فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولَآ إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 16
Translations
Go to Pharaoh and say, 'We are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds,
Transliteration
Fa'tiya Fir'awna faqula inna nahu rasulu Rabbi al-'alamīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands Musa and Harun to go to Pharaoh and deliver the message that they are messengers of the Lord of all worlds. This ayah marks the beginning of their divine mission to call Pharaoh to monotheism. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that despite knowing Pharaoh's arrogance and rejection, Musa and Harun were commanded to deliver the message with clarity and conviction, emphasizing that the responsibility of the messenger is to convey the message, not to guarantee acceptance.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which details the stories of various prophets and their calls to their people. This specific verse follows Allah's command to Musa to go to Pharaoh with the message of tawhid (monotheism). The surah emphasizes the consistency of the prophetic message across all messengers throughout history.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Volume 4, Book 55, Hadith 554) records that the Prophet Muhammad said, 'The most honorable speech is the Book of Allah,' which relates to the importance of conveying Divine messages. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah records traditions about the characteristics of messengers and their dedication to conveying the Divine message despite opposition.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that delivering the truth requires courage and conviction, even when facing powerful opposition, and that messengers are obligated to convey the Divine message clearly and faithfully regardless of whether the audience accepts it. The emphasis on being 'messengers of the Lord of all worlds' reminds us that our purpose transcends worldly concerns and connects us to ultimate truth and authority.