وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُمَا وَقَوْمَهُمَا مِنَ ٱلْكَرْبِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 115
Translations
And We saved them and their people from the great affliction,
Transliteration
Wa najjaynāhumā wa qawmahum minal-karbil-'aẓīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the salvation of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) along with the believers from among their people from the great distress and hardship they faced, particularly their persecution by Pharaoh and his people. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this deliverance encompasses both spiritual salvation from misguidance and physical liberation from oppression, culminating in the parting of the sea and the drowning of Pharaoh's army. The 'great distress' (al-karb al-'aẓīm) refers to the intense suffering and trials they endured under Pharaonic tyranny.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah As-Saffat, which was revealed to provide consolation to the persecuted Muslims in Mecca by recounting stories of previous prophets and their struggles. The surah contextualizes the salvation of Musa's people as a reminder that Allah delivers the righteous from hardship, encouraging the early Muslim community to persevere through their own trials.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain numerous hadiths about the story of Musa and the parting of the sea (Bahr al-Qulzum), emphasizing Allah's miraculous deliverance. The hadith regarding trials and patience in Jami' at-Tirmidhi relates thematically to enduring great distress.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere faith and obedience to Allah's messengers leads to deliverance from seemingly insurmountable hardships, offering hope to believers facing oppression that their patience and trust in Allah will result in salvation and justice.