Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:52

"And We inspired Moses..."

It is read as asri (travel by night), with the hamza cut (alif al-qat') or connected (alif al-wasl). The phrase "for you will be pursued" explains the command to travel by night: it is to follow the tracks of Pharaoh and his soldiers. The meaning is: I have structured the management of your affair and theirs such that you go ahead and they follow you, until they enter where you entered and tread the path you trod into the sea, whereupon I will close it upon them and destroy them.

It is narrated that on that night, a child died in every one of their houses, so they were occupied with their dead until Moses departed with his people. It is also narrated that God inspired Moses to gather the Children of Israel—every four households in one house—and slaughter kids (young goats), then strike their blood upon your doors; for I shall command the angels not to enter any house upon whose door there is blood, and I shall command them to kill the firstborn of the Copts. "And bake unleavened bread, for it is quicker for you. Then travel by night with My servants until you reach the sea, and My command will come to you."

Pharaoh sent in his pursuit 1,500,000 armored kings, with each king having 1,000 soldiers. Pharaoh went out with a great assembly; his vanguard was 700,000, each man on a horse with a helmet on his head. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with them both) said: Pharaoh went out with 1,000,000 horses, excluding the mares.

Because of this, he belittled the people of Moses (peace be upon him), who numbered 670,000, and called them a "small band."

"Indeed, these..." is a statement narrated after an implied verb. A shirdhima is a small group. From this comes the saying "a garment of sharadhima" for that which is worn out and torn into pieces. He mentioned them with a noun indicating smallness, then made them few by description, then pluralized the "few" by making every faction of them few, choosing the sound plural (-un), which is used for small numbers. It is also possible that by "fewness," he meant humiliation and insignificance, not a small number.

The meaning is: Because of their smallness, he does not care about them nor expect them to overcome or rise above him. "But they are doing things that enrage us and distress our hearts, and we are a people whose custom is vigilance, caution, and the exercise of resolve in affairs. When an insurgent rises against us, we hasten to cut off his corruption." These were excuses he offered to the people of the cities so that they would not think of him in a way that would diminish his power and authority.

It is read as hadhirun (cautious), hadhirun (constantly cautious), and hadirun (with an undotted 'd').

• Al-Hadhir is the vigilant one.
• Al-Hadhir is the one who renews his caution; it is also said to mean one fully equipped with weapons, doing so out of caution and precaution for himself.
• Al-Hadir means the fat and strong. He said: "I love the bad boy for the sake of his mother, and I hate him because of her, even though he is 'hadir' (stout/strong)." He meant they are strong and mighty. It is also said it means they are fully armed, which has given their bodies a stoutness (hadara).

"So We expelled them from gardens and springs, and treasures and an honorable station. Thus, and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them. So they pursued them at sunrise."