فَأَتْبَعُوهُم مُّشْرِقِينَ 60
Translations
So they pursued them at sunrise.
Transliteration
Fa-attaba'oohum mushriqeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Pharaoh and his army pursuing the Children of Israel at sunrise (mushriqeen - at daybreak/sunrise). According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this describes the moment when Pharaoh's forces chased after Moses and his people, setting out in the early morning. The ayah emphasizes the urgency and determination of Pharaoh's pursuit, highlighting the temporal marker of sunrise to show how quickly he mobilized his army after discovering their escape.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Moses and the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, which forms a central theme in Surah Ash-Shu'ara (Meccan surah). The surah recounts various prophetic stories to comfort Prophet Muhammad during Meccan persecution. This particular verse falls within the detailed retelling of how Pharaoh pursued Moses and his people across the sea, demonstrating divine deliverance despite overwhelming earthly power.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly quotes this ayah, the story is referenced broadly in Islamic tradition. See Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim for general hadiths on the story of Moses (Musa) and Pharaoh (Fir'awn), which provide complementary details to the Quranic narrative.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that despite the apparent power and determination of enemies in pursuit, Allah's plan for the salvation of His faithful servants is unstoppable and inevitable. The mention of sunrise symbolizes how hope and deliverance come even in moments of apparent darkness and danger.