang-orang yang khilaf. (Asy-Syu'ara': 20) Yakni termasuk orang-orang yang tidak mengerti. Ibnu Juraij mengatakan bahwa memang demikianlah bacaan ayat ini menurut qiraat Abdullah ibnu Mas'ud.
Lalu aku lari meninggalkan kalian ketika aku takut kepada kalian. (Asy-Syu'ara': 21), hingga akhir ayat. Itu adalah kisah dahulu dan sekarang lain lagi, sesungguhnya aku sekarang telah diutus oleh Allah kepadamu. Jika kamu taat kepada-Nya, niscaya kamu selamat; dan jika kamu menentangnya, niscaya kamu binasa. Kemudian Musa berkata, seperti yang disitir oleh firman-Nya: Budi yang kamu limpahkan kepadaku itu adalah (disebabkan) kamu telah memperbudak Bani Israil. (Asy-Syu'ara': 22) Yakni kebaikanmu kepadaku dan jerih payahmu mengasuhku adalah imbalan dari perlakuan jahatmu terhadap Bani Israil, kamu memperbudak mereka dengan memaksa mereka kerja berat untuk kepentinganmu dan rakyatmu.
Maka apakah dapat mencukupi kebaikanmu kepada seseorang dari mereka untuk menutupi kejahatanmu kepada mereka seluruhnya. Dengan kata lain, dapat diartikan bahwa jasa yang telah kamu sebutkan itu tiada artinya bila dibandingkan dengan kejahatan yang telah kamu lakukan.".
Lepaskanlah bangsa kami yaitu Bani Israil biarkan mereka pergi bersama kami ketempat yang kami kehendaki. Jangan lagi kau perbudak mereka. 18. Mendengar ucapan Nabi Musa, dia Fir'aun, menjawab dengan nada marah dan mengungkit jasanya terhadap Nabi Musa di masa lalu, 'Bukankah kami telah mengasuhmu, memeliharamu dengan sebaik-baiknya dalam lingkungan keluarga kami, yaitu waktu engkau masih kanak-kanak dan engkau tinggal bersama kami beberapa tahun dari umurmu yaitu semenjak engkau masih bayi sampai engkau menjadi pemuda'".
Pada ayat-ayat ini, Allah menegaskan kepada Musa a.s. bahwa semua yang dikhawatirkannya itu tidak akan terjadi. Dia tidak akan dapat dibunuh oleh Fir'aun karena Fir'aun tidak akan dapat berlaku sewenang-wenang terhadapnya. Adapun permintaan Musa agar saudaranya, Harun, diangkat menjadi rasul telah dikabulkan oleh Allah. Dengan begitu, perintah untuk pergi berdakwah kepada Fir'aun dan kaumnya dibebankan kepada Musa dan Harun. Di dalam ayat lain, Allah menegaskan bahwa permintaan Musa itu dikabulkan yaitu:
Dia (Allah) berfirman, "Sungguh, telah diperkenankan permintaanmu, hai Musa! (thaha/20: 36).
Allah menceritakan kepergian Musa dan Harun menyeru Fir'aun dan kaumnya kepada agama tauhid dengan membawa mukjizat yang akan menguatkan seruannya yaitu tongkat Musa yang dapat menjadi ular, dan tangannya bila dimasukkan ke ketiaknya akan menjadi putih bercahaya. Untuk menghilangkan segala was-was dan kekhawatiran dalam hati Musa dan Harun, Allah menegaskan bahwa Ia selalu akan mendengar dan memperhatikan apa yang akan terjadi di kala keduanya telah berhadapan dengan Fir'aun. Hal ini dengan jelas diterangkan pada ayat lain yaitu:
Dia (Allah) berfirman, "Janganlah kamu berdua khawatir, sesungguhnya Aku bersama kamu berdua, Aku mendengar dan melihat. (thaha/20: 46).
Allah menyuruh Musa dan Harun agar mengatakan dengan tegas kepada Fir'aun bahwa mereka datang menghadap kepadanya untuk menyampaikan bahwa mereka berdua adalah rasul yang diutus Allah, Tuhan semesta alam, kepadanya dan kaumnya. Selain itu keduanya harus meminta kepada Fir'aun agar membebaskan Bani Israil yang telah diperbudak selama ini. Keduanya ingin membawa mereka kembali ke tanah suci Baitul Makdis, tanah tumpah darah mereka, di mana nenek moyang mereka semenjak dahulu kala telah berdiam di sana. Hal ini bertujuan agar mereka dapat dengan bebas memeluk agama tauhid tanpa ada tekanan atau hambatan dari siapa pun.
Dalam Tafsir al-Maragi diterangkan bahwa menurut riwayat, Bani Israil yang tinggal di Mesir diperbudak oleh Fir'aun dan kaumnya dalam waktu yang lama, yaitu selama 400 tahun. Fir'aun memang sangat berkuasa dan berbuat sewenang-wenang terhadap rakyatnya, terutama Bani Israil. Menurut al-Qurtubi, sebagaimana dikutip oleh al-Maragi, Musa dan Harun harus menunggu satu tahun untuk dapat menghadap Fir'aun.
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Musa dan Fir'aun
Ayat 10
Di permulaan Surat ini, sejak dari ayat 1 sampai 9 telah terbayanglah betapa besar tugas Nabi kita Muhammad s.a.w. di dalam menghadapi kaumnya, kaum Quraisy di Makkah pada waktu itu, dalam tugas beliau yang besar memberi petunjuk bagi seluruh ummat manusia. Kadang-kadang terkhatirkan dalam hati beliau hendak membinasakan dirinya saja, demi melihat demikian hebat hambatan dan rintangan yang dilakukan mereka.
Tuhan Maha Tahu betapa sulit yang dihadapi Nabi Muhammad, setiap seruan dibawa, setiap ditolak mentah-mentah, dipermainkan dan diperolok-olokkan.
Memang demikianlah duri onak yang harus dilalui oleh seorang Rasul. Tugas yang besar selalulah berhadapan dengan rintangan yang besar. Jiwa yang besar pun mendapat ujian daripada kekuatan-kekuatan dan tantangan yang besar. Lalu Tuhan terangkanlah sejarah perjuangan Nabi-nabi yang dahulu daripada beliau, dalam tugas yang sama dan rintangan yang sama.
Coraknya saja yang beraneka warna, namun hakikatnya sama saja.
Rintangan-rintangan yang hebat adalah ujian dari keaslian tugas yang dibawa. Yang terlebih dahulu diwahyukan di sini ialah perjuangan Nabi Musa. Musa'adalah salah seorang di antara Ulul ‘Azmi min ar-rusuli, yang empunya tugas berat di antara beberapa Rasul Tuhan. Dari beberapa uraian tentang perjuangan Nabi-nabi dan Rasul, kisah Musalah yang terlebih banyak dalam al-Qur'an. Kisah Musa tersebut dalam Surat al-Baqarah, yang menerangkan perangai kelakuan Bani Israil setelah lepas dari belenggu Fir'aun, sesuai dengan suasana timbulnya Masyarakat Islam di Madinah yang bercampur gaul dengan keturunan Bani Israil yang ada di Madinah. Tersebut juga dalam Surat al-Maidah, Surat al-A'raf. Surat Yunus, Surat al-Isra', Surat al-Kahfi dan Surat-Thaha dan beberapa isyarat dalam Surat-surat yang lain, masing-masing menurut keadaan suasana seketika Wahyu diturunkan.
Dalam Surat asy-Syu'ara' yang diturunkan di Makkah ini lebih dijelaskanlah betapa perjuangan Musa sebagai Nabi dan Rasul dan betapa pula susunan pendustaan yang dilakukan oleh Fir'aun dan kaumnya. Di dalam Surat ini tersebutlah tugas kepada Musa sehingga dia diangkat menjadi Rasul, Wahyu munajat Musa kepada Tuhan memohonkan diberi kekuatan, kemudian itu Musa setelah berhadap-hadapan dengan Fir'aun yang dalam istilah zaman sekarang dinamai “Konfrontasi" dan tanda Kebesaran Tuhan yang dibawanya, perbuatan yang diberikan oleh abangnya Harun, peraduan kekuatan Musa dengan sihir alat kaki tangan Fir'aun, sampai mereka menyatakan diri menjadi pengikut Musa, karena sihir mereka dapat dikalahkan oleh mu'jizat. Penutupnya ialah gerakan. Musa membebaskan kaumnya dari tindakan Fir'aun dan usaha mati-matian Fir'aun menghalangi pembebasan itu. Dalam Surat-surat yang lain dipaparkan pula kisah itu dalam bentuk gaya yang lain, sehingga kisah Musa itu, mulai dia lahir, sampai besarnya di istana Fir'aun. sampai berpindahnya ke Madinah dikatakan cukup, apabila kita sambungkan di antara satu Surat dengan Surat yang lain.
Mulai dari ayat 10 Surat asy-Syu'ara' ini diterangkanlah bahwasanya Musa telah mendapat panggilan dari Tuhan buat memikul suatu perintah berat, yaitu supaya datang membawa seruan Kebenaran kepada kaum yang zalim, yang aniaya dan berlaku sewenang-wenang, yaitu kaum Fir'aun. Tugas ini dipikulkan karena beliau, sebagaimana telah jelas pada Surat Thaha, ialah setelah dia selesai menerima Wahyu yang pertama di puncak bukit Thursina, dalam perjalanannya pulang ke Mesir dari negeri Madyan.
Ayat 11
Dalam ayat ini jelaslah bahwasanya yang hendak didatangi ialah kaum Fir'aun, atau regim Fir'aun, menurut kata yang populer sekarang. Sebab Fir'aun sendiri tidaklah akan mendapat kekuasaan setinggi itu kalau di kiri-kanannya tidak ada “kaum" yang menyokongnya."Alaa yattaquun", mengapakah mereka tidak mau berbakti kepada Tuhan, dan tidak mau takwa? Mengapa mereka hanya memperturutkan siasat pemerintah karena gila kekuasaan saja, sehingga tidak memikirkan akibat yang akan menimpa di belakang hari?
Ayat 12
Berat tugas itu. Menghadapi Fir'aun, menghadapi kaum yang menyokong Fir'aun, kaum yang tidak mengenal takwa. Musa merasai betapa berat tugas itu jika diukur dengan kelemahan dirinya sebagai seorang manusia. Siapakah dirinya jika dibandingkan dengan kokoh kuatnya susunan regim kaum Fir'aun itu. Mulai saja perintah Tuhan diterimanya, terasalah olehnya ketakutan bahwa missinya itu akan gagal, tugasnya tidak akan berhasil. Dia akan didustakan orang, seruannya akan ditolak mentah-mentah.
Ayat 13
Pada ayat 13 dan 14 dijelaskannya sebab-sebab yang menimbulkan takutnya menghadapi tugas berat itu Pertama dia menyempit dada, kedua, lidahnya tidak petah, tidak lancar berkata-kata, ketiga, dia mempunyai kesalahan besar yang telah tercatat dalam catatan kaum Fir'aun itu, yaitu dia lari meninggalkan Mesir dahulunya ialah karena tangannya terdorong membunuh orang.
Dada yang sempit menyebabkan orang lekas marah kalau cita-citanya terhalang. Dan kalau dia terlanjur marah karena dihalangi, akan gagallah tugas yang diserahkan kepada dirinya.
Yang kedua, lidahnya tidak begitu fasih berkata-kata, dia penggugup. Memang, gugup berkata-kata itu bertali juga dengan kesempitan dada tadi.
Kalau seorang yang lidahnya tidak begitu lancar berkata, agak gugup, niscaya dicemuhkan orang. Dan kalau dicemuhkan niscaya timbul marah. Tetapi ketakutan atau kecemasan yang kedua ini dapatlah diatasi kesulitannya apabila Tuhan sudi memberinya bantuan, yaitu agar diangkat pula saudaranya Harun menjadi Rasul pula, sebab lidahnya fasih berkata-kata. Musa memohon, kalau tugas ini diberikan kepadanya, supaya saudaranya Harun itu diangkat menjadi pembantunya. Kekerasan hati, keteguhan sikap, ketabahan menghadapi rintangan sangguplah Musa memikulnya. Tetapi sikap keras haruslah pula dibentengi oleh penerangan lidah yang fasih. Kekurangan Musa dapat dilengkapi oleh Harun, dan Harun sendiri pun tidaklah kokoh kalau tidak ada kekuatan Musa. Musa memohon supaya Jibril pun diutus membawa Wahyu kepada abangnya itu.
Ayat 14
Tetapi ada lagi soal yang ketiga, yang lebih sukar diatasi dalam dia memikul tugas ini. Dia dahulu pernah membunuh salah seorang kaki tangan Fir'aun itu karena Musa membela kaumnya sendiri, Bani Israil yang dianiaya oleh orang yang dibunuhnya itu.
Perhatikanlah dengan seksama ujung ayat 14 itu. Musa takut tugas sucinya itu akan gagal, atau tidak berhasil sama sekali, kalau-kalau sesampainya di Mesir kelak, dia tidak sanggup memulai pekerjaannya, karena kalau mereka mengetahui dia telah ada di Mesir kembali, dia akan segera ditangkap dan dibunuh. Oleh sebab itu keraslah permohonan kepada Tuhan supaya abangnya Harun pun mendapat tugas menjadi Rasul Allah, sehingga kalau ^dia mati lantaran perkara pembunuhan dahulu itu, sudah ada abangnya yang akan melanjutkan tugas.
Ayat 15
Segala kesulitan yang dikemukakan Musa itu dibantah oleh Tuhan: “Kalla!" Tidak sekali-kali. Semuanya itu tidaklah kesulitan, semuanya itu dapat Aku atasi. Permintaanmu agar Harun dijadikan Rasul pula, dikabulkan. Dan sekarang mulailah pekerjaanmu, pergilah kamu keduanya melakukan tugas itu, bawalah ke sana ayat-ayat tanda kebenaran Kami.
Inna ma'akum mustami'un. Kami ada bersama kamu selalu, Kami turut mendengarkan apa bantahan yang akan dikeluarkan oleh Fir'aun dan apa sanggahan yang akan dikemukakan oleh kaumnya, oleh regimnya.
Datangi oleh kamu berdua Fir'aun itu, katakan terus-terang kepadanya: “Kami berdua ini adalah utusan daripada Tuhan, Penguasa dan Pemelihara seluruh alam." (ayat 16).
Dan sebutkan terus-terang tujuan akhir daripada kedatangan kalian berdua: “Hendaklah engkau lepaskan Bani Israil beserta kami." (ayat 17).
Kalau sekiranya jiwa besar dari seorang Rasul Tuhan boleh dianalisa dengan ilmu jiwa moden, dapatlah kita merasakan betapa hebat tekanan jiwa atas diri beliau yang menyebabkan sampai dadanya sempit dan lidahnya kelu. Dia telah bersalah membunuh orang meskipun pembunuhan itu sekali-kali bukan disengajakannya. Dia meninjau atau menempeleng orang itu bukanlah sengaja hendak membunuh, tetapi tangannya keras, sehingga tumbukan satu kali menyebabkan hilangnya jiwa orang itu. Oleh karena memang jiwanya telah disiapkan akan bertugas besar, tidaklah heran jika kesalahan ini sangat menekan perasaannya, adakah orang yang seperti dia pantas dijadikan Rasul? Hal yang begini adalah nilai Iman yang paling tinggi, yang layak bagi seorang Rasul Allah. Tekanan yang kedua ialah takutnya bahwa kesucian seruannya akan diremehkan orang, akan dipandang enteng saja, karena kesalahannya itu. Bagaimana kelak kalau dia berdiri di hadapan Fir'aun dan kaumnya, menyeru mereka supaya meninggalkan kezaliman dan menegakkan keadilan, jika bantahan dan sanggahan yang mula-mula dari mereka ialah, “Ah, tidak usah engkau bercakap. hai pembunuh."
Semuanya ini telah diatasi oleh Tuhan. Apabila seorang mengingat tugasnya yang besar, kesalahan kecil-kecil apatah lagi tidak dengan sengaja, akan dipandang laksana pasir belaka di hadapan sebuah gunung.
Dijelaskan tugas itu, bahwa engkau Utusan Tuhan Pencipta seluruh Alam, menghadapi manusia Fir'aun, yang hanya satu manusia kecil di hadapan Maha Kebesaran Tuhan. Apatah lagi jika engkau ingat bahwa Aku, Allah, Tuhanmu, berada di sampingmu.
Di dalam Surat Thaha ayat 25, 26, 27, 28. telah dijelaskan munajat dan doa Musa:
“Tuhanku, lapangkan dadaku, mudahkan pekerjaanku dan hilangkan segala kekeluan (kegugupan) yang ada pada lidahku, sehingga mereka faham apa yang aku katakan."
Permohonan itu telah terkabul. Lidah Musa tidak kelu lagi karena buhulan yang ada dalam jiwa sudah habis, dan dada pun sudah dilapangkan dan Harun pun telah sama dilantik menjadi Rasul, untuk membantunya.
Dengan jiwa yang besar dan tenteram, jiwanya seorang Rasul pilihan, Musa dan Harun telah memulai tugasnya. Dia telah pergi kepada Fir'aun menyatakan maksudnya yang utama dan pertama, yaitu meminta supaya Bani Israil dibebaskan dari perbudakan dan dibiarkan meninggalkan Mesir bersama mereka berdua.
Memang, demi setelah berhadapan dengan Fir'aun dan telah disampaikannya maksud kedatangan yang utama itu, sambutan Fir'aun yang terlebih dahulu ialah:
“Bukankah telah kami pelihara engkau di masa kecilmu, dan engkau telah tinggal bersama kami bertahun-tahun dari umurmu?" (ayat 18).
“Kemudian engkau perbuat perbuatan yang engkau perbuat itu. Dan engkau adalah seorang yang tidak mengenal budi." (ayat 19).
Memang itulah sambutan yang pertama yang diterimanya dari bekas bapak angkatnya, yang daiam istananya dia dibesarkan. Dipungut dia dari dalam peti yang hanyut dalam sungai NU, dipelihara dalam istana sampai muda remaja, dipandang sebagai anak kandung sendiri. Tetapi setelah dia besar merasa kuat, “air susu dibalas dengan tuba". Usahkan terimakasih atau pengkhidmatan setia yang dilakukannya kepada ayah angkatnya, katakan saja induk semangnya, telah diperbuatnya satu perbuatan yang sangat buruk.
Bahasa yang dipakai oleh Fir'aun, tetap bahasa Raja, tidak kasar tetapi menusuk perasaan. Dia tidak mengatakan “Engkau Pembunuh" melainkan dikatakan saja: “Engkau perbuat perbuatan yang engkau perbuat itu," dan adalah engkau seorang yang tidak mengenang budi, tidak membalas jasa. Dia merasa bahwa bagi seseorang yang telah pernah dididik dalam istana susunan kata demikian akan lebih menusuk hati daripada tuduhan membunuh.
Tetapi Musa yang sekarang bukan Musa yang dahulu lagi. Peribadinya sudah sangat matang dengan Nubuwwat. Dia akui perbuatannya itu dan dia jawab: “Saya telah berbuat demikian, dan saga di waktu itu masih dalam kesesatan." (ayat 20)
Dia mengakui terus-terang, bahwa perbuatan itu memang dilakukannya dengan suatu tujuan, yaitu membela kaumnya sendiri seorang anak Bani Israil yang ditindas oleh si terbunuh, mentang-mentang yang terbunuh itu termasuk “kaum" Fir'aun. Tujuannya sudah terang, yaitu membela kaumnya. Jiwanya tidak dapat menerima kezaliman. Ditinjunya orang itu hingga mati, padahal bukan itu maksudnya. Tetapi orang itu telah menghembuskan nafasnya karena bekas tinjunya. Dia pun insaf bahwa perbuatan itu adalah sesat.
Lantaran insaf atas kesesatan itu:
“Maka saya pun larilah daripada kamu karena saya takut kepada kamu “ (pangkal ayat 21).
Saya pun mengembara meninggalkan negeri Mesir, dadaku terasa sempit, lidahku terasa kelu, tetapi cintaku kepada kaumku Bani Israil tidaklah pernah padam sekali jua.
“Maka kemudian itu dianugerahilah aku oleh Tuhanku Hukum, dan dijadi-kanNgalah aku menjadi salah satu daripada UtusanNya." (ujung ayat 21).
Wahai Mu'min! Renungkanlah ayat ini. Ini adalah satu pernyataan peribadi yang besar dari seorang Rasul yang besar. Betul, saya telah membunuhnya, karena saya membela kaumku yang hendak dianiayanya, hendak dibunuhnya. Berpuluh, bahkan beratus Bani Israil mati dibunuh dengan tidak ada tuntutan bela karena tidak ada pemimpin. Sekali itu kaum engkau hai Fir'aun sudah mulai dapat mengerti bahwa yang tertindas itu sewaktu-waktu akan ada juga yang membelanya. Saya akui bahwa waktu itu saya tidak menampak jalan lain lagi. Kaum tuan tidak mengenal perdamaian, dia hanya mengenal kekerasan, lalu aku tunjukkan tanganku yang keras, dan matilah dia. Saya pun mengakui bahwa jalan itu bukanlah jalan satu-satunya. Tetapi sekarang saya telah insaf, saya telah diinsafkan oleh Tuhanku sendiri. Membela kaumku bukanlah dengan buku tangan, melainkan dengan ajaran agama yang hak. Dan waktu itu Tuhan telah memberikan hukum kepadaku. Aku telah diberi petunjuk dengan hukum, dengan agama. Aku telah dapat sekarang, dengan tuntunan Wahyu Ilahi membedakan di antara kebenaran dengan kesalahan, keadilan dengan keaniayaan.
Bahkan aku telah diangkat menjadi salah seorang dari Utusan Tuhan buat menyatakan Hukum Tuhan yang adil dalam alam ini.
Tentang Fir'aun menyebut-nyebut bahwa dia dibesarkan dalam istana, dipelihara sejak kecil, dipandang sebagai anak, dimanjakan, sehingga sudah termasuk dalam golongan kaum Fir'aun sendiri. Nabi Musa telah menjawab dengan suatu jawaban yang pedih: “Dan tentang nikmat yang telah engkau anugerahkan kepadaku: ialah bahu/a engkau telah memperbudak Bani Israil. “ (ayat 22).
Saya akui, memang, saya dibesarkan dalam istana. Sedang sarat menyusu, saya dihanyutkan ibuku dalam sungai Nil, karena ibuku takut aku akan engkau bunuh, karena pada waktu itu engkau memerintahkan membunuhi seluruh anak laki-laki Bani Israil. Jadi sebab yang utama dan asal mula pemeliharaan engkau atas diriku dalam istana, lain tidak hanyalah perbudakan dan penindasan terhadap Bani Israil juga. Engkau telah tahu bahwa saya dari Bani Israil, tetapi karena belas kasihan isteri tuan, Asiah, saya dipelihara terus dan dididik sampai besar. Engkau menyangka apabila urat saya telah tuan cabutkan dari rumpun kaumku akan benar-benarlah aku terlepas dari ikatan kaum itu, dan aku menjadi “kaum Fir'aun" pula. Hal itu tidak mungkin, hai Fir'aun. Jiwaku tidak dapat menerima hal yang demikian. Seorang yang menyintai kaumnya, akan merasalah dia bahwa dia hidup dalam duri kalau dia hidup senang, sedang kaumnya tertindas, diperbudak. Apakah artinya makanan enak, kalau kaumku sengsara makan pasir. Apalah artinya pakaian sutera, kalau kaumku bertelanjang karena diperas. Apalah artinya kemegahan dan kebesaran yang dipakaikan kepadaku, menyerupai Anak Raja besar, padahal pada hakikatnya aku adalah anak dari kaum yang lemah karena ditindas.
Oleh sebab itu janganlah disebut perkara aku dibesarkan dalam asuhanmu, dari kecil aku dibesarkan, dan sampai sebahagian besar dari tahun-1ahun umurku adalah bersama tuan. Karena hal yang demikian hanyalah menutup-nutupi kezaliman yang diderita kaumku. Bertambah diingat-ingat dan dibangkit-bangkit hal itu, bertambah pulalah kesadaran diriku atas perbudakan yang diderita kaumku Bani Israil.
Between Musa and Fir`awn
Allah tells us what He commanded His servant, son of Imran and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him, who spoke with Him, to do, when He called him from the right side of the mountain, and conversed with him, and chose him, sent him, and commanded him to go to Fir`awn and his people.
Allah says:
وَإِذْ نَادَى رَبُّكَ مُوسَى أَنِ ايْتِ الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَلَا يَتَّقُونَ
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ
وَيَضِيقُ صَدْرِي وَلَا يَنطَلِقُ لِسَانِي فَأَرْسِلْ إِلَى هَارُونَ
وَلَهُمْ عَلَيَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ
And when your Lord called Musa:Go to the people who are wrongdoers. The people of Fir`awn. Will they not have Taqwa!
He said:My Lord! Verily, I fear that they will deny me, And my breast straitens, and my tongue expresses not well. So send for Harun. And they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear they will kill me.
So, Musa asked Allah to remove these difficulties for him, as he said in Surah Ta Ha:
قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى
وَيَسِّرْ لِى أَمْرِى
Musa said:O my Lord! Open for me my chest. And ease my task for me. (20:25-26) until:
قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُوْلَكَ يمُوسَى
You are granted your request, O Musa! (20:36)
وَلَهُمْ عَلَيَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ
And they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear they will kill me.
because he had killed that Egyptian, which was the reason that he left the land of Egypt
قَالَ كَلَّ
(Allah) said:Nay!...
Allah told him:do not be afraid of anything like that.
This is like the Ayah,
سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَـناً
Allah said:We will strengthen your arm through your brother, and give you both power, (meaning, proof);
فَلَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِـْايَـتِنَأ أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَـلِبُونَ
so they shall not be able to harm you, with Our signs, you two as well as those who follow you will be the victors. (28:35)
فَاذْهَبَا بِأيَاتِنَا إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّسْتَمِعُونَ
Go you both with Our signs. Verily, We shall be with you, listening.
This is like the Ayah,
إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَأ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَى
I am with you both, hearing and seeing. (20:46)
Meaning, `I will be with you by My protection, care, support and help.'
فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولَاأ إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
And go both of you to Fir`awn, and say:`We are the Messengers of the Lord of the all that exists.'
This is like the Ayah,
إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّكَ
Verily, we are both Messengers of your Lord. (20:47)
which means, `both of us have been sent to you,'
أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ
So allow the Children of Israel to go with us.
Meaning, `let them go, free them from your captivity, subjugation and torture, for they are the believing servants of Allah, devoted to Him, and with you they are in a position of humiliating torture.'
When Musa said that to him, Fir`awn turned away and ignored him completely, regarding him with scorn and thinking little of him.
قَالَ
Saying:
...
أَلَمْ نُرَبِّكَ فِينَا وَلِيدًا
Did we not bring you up among us as a child!
meaning, we brought you up among us, in our home and on our bed, we nourished you and did favors for you for many years, and after all that you responded to our kindness in this manner:you killed one of our men and denied our favors to you.'
...
وَلَبِثْتَ فِينَا مِنْ عُمُرِكَ سِنِينَ
وَفَعَلْتَ فَعْلَتَكَ الَّتِي فَعَلْتَ
And you did dwell many years of your life with us.
And you did your deed, which you did.
So he said to him:
وَأَنتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
While you were one of the ingrates.
meaning, one of those who deny favors.
This was the view of Ibn Abbas and Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, and was the view favored by Ibn Jarir
قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَا إِذًا
(Musa) said:I did it then...
meaning, at that time,
وَأَنَا مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ
when I was in error.
meaning, `before revelation was sent to me and before Allah made me a Prophet and sent me with this Message.'
فَفَرَرْتُ مِنكُمْ لَمَّا خِفْتُكُمْ فَوَهَبَ لِي رَبِّي حُكْمًا وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
So, I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord has granted me Hukm, and made me one of the Messengers.
means, `the first situation came to an end and another took its place. Now Allah has sent me to you, and if you obey Him, you will be safe, but if you oppose Him, you will be destroyed.'
Then Musa said:
وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ عَبَّدتَّ بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ
And this is the past favor with which you reproach me, -- that you have enslaved the Children of Israel.
meaning, `whatever favors you did in bringing me up are offset by the evil you did by enslaving the Children of Israel and using them to do your hard labor. Is there any comparison between your favors to one man among them and the evil you have done to all of them What you have mentioned about me is nothing compared to what you have done to them.
Allah tells us about the disbelief, rebellion, oppression and denial of Fir`awn
He tells:
قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
(Fir`awn) said:And what is the Lord of the `Alamin!
This is because he used to say to his people:
مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى
I know not that you have a god other than me. (28:38)
فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ
Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him. (43:54)
They used to deny the Creator, may He be glorified, and they believed that they had no other lord than Fir`awn.
When Musa said to them:I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, Fir`awn said to him, Who is this who you are claiming is the Lord of Al-`Alamin other than me!
This is how it was interpreted by the scholars of the Salaf and the Imams of later generations.
As-Suddi said,
This Ayah is like the Ayah,
قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يمُوسَى
قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى
(Fir`awn) said:Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two!
He said:Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright. (20:49-50)
Those among the philosophers and others who claimed that this was a question about the nature or substance (of Allah) are mistaken.
Fir`awn did not believe in the Creator in the first place, so he was in no position to ask about the nature of the Creator; he denied that the Creator existed at all, as is apparent from the meaning, even though proof and evidence had been established against him.
When Fir`awn asked him about the Lord of Al-`Alamin, Musa said
قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاْاَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا
(Musa) said:The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them...
meaning, the Creator, Sovereign and Controller of all that, their God Who has no partner or associate. He is the One Who has created all things. He knows the higher realms and the heavenly bodies that are in them, both those that are stationary and those that move and shine brightly. He knows the lower realms and what is in them; the oceans, continents, mountains, trees, animals, plants and fruits. He knows what is in between the two realms; the winds, birds, and whatever is in the air. All of them are servants to Him, submitting and humbling themselves before Him.
إن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ
if you seek to be convinced with certainty.
means, if you have believing hearts and clear insight
قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ
(Fir`awn) said to those around:
i.e., Fir`awn turned to the chiefs and leaders of his state around him, and said to them -- mockingly expressing his disbelief in Musa:
أَلَا تَسْتَمِعُونَ
Do you not hear!
meaning, `are you not amazed by what this man is claiming -- that you have another god other than me!'
Musa said to them:
قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ابَايِكُمُ الاْاَوَّلِينَ
Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!
meaning, the One Who created you and your forefathers, those who came before Fir`awn and his time.
قَالَ
He (Fir`awn ) said:
إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ
Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!
meaning, there is no sense in his claim that there is any god other than me!
قَالَ
(Musa) said --
to those in whose hearts Fir`awn had planted doubts:
رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!
`He is the One Who made the east the place where the heavenly bodies rise, and made the west the place where they set; this is the system to which He has subjugated all the heavenly bodies, stationary and moving. If what Fir`awn claims is true, that he is your lord and your god, then let him turn things around so that the heavenly bodies set in the east and rise in the west.'
This is similar to the Ayah,
الَّذِى حَأجَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ فِى رِبِّهِ أَنْ اتَـهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ رَبِّيَ الَّذِى يُحْىِ وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا أُحْىِ وَأُمِيتُ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْتِى بِالشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ
who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom! When Ibrahim said:My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death.
He said, I give life and cause death.
Ibrahim said, Verily, Allah brings the sun from the east. So cause it to rise from the west. (2:258)
So when Fir`awn was defeated in debate, he resorted to the use of his force and power, believing that this would be effective in dealing with Musa, peace be upon him, so he said, as Allah tells us
After the Rational Proof, Fir`awn resorts to Force
Allah tells:
قَالَ
He (Fir`awn) said:
When proof had been established against Fir`awn, clearly and rationally, he resorted to using force against Musa, thinking that after this there would no further room for discussion. So he said:
لَيِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَهًا غَيْرِي لَاَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ
If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.
To this, Musa responded:
قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِيْتُكَ بِشَيْءٍ مُّبِينٍ
(Musa) said:Even if I bring you something manifest!
meaning, clear and definitive proof.
قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
فَأَلْقَى عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ
He (Fir`awn) said:Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!
So he (Musa) threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest.
meaning, it was very clear and obvious, with a huge body and a big mouth, terrifying in appearance
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ
And he (Musa) drew out his hand,
meaning, from his sleeve,
فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاء لِلنَّاظِرِينَ
and behold, it was white to all beholders!
It was shining like a piece of the moon
قَالَ لِلْمَلَاِ حَوْلَهُ
He said to the chiefs around him:
Since Fir`awn was already doomed, he hastened to stubborn denial, and said to the chiefs around him:
إِنَّ هَذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
Verily, this is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.
One who knows a great deal of magic or witchcraft.
Fir`awn was trying to convince them that this was sorcery, not a miracle. Then he provoked them against Musa, trying to make them oppose him and disbelieve in him, and said
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِ
He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery...
meaning, `he wants to capture the people's hearts and win them over by doing this, so that they will support him, and help him and follow him, and he will defeat you in your own land and take the land from you.
فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ
what is it then that you command!
i.e., So advise me, what should I do with him!'
قَالُوا أَرْجِهِ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِي الْمَدَايِنِ حَاشِرِينَ
يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ
They said:Put him off and his brother, and send callers to the cities; to bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer.
meaning, `delay him and his brother until you gather together all the sorcerers from every city and region of your kingdom so that they may confront him and produce something like he produces, then you will defeat him and have the victory.'
So Fir`awn did as they suggested, which is what Allah decreed would happen to them, so that all the people would gather in one place and the signs and proof of Allah would be made manifest before them all in one day.
Between Musa, peace be upon him, and the Sorcerers
Allah describes the actual encounter between Musa, peace be upon him, and the Egyptians in Surah Al-A`raf, Surah Ta Ha, and in this Surah.
The Egyptians wanted to extinguish the Light of Allah with their words, but Allah insisted that His Light should prevail even though the disbelievers disliked that. This is the issue of disbelief and faith; they never confront one another but faith always prevails:
بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَـطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَكُمُ الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ
Nay, We fling the truth against the falsehood, so it destroys it, and behold, it disappears. And woe to you for that which you ascribe. (21:18)
وَقُلْ جَأءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَـطِلُ
And say:Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. (17:81)
And Allah tells:
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ
وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلْ أَنتُم مُّجْتَمِعُونَ
So, the sorcerers were assembled at a fixed time on a day appointed. And it was said to the people:Are you (too) going to assemble,
The sorcerers of Egypt were the most skilled in the art of illusion, but when a huge group of them gathered from all corners of the land, and the people came together on that day whose exact numbers are known to Allah Alone, one of them said:
لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ
That we may follow the sorcerers if they are the winners.
They did not say:`we will follow the truth, whether it rests with the sorcerers or with Musa;' the people were followers of the religion of their king.
فَلَمَّا جَاء السَّحَرَةُ
So, when the sorcerers arrived,
means, when they reached the court of Fir`awn, and a pavilion had been erected for him. There he gathered his servants, followers, administrators, and provincial leaders, and the soldiers of his kingdom. The sorcerers stood before Fir`awn, asking him to treat them well and bring them closer to him if they prevailed in this matter which he had brought them together for. They said:
...
قَالُوا لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَيِنَّ لَنَا لَااَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ
Will there surely be a reward for us if we are the winners!
قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِين
He (Fir`awn) said:Yes, and you shall then verily be of those brought near.
meaning, `and you will be given more than what you are asking for; I will make you among those who are close to me, those who sit with me.'
So they went back to their places:
قَالُواْ يمُوسَى إِمَّأ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّأ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُواْ
They said:O Musa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw!
(Musa) said:Nay, throw you (first)! (20:65-66)
Here the incident is described more briefly
قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَى
Musa said to them:
أَلْقُوا مَا أَنتُم مُّلْقُونَ
فَأَلْقَوْا حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَالِبُونَ
Throw what you are going to throw!
So, they threw their ropes and their sticks, and said:By the might of Fir`awn, it is we who will certainly win!
This is what the ignorant masses say when they do something:`this is by the virtue of So-and-so!'
In Surah Al-A`raf Allah mentioned that:
سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَأءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ
They bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic. (7:116)
And in Surah Ta Ha He said:
فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى
فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى
قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاَْعْلَى
وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَاأ يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى
Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast. So Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said:Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain. (20:66-69)
And here Allah says:
فَأَلْقَى مُوسَى عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ
Then Musa threw his stick, and behold, it swallowed up all that they falsely showed!
by snatching up and catching them from every corner and swallowing them up, and it did not leave any of them untouched.
Allah says:
فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ
قَالُوا امَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ
And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. Saying:We believe in the Lord of Al-`Alamin, the Lord of Musa and Harun.
This is as Allah mentions elsewhere:
فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
فَغُلِبُواْ هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُواْ صَاغِرِينَ
وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ
قَالُواْ امَنَّا بِرِبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ
Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So they were defeated there and returned disgraced. And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said:We believe in the Lord of all that exists, the Lord of Musa and Harun. (7:118-122)
This was a very serious matter, furnishing decisive proof leaving no room for any excuse. Fir`awn's supporters, who sought and hoped that they would prevail over Musa, were themselves defeated. At that moment they believed in Musa and prostrated to Allah, the Lord of Al-`Alamin Who sent Musa and Harun with the truth and an obvious miracle. Fir`awn was defeated in a manner the likes of which the world had never seen, but he remained arrogant and stubborn despite the clear evidence, may the curse of Allah and the angels and all of mankind be upon him. He resorted to arrogance and stubbornness and propagating falsehood. He began to issue threats against them, saying:
إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ
Verily, he is your chief who has taught you magic. (20:71)
إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ
Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city. (7:123
Between Fir`awn and the Sorcerers
His threats against them resulted only in an increase in their faith and submission to Allah, for the veil of disbelief had been lifted from their hearts and the truth became clear to them because they knew something that their people did not:that what Musa had done could not have been done by any human being unless Allah helped him, making it proof and an evidence of the truth of what he had brought from his Lord.
Allah tells that:
قَالَ امَنتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ اذَنَ لَكُمْ
He (Fir`awn) said:You have believed in him before I give you leave.
meaning, `you should have asked my permission for what you did, and you did not consult with me; if I had given you permission you could have done it, and if I did not allow you, you should not have done it, for I am the ruler and the one to be obeyed.'
إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ
Surely, he indeed is your chief, who has taught you magic!
This is stubborn talk, and anyone can see that it is nonsense, for they had never met Musa before that day, so how could he have been their chief who taught them how to do magic! No rational person would say this.
فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ لَاُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَفٍ وَلَاُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
So verily, you shall come to know. Verily, I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.
Then Fir`awn threatened to cut off their hands and feet, and crucify them
قَالُوا لَاا ضَيْرَ
They said:No harm!
meaning, `no problem, that will not harm us and we do not care.'
إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ
Surely, to our Lord we are to return.
means, `the return of us all is to Allah, may He be glorified, and He will never allow the reward of anyone who has done good to be lost. What you have done to us is not hidden from Him, and He will reward us in full for that.'
So they said
إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَايَانَا
Verily, we really hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins,
`the sins we have committed and the magic you forced us to do.'
أَن كُنَّا أَوَّلَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ
as we are the first of the believers,
means, because we are the first of our people, the Egyptians, to believe.
So he killed them all
The Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt
Allah tells:
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ
فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي الْمَدَايِنِ حَاشِرِينَ
And We revealed to Musa, saying:Depart by night with My servants, verily, you will be pursued.
Then Fir`awn sent callers to (all) the cities.
After Musa stayed in Egypt for a long time, and the proof of Allah was established against Fir`awn and his chiefs, yet they were still arrogant and stubborn, then there was nothing left for them but punishment and vengeance. So Allah commanded Musa, peace be upon him, to take the Children of Israel out of Egypt by night, and take them wherever he would be commanded. So Musa, peace be upon him, did as he was commanded by his Lord, may He be glorified, and he led them forth after they had borrowed an abundance of jewelry from the people of Fir`awn.
As more than one of the scholars of Tafsir have said, they left when the moon was rising, and Mujahid, may Allah have mercy on him, said that the moon was eclipsed that night. And Allah knows best.
Musa asked about the grave of Yusuf (Prophet Joseph), peace be upon him, and an old woman from among the Children of Israel showed him where it was, so he took the remains with them, and it was said that they were among the things that were carried by Musa himself, may peace be upon them both.
It was also said that Yusuf, peace be upon him, had left instructions in his will that if the Children of Israel ever left Egypt, they should take his remains with them.
The following morning, when there was nobody to be found in the Israelite quarters, Fir`awn became angry and his anger intensified since Allah had decreed that he was to be destroyed. So he quickly sent his callers to all his cities, i.e., to mobilize his troops and bring them together, and he called out to them
إِنَّ هَوُلَاء
Verily, these,
meaning, the Children of Israel,
لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ
indeed are but a small band.
meaning, a small group.
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَايِظُونَ
And verily, they have done what has enraged us.
means, `every time we have heard anything about them, it has upset us and made us angry.'
وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَاذِرُونَ
But we are a host all assembled, amply forewarned.
means, `we are constantly taking precautions lest they betray us.'
Some of the Salaf read this with the meaning,
we are constantly forewarned and forearmed. And I want to destroy them to the last man, and destroy all their lands and property.
So he and his troops were punished with the very things he sought to inflict upon the Children of Israel.
Allah says:
فَأَخْرَجْنَاهُم مِّن جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ
وَكُنُوزٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ
So, We expelled them from gardens and springs, treasures, and every kind of honorable place.
meaning, they were thrown out of those blessings and into Hell, and they left behind the honorable places, gardens and rivers, wealth, provision, position and power in this world:
كَذَلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ
Thus and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them.
This is like the Ayat:
وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُواْ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَـرِقَ الاٌّرْضِ وَمَغَـرِبَهَا الَّتِى بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا
And We made the people who were considered weak to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed. (7:137)
وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الاَْرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَيِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ
وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الاَْرْضِ وَنُرِي فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ
And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and We let Fir`awn and Haman and their armies receive from them that which they feared. (28:5-6)
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 figures, princes, ministers, nobles, leaders and soldiers.
Allah tells:
فَأَتْبَعُوهُم مُّشْرِقِينَ
So, they pursued them at sunrise.
means, they caught up with the Children of Israel at sunrise
فَلَمَّا تَرَاءى الْجَمْعَانِ
And when the two hosts ﷺ each other,
means, each group ﷺ the other.
At that point,
قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ
the companions of Musa said:We are sure to be overtaken.
This was because Fir`awn and his people caught up with them on the shores of the Red Sea, so the sea was ahead of them and Fir`awn and his troops were behind them. Hence they said:
إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ
(We are sure to be overtaken).
قَالَ كَلَّ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
(Musa) said:Nay, verily with me is my Lord. He will guide me.
meaning, `nothing of what you fear will happen to you, for Allah is the One Who commanded me to bring you here, and He does not go back on His promise.'
إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
verily with me is my Lord. He will guide me.
Harun, peace be upon him, was in the front, with Yusha` bin Nun and a believer from the family of Fir`awn, and Musa, peace be upon him, was in the rear.
More than one of the scholars of Tafsir said that they stood there not knowing what to do, and Yusha` bin Nun or the believer from the family of Fir`awn said to Musa, peace be upon him, O Prophet of Allah, is it here that your Lord commanded you to bring us!
He said:Yes.
Then Fir`awn and his troops drew near and were very close indeed. At that point Allah commanded his Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, to strike the sea with his staff, so he struck it, and it parted, by the will of Allah.
Allah says
فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ
Then We revealed to Musa (saying):Strike the sea with your stick.
فَانفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ
And it parted, and each separate part became like huge mountain.
meaning, like mighty mountains.
This was the view of Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and others.
Ata' Al-Khurasani said,
It refers to a pass between two mountains.
Ibn Abbas said,
The sea divided into twelve paths, one for each of the tribes.
As-Suddi added,
And in it there were windows through which they could see one another, and the water was erected like walls.
Allah sent the wind to the sea bed to make it solid like the land.
Allah says:
فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقاً فِى الْبَحْرِ يَبَساً لاَّ تَخَافُ دَرَكاً وَلَا تَخْشَى
and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken nor being afraid. (20:77)
And here He says:
وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الاْأخَرِينَ
Then We brought near the others to that place.
Ibn Abbas, Ata' Al-Khurasani, Qatadah and As-Suddi said:
وَأَزْلَفْنَا
(Then We brought near) means,
We brought Fir`awn and his troops near to the sea.
وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَى وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الاْخَرِينَ
And We saved Musa and all those with him. Then We drowned the others.
meaning:`We saved Musa and the Children of Israel and whoever followed their religion, and none of them were destroyed, but Fir`awn and his troops were drowned and not one of them remained alive, but was destroyed.'
Then Allah says
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَةً
Verily, in this is indeed a sign,
meaning, this story with its wonders and tales of aid to the believing servants of Allah is definitive proof and evidence of Allah's wisdom.
وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّوْمِنِينَ
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
yet most of them are not believers. And verily your Lord, He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.
The explanation of this phrase has already been discussed above.
that you should let go forth with us, to Syria, the Israelites" '. So they approached him and said to him that which has been mentioned.
أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
That you must send the children of Isra'i1 with us". (26:17)
Bani Isra'il were the residents of Syria. They wanted to go back to their land but the Pharaoh would not let them. This way four hundred years had passed and they were living in his bondage like slaves. At that time they were six hundred and thirty thousand in number. Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) when presented the message of Truth to the Pharaoh, he also asked him to stop all the cruelties he had perpetrated over Bani Isra'il and to let them go to their homeland. (Qurtubi)
An example of prophetic dialectic
Discussion and debate among two different persons or group of people having divergent views has been in vogue since the time immemorial. Such debates are called مُنَاظرہ munazarah (dialectics) in conventional terms. But such dialectics have been reduced to a game of win or lose. People regard the outcome of dialectics should be to come out winner, even though one knows that he is on the wrong. Despite the knowledge of being on the wrong one must keep on pressing his point of view, and use the intelligence to throw in all sorts of arguments to prove his point as correct. Similarly, even if the opponents point is correct, it must be rejected with full force. In contrast to this attitude Islam has given a middle of the road stance, and set out its rules and regulations, thus making it a useful tool for preaching and reform.
A simple example of this can be seen in the above verses. When Sayyidna Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام) conveyed the invitation of Truth to the mighty the Pharaoh, who was claimant of being god, in his court, he began the opposing conversation with two questions relating to the person of Musa's (علیہ السلام) . When a sharp opponent is not properly equipped with the correct arguments, he normally tries to switch the conversation towards the person of the addressee in order to find faults with him. This tactic is employed to embarrass the opponent and to make him look small before the audience. Hence, the Pharaoh also came out with two such points. First, ` We have brought you up in our household and have done so many favours to you. So, how can you have the face to speak before us. Second, ` You have killed an Egyptian for no fault of his. This is not only cruelty but also ingratitude toward those among whom you are raised to your manhood. You have killed one from among us.' Now see the prophetic reply of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and how he handled the two subjects. In the first place he changed the sequence of the topics in that he brought up the case of the Egyptian first which the Pharaoh had raised latter. The wisdom in changing the sequence appears to be that in the Egyptian's case there was a weakness on his part, but he preferred to take that first, unlike present day tactics where one tries to avoid a direct reply to confuse the issue. But he, being the messenger of Allah, had nothing to hide, so while replying he accepted his weakness, and did not care at all what people in the opposition would think on acceptance of his mistake, and hence, might take it as acceptance of defeat. This course of action was totally contrary to present day tactics when people try to mix up their weakness in a manner that it is camouflaged.
Although Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had accepted his fault while replying to the Pharaoh that it was his misjudgment when he hit the Egyptian and as a result he died, yet he made it very clear that he did not intend to kill him. His intention was right which unfortunately resulted in the wrong. The purpose of his hitting the Egyptian was to prevent him from harming the Isra'ili but in the process he died, which was not the intention. This act of his, despite being wrong, does not conflict with his claim to be a prophet or contradicts its veracity. So, he said ` that he realized his mistake and left the city for the fear of being caught. Then Allah was kind to him and honoured him with the prophethood.
Now the point to ponder is that at that time Musa (علیہ السلام) could have adopted the simple and straightforward course and have claimed that the Egyptian deserved death, and would have charged him with such accusations for which his killing was the right action. There was no one present at the time of the incident, so no one could have contradicted him. Anyone else in his place would have certainly taken this course of action. But here it was the resolute messenger of Allah who was the truth personified and who regarded expression of truth and veracity and the declaration of fact as his victory. He accepted his guilt in the packed court of the foe and in doing that also countered any possibility of doubt on his prophethood.
After that he turned to the second point regarding his upbringing in the Pharaoh's house, upon which the Pharaoh had stressed to remind his favour to him. Musa (علیہ السلام) asked him to ponder over his position as, being an Israelite, he had no occasion to reach the royal place of the Pharaoh. It was the cruelty of the Pharaoh that compelled the mother of Musa I to throw her baby into the river, then it was by chance that the Pharaoh picked him up, and in reality it was a wise arrangement made by Allah, that the child for the fear of whom the Pharaoh had slaughtered thousands of children, was caused to be nourished by the same the Pharaoh. But in any case, the real cause of his upbringing in the home of the Pharaoh was the cruelty exercised by him against the Israelites. Musa (علیہ السلام) pointing out to this fact, invited the Pharaoh to ponder whether this was really a favour with which he was obliging him. It is obvious that this prophetic address left a positive and convincing impression on the minds of people present there, and they were convinced that Musa (علیہ السلام) was not the sort of person who would make excuses, and that he would say nothing but the truth. After that when they ﷺ the miracles, their view was confirmed further. At that time although the Pharaoh did not admit the truth, yet he was so overwhelmed and apprehensive that just two persons without having the support of a third, would turn him and his people out of their land and country.
This is what is known as God gifted awe of truth, veracity and reality. The contentions and dialectics of Allah's messengers are also full of truth, veracity and wishing well for the addressee. That is how they become so appealing to people and convince the biggest defiant
