[al-Israa, Mecca 50]
17. Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
آتَيْنَا
مُوسَى تِسْعَ
آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ...
17: 101. To Moses We did give nine Clear Signs:
C2308. Nine Clear Signs: see 7:133, n. 1091.
The story of Pharaoh (or a phase of it) is here told with a view to exhibiting the decline of a soul on account of pride in outward power and dignity.
...فَاسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَونُ...
ask the Children of Israel: when he came to them, Pharaoh said to him:
C2309. To them: i.e., to Pharaoh, as sitting in his Council, with the Chiefs of his people. Cf. 7:103.
The whole scene is described in some detail from the point of view of nations or Ummahs in 7:103-133.
...إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَى مَسْحُورًا ﴿١٠١﴾
"O Moses! I consider thee, indeed, to have been worked upon by sorcery!"
C2310. At a different and later stage in the scene, Pharaoh's Chiefs call Moses a "sorcerer well-versed" (7:109).
Here Moses, who had come with the Nine Signs but had not yet shown them, is reproached with being the object of sorcery: he is practically told that he is mad!
قَالَ
لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ
مَا أَنزَلَ
هَـؤُلاء إِلاَّ
رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضِ
بَصَآئِرَ...
17: 102. Moses said,
"Thou knowest well that these things have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence:
C2311. We can well suppose Moses to ask Pharaoh to recall all the past history of Moses, for Moses had been brought up in Pharaoh's palace in all the learning of the Egyptians. He could not therefore be mad, or a simpleton worked on by Egyptian magic.
What he was going to show was something far greater; it was not the deceptive magic of Pharaoh's sorcerers, but true Signs that came from Allah, the Lord of all power. They were to open the eyes of his people, and if Pharaoh resisted faith. Moses warns him that Pharaoh in that case was doomed to destruction.
This is the course of the soul that sinks down by Pride! (R).
...وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَونُ مَثْبُورًا ﴿١٠٢﴾
and I consider thee, indeed, O Pharaoh, to be one doomed to destruction!"
فَأَرَادَ
أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم
مِّنَ الأَرْضِ...
17: 103. So he resolved to remove them from the face of the earth:
C2312. Pharaoh on this tries various subterfuges and plans for removing not only Moses but all his people by doing away with them.
The detailed story is not told here but may be read in Surah 7.
But Allah's Wrath descended on Pharaoh and those who were with him in body and mind. The Egyptians who repented were subject to Pharaoh's wrath but were saved from the Wrath of Allah (7:121-126).
...فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ جَمِيعًا ﴿١٠٣﴾
but We did drown him and all who were with him.
وَقُلْنَا مِن
بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي
إِسْرَائِيلَ
اسْكُنُواْ
الأَرْضَ...
17: 104. And We said thereafter to the Children of Israel, "Dwell securely in the land (of promise)":
C2313. The Israelites were taken to the Promised Land in Palestine, and they established their own kingdom there, but they forfeited Allah's favour by their sins and backslidings and will have to answer like all souls by the law of personal responsibility at the Day of Judgment.
...فَإِذَا جَاء وَعْدُ الآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا ﴿١٠٤﴾
but when the second of the warnings came to pass, We gathered you together in a mingled crowd.
C2314. The second of the warnings:
- the first was probably that mentioned above, in 17:5 and
- the second that mentioned in 17:7 (middle).
When this second warning due to the rejection of Jesus came to pass, the Jews were gathered together in a mingled crowd.
Some Commentators understand the second warning to be the Day of Judgment, the Promise of the Hereafter. (R).
Other versions:
17: 101 [al-Isra Mecca 50]
Wa laqad a_taina_ mu_sa_ tis'a a_ya_tim bayyina_tin fas'al bani isra_'ila iz ja_'ahum faqa_la lahu_ fir'aunu inni la'azunnuka ya_ mu_sa_ mashu_ra_(n).
Asad And, indeed, We gave unto Moses nine clear messages. ..I think that you are full of sorcery!”
Yusuf Ali To Moses We did give nine Clear Signs: ask the Children of Israel: when he came to them Pharaoh said to him: "O Moses! I consider thee indeed to have been worked upon by sorcery!"
Pickthall And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses.
[Ali’s note: 2308 Nine Clear Signs: see vii. 133, n. 1091. The story of Pharaoh (or a phase of it) is here told with a view to exhibiting the decline of a soul on account of pride in outward power and dignity. (17.101)
[Asad’s note 119: Some of the commentators assume that this is an allusion to the miracles performed by Moses, while others …..see in it a reference to nine specific commandments or ethical principles, the foremost of them being a stress on God’s oneness and uniqueness………]
17: 102 [ al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]
Qa_la laqad 'alimta ma_ anzala ha_'ula_'i illa_ rabbus sama_wa_ti wal ardi basa_'ir(a), wa inni la'azunnuka ya_ fir'aunu masbu_ra_(n).
Asad Answered [Moses]: “You know well that none but the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth has bestowed these [miraculous signs] from on high, as a means of insight; and, verily, O Pharaoh, I think that you are utterly lost!”
Yusuf Ali Moses said "Thou knowest well that these things have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence: and I consider thee indeed O Pharaoh to be one doomed to destruction!"
Pickthall He said: In truth thou knowest that none sent down these (portents) save the Lord of the heavens and the earth as proofs, and lo! (for my part) I deem thee lost, O Pharaoh.
[asad note 123: see surah 6, note 94]
[Ali’s note: 2311 We can well suppose Moses to ask Pharaoh to recall all the past history of Moses, for Moses had been brought up in Pharaoh's palace in all the learning of the Egyptians. He could not therefore be mad, or a simpleton worked on by Egyptian magic. What he was going to show was something far greater; it was not the deceptive magic of Pharaoh's sorcerers, but true Signs that came from Allah, the Lord of all power. They were to open the eyes of his people, and if Pharaoh resisted faith. Moses warns him that Pharaoh in that case was doomed to destruction. This is the course of the soul that sinks down by Pride!
17: 103
Transliteration Fa ara_da ay yastafizzahum minal ardi fa agraqna_hu wa mam ma'ahu_ jami'a_(w),
Asad And then Pharoh redolved to wipe them off [the face of] the earth – thereupon We caused him and all who were with him to drown [ in the sea].
Yusuf Ali So he resolved to remove them from the face of the earth: but We did drown him and all who were with him.
Pickthall And he wished to scare them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him, all together.
17: 104
Transliteration Wa qulna_ mim ba'dihi li bani isra_'ila-skunul arda fa iza_ ja_'a wa'dul a_khirati ji'na_ bikum lafifa_(n).
Asad And after that We said unto the children of Israel: “Dwell now securely on earth- but after when the promise of the Last Day shall come to pass, We will bring you forth as [parts of] a motley crowd !
Yusuf Ali And We said thereafter to the Children of Israel "Dwell securely in the land (of promise)": but when the second of the warnings came to pass We gathered you together in a mingled crowd.
Pickthall And We said unto the Children of Israel after him: Dwell in the land; but when the promise of the Hereafter cometh to pass we shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various nations.
[ Asad note 125: According to Razi, the expression ‘Lafif’ denotes a human crown composed of innumerable heterogeneous elements, ………mankind in all its aspects. It is obviously used here to refute, once again, the idea that the children of Israel are a ‘chosen people’ by virtue of their Abrahamic descent…………The Quran rejects this claim by stating that on Resurrection Day all humankind will be judged, and none will have a privileged position.]