يَـٰقَوْمِ لَكُمُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ظَـٰهِرِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِنۢ بَأْسِ ٱللَّهِ إِن جَآءَنَا ۚ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَآ أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَرَىٰ وَمَآ أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ 29
Translations
O my people, sovereignty is yours today, [your being] dominant in the land. But who would protect us from the punishment of Allāh if it came to us?" Pharaoh said, "I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the way of right conduct."
Transliteration
Ya qawmi lakumul-mulku al-yawma zahirina fil-ardi faman yansuruna min ba'si-llahi in ja'ana. Qala fir'awnu ma urika-kum illa ma ara wa ma ahdikum illa sabila ar-rashad.
Tafsir (Explanation)
A believing man from Pharaoh's family addresses his people, reminding them that despite their current earthly dominance, they are powerless against Allah's punishment if it comes upon them. Pharaoh responds arrogantly, claiming he only shows them what he sees and guides them only to the path of rectitude—a statement reflecting his spiritual blindness and rejection of truth. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this exchange illustrates the contrast between sincere advice rooted in faith and tyrannical self-deception rooted in pride.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Pharaoh and the believing man (mu'min Al Fir'awn) in Surah Ghafir, a Meccan surah revealed to comfort the Prophet (ﷺ) and believers facing persecution. The dialogue exemplifies the recurring Quranic theme of the clash between divine guidance and human arrogance, serving as a warning to the Quraysh who similarly rejected the Prophet's message despite Allah's signs.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this verse, Surah Ghafir's themes relate to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you,' emphasizing that true honor comes from piety, not worldly power—a principle the believing man embodied.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material wealth and political power offer no refuge from Allah's justice, and warns against the dangerous delusion of self-sufficiency that blinds leaders to truth. For believers today, it emphasizes the courage required to speak truth to power and the futility of relying on anything but Allah's favor.