وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُم مِّثْلَ يَوْمِ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ 30
Translations
And he who believed said, "O my people, indeed I fear for you [a fate] like the day of the companies -
Transliteration
Wa qala alladhi amana ya qawmi inni akhaafu alaikum mithla yawmi al-ahzab
Tafsir (Explanation)
The believer (identified by most classical scholars as Mu'min Al-Qawm or the faithful man from Pharaoh's family) warns his people against repeating the fate of those who rejected their messengers in the past, specifically referencing 'the Day of the Confederates' when the disbelieving nations were destroyed. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this refers to the day when various hostile groups united against the Prophet and believers, or more broadly to the pattern of divine punishment that befell previous rebellious communities who rejected their messengers.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Ghafir, which presents the story of a believing man from Pharaoh's people who openly calls his people to follow Prophet Musa and warns them against Pharaoh's tyranny. The context is the believer's earnest plea to his people to learn from historical examples of divinely-punished nations, emphasizing the pattern of destruction that follows the rejection of prophetic guidance.
Related Hadiths
Related to the concept of learning from past nations: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Also relevant is the hadith about contemplating the fate of previous nations: 'Contemplate the destruction of the nations before you, that perhaps you might remember' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2493).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us the importance of heeding warnings based on historical precedents and the courage required to speak truth to power even when facing opposition. It reminds believers that the patterns of divine justice are consistent throughout history, and rejecting divine guidance inevitably leads to destruction.