Surah Hud 11:98
ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ ﱈ ﱉ ﱊ
He will precede his people on the Day of Resurrection and lead them into the Fire; and wretched is the place to which they are led.
Tafsir of Hud 11:96-99
Tafsir
Al-Kashshaf
Verse range: 11:96-99
{With Our signs and a clear authority} There are two interpretations: 1. That these signs contain a clear authority for Moses regarding the truthfulness of his prophethood. 2. That the "clear authority" refers to the staff, as it was the most dazzling of them.
{And Pharaoh’s command was not rightly guided} This is a declaration of ignorance regarding his followers, for they supported him in his command, which was a manifest misguidance that would not be hidden from anyone possessing the slightest grasp of reason. This is because he claimed divinity while being a human like them, and he openly practiced oppression, injustice, and evil—things that come only from a rebellious devil. He was far removed from divinity in both essence and actions, yet they followed him, accepted his claim, and persisted in obeying him.
"Rightly guided" (rashid) means that which contains guidance. Thus, there was no guidance in his command; it was pure error and manifest, exposed misguidance. Rational people follow those who guide and lead them, not those who lead them astray and seduce them. It also implies that they witnessed the signs and the clear authority in the matter of Moses (peace be upon him) and knew that guidance and truth were with him, yet they turned away from following him to follow one in whose command there was no guidance at all.
{He will precede his people} Just as he was their leader in misguidance, he will likewise precede them into the Fire, and they will follow him.
It is also possible that by saying {And Pharaoh’s command was not rightly guided}, he means his command was not for something good with a praiseworthy outcome. His statement {He will precede his people} serves as an explanation and clarification of that—meaning: how could the command of one whose outcome is this be "rightly guided"?
"Guidance" (rushd) is used for everything that is praised and approved, just as "error" (ghayy) is used for everything that is condemned and resented. It is said: qaddama-hu (he preceded him) in the sense of taqaddama-hu (he went before him). From this comes the "front" of the saddle (qadimat al-rahl), just as it is said qaddama-hu in the sense of taqaddama-hu, from which comes the "vanguard" of the army (muqaddimat al-jaysh). Aqdam also means taqaddama.
If you ask: Why was it not said "He will lead them to the water" (yuriduhum)? Why was the past tense used? I say: Because the past tense indicates a matter that is existing and certain. It is as if it were said: "He precedes them, so he leads them to the Fire inevitably." The wird (the place of arrival) is the thing arrived at. The mawrud (the one arrived at) is that which they have reached; he is likened to the scout who precedes the thirsty ones to the water, and his followers are likened to the thirsty ones. Then it is said: "Wretched is the place of arrival they arrive at—the Fire," because a place of arrival is intended to quench thirst and cool the livers, while the Fire is the opposite of that.