وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَـٰكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ 49
Translations
And [recall] when We saved you [i.e., your forefathers] from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the worst torment, slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.
Transliteration
Wa-idh najjaynakum min ali fir'awna yasoomunkum soo'a al-'adhab yudhabbihoon abnaa'akum wa-yastahyoon nisaa'akum wa-fee dhaalikum balaa'un min rabbikum 'adheem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah recalls Allah's deliverance of the Children of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh's people, who subjected them to severe torment, killed their sons, and enslaved their women. Ibn Kathir notes this was a great trial (balaa') and blessing from Allah, meant to test their faith and demonstrate His power over their enemies. Al-Tabari emphasizes that this divine rescue was a sign of Allah's mercy and a reminder of His covenant with the Israelites, serving as a rebuke to those who would later forget these favors.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan period within a section reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's past favors to their ancestors. It serves to establish the historical relationship between Allah and the Israelites, providing context for the laws and commandments being established in Surah Al-Baqarah, and implicitly calling them to gratitude and obedience.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) mentioned the oppression of Pharaoh's people in various contexts emphasizing Allah's power. Related to the theme of deliverance, Sahih Bukhari records the Prophet's emphasis on Allah's protection of the believers: 'Whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved all of humanity' (5:32), reflecting the value Allah places on preserving life.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to remember Allah's past favors in times of hardship, as a source of hope and renewed faith in His power to protect. It also serves as a reminder that trials and tests are divine blessings that strengthen faith and purify the soul when endured with patience and reliance on Allah.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِنَبِىٍّ لَّهُمُ ٱبْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَـٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَـٰتِلَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَـٰرِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses when they said to a prophet of theirs, "Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allāh"? He said, "Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?" They said, "And why should we not fight in the cause of Allāh when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?" But when battle was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And to Allāh belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.