Al-Qamar (The Moon): Verses 41-42

And certainly, the people of Pharaoh came to them...

Issues Discussed (Masā'il)

We say: Qawm is more general than Ahl.

• Qawm: Refers to everyone whom the leader manages, or who manage on his behalf.
• Ahl: Refers to those who are ultimately connected to the leader, whether for good or ill, or those to whom his good or ill ultimately returns. A distant person whom the leader does not know, and who does not know the leader personally (only hearing his name), is not considered part of his Ahl.

Knowing this distinction, we say: For the people of prophets other than Moses (peace be upon him), there was no single overwhelming power (qāhir) who could subdue everyone and unite them under one word. Instead, they consisted of leaders and followers. When leaders multiply, none of them has absolute authority over the others—obviously not over peers, and as for the lower classes, they would seek refuge with one leader to fend off another, causing each one to become independent. Thus, the message was sent to all of them collectively.

However, Pharaoh was an absolute sovereign (qāhir) who subdued everyone, making them unable to oppose him in the slightest matter. Therefore, God sent the Messenger (Moses) to him alone. Yet, Pharaoh had a group of close associates, such as Qarun (Korah) due to his immense wealth, and Haman due to his cunning. God considered them in the sending, as He states in several places:

• "And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh..." (Az-Zukhruf: 46)
• "Then We sent after them Moses and Aaron with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs..." (Ghafir: 23-24)
• In Al-'Ankabut: "And Korah and Pharaoh and Haman, and certainly Moses came to them with clear proofs..." (Al-'Ankabut: 39)

This is because if these key figures believed, everyone else would follow. This contrasts with the previous and subsequent nations, which is why it is said here: {وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ النُّذُرُ} (And certainly, warnings came to the people of Pharaoh). This phrasing is used frequently, as in: "The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening" (Ghafir: 46), and "And a believing man from the people of Pharaoh who concealed his faith" (Ghafir: 28). The term Malā' (chiefs/nobles) is also used often.

The text uses {جَاءَ} (came) here, which is not used for others. This is because Moses (peace be upon him) did not merely arrive among them as messengers usually arrive among their people; rather, he truly came to them, having been absent from the people and then presenting himself to them. This is why the Almighty said: {فَلَمَّا جَاءَ آلَ لُوطٍ الْمُرْسَلُونَ} (So when the messengers came to the people of Lot).

Similarly, the verse {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ} (A Messenger has certainly come to you from among yourselves) (At-Tawbah: 128) also signifies a true arrival, as he came to them from God from the heavens after the Mi'raj (Ascension), just as Moses truly came to his people from Mount Tur.

If {النُّذُرُ} means the admonitions (which is apparent), then the discourse delivered by Moses and his hand (miracles) constitutes those warnings. If it means the Messengers, it is because Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them) came to them, and every messenger before them came, as they all preached Monotheism and the worship of God.

Regarding the subsequent statement, {كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا} (they denied Our signs), without a fa' (then) indicating consequence:

1. View 1: The speech concludes at {وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ النُّذُرُ}. The statement {كَذَّبُوا} is a new, independent clause. The pronoun refers back to all those previously mentioned, from the people of Noah up to the people of Pharaoh. In this view, {بِآيَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا} (all Our signs) is clear.
2. View 2: The narration follows the preceding context. It is as if He said: "And how was My punishment and My warning, when they denied all Our signs, so We seized them?" In this view, {آيَاتِنَا} refers specifically to the signs given to Moses, which are the nine signs according to most commentators. It is also possible that it means they denied all of God's signs, both auditory and intellectual, as everything contains a sign pointing to His Oneness.

The Almighty's statement {فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ} (So We seized them) indicates that they were like runaways (ābiqīn) or that they were disobedient. It is said: "The prince seized so-and-so" when he imprisoned him.

There is a subtlety in the phrase {عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ} (Mighty, Capable):

• Al-'Aziz means the Overpowering One. However, the one who is Al-'Aziz might overpower the enemy and triumph over him, yet still be unable to seize him if the enemy is distant (if fleeing) or strongly fortified (if fighting).
• Therefore, stating He is {مُقْتَدِرٍ} (Capable/Powerful) clarifies that His overpowering nature ('izzah) was not accompanied by inability; rather, He was merely granting respite.