Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:45-49

The Believers (Al-Mu'minun): Verses 45-49

Then We sent Moses...

There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of {the signs} (al-āyāt).

1. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said they are the nine signs: the staff, the shining hand, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, the blood, the splitting of the sea, the famine, and the deficiency in fruits.
2. Al-Hasan interpreted {with Our signs} (bi-āyātinā) as meaning "with Our religion." He argued that if "signs" referred only to the miracles, then "conclusive proof" (al-sulṭān al-mubīn) would also refer to miracles, leading to the tautology of citing the same thing twice. The first interpretation (miracles) is more likely because when the word āyāt is mentioned concerning the Messengers, it refers to miracles.

As for the argument against this (that al-āyāt and al-sulṭān al-mubīn are the same), there are several responses:

1. The Conclusive Proof (al-sulṭān al-mubīn) could refer specifically to Moses' greatest miracle, the staff. This is because numerous miracles were associated with it: its transformation into a serpent, swallowing the sorcerers' illusions, the splitting of the sea, the gushing forth of springs from the rock, and its use as a guard, lamp, fruit-bearing tree, bucket, and rope. Because the staff was uniquely endowed with these virtues, it was singled out, similar to how Gabriel and Michael are mentioned separately.
2. The Signs (al-āyāt) could refer to the miracles themselves, while The Conclusive Proof (al-sulṭān al-mubīn) refers to the manner in which they demonstrated truthfulness. Although these miracles shared the quality of being "signs" with other prophets' miracles, they were distinct in the strength of their evidence regarding Moses' veracity.
3. The Conclusive Proof (al-sulṭān al-mubīn) could mean Moses' dominance in argumentation concerning the existence of the Creator and the establishment of prophethood, such that Pharaoh and his people could not hold any weight or esteem against him.

The verse indicates that Aaron's miracles were also Moses' miracles, and just as prophethood was shared between them, so too were the miracles.

Then, the Almighty recounted the description of Pharaoh and his people, followed by their objection (doubt):

Their Description:

1. Arrogance and haughtiness.
2. They were 'ālin (lofty/exalted), meaning high in worldly status, or possessing great power and numbers.

Their Objection: {Shall we believe in two mortals like ourselves, whose people are our servants?} (25:47)

Al-Kashshāf notes that they did not say mithlaynā (two like us) as in the verse {If you were like them} (An-Nisā: 14), nor did they say amthālohom (their likenesses) as in {You were the best nation} (Āl 'Imrān: 110). This is because brevity (al-ījāz) is preferred by the Arabs over verbosity.

Their objection rested on two points:

1. That Moses and Aaron were mortals like them (a point already addressed).
2. That the people of Moses and Aaron were like servants and slaves to them. Abu 'Ubaydah stated that Arabs refer to anyone subservient to a king as his worshipper ('ābid). Alternatively, since Pharaoh claimed divinity, he claimed that the people's obedience to him was true worship ('ibādah).

The Almighty then clarified that once this doubt arose in their minds, they openly declared their rejection, which is meant by {So they denied them both} (fakadhdhabūhumā).

Since this denial was the cause for their destruction, the consequence immediately followed with the conjunction fa (then/so): {And they were among those doomed to be drowned}. The drowning itself did not happen immediately after the denial; rather, the immediate consequence was God's decree that they would be among the drowned at the appropriate time.

Regarding the verse: {And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, so that they might be guided} (25:48).

• Al-Qadi interpreted this to mean that God specifically granted Moses the Torah not because of their denial, but so that they (Pharaoh and his people) might be guided by it. Since they persisted in disbelief despite the clear evidence, they deserved destruction.
• Al-Kashshāf objected to this, arguing that the pronoun lahum (for them) cannot refer to Pharaoh and his court because the Torah was given to the Children of Israel after Pharaoh and his people were drowned, as evidenced by {And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture after We had destroyed the former generations} (Al-Qasas: 43).
• The correct meaning, according to Al-Kashshāf, is: {And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, so that they might act upon its laws and admonitions}. Here, Moses is mentioned, but the intent refers to the family of Moses (Āl Mūsā), just as one might mention "Hashim and Thaqif" to refer to the people of both tribes.

The Fifth Story: The Story of Jesus and the Story of Mary (peace be upon them)

{And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign, and We gave them refuge on a high ground with a place of rest and springs.} (23:50)