فَمَآ ءَامَنَ لِمُوسَىٰٓ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ 83
Translations
But no one believed Moses, except [some] offspring [i.e., youths] among his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his establishment that they would persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.
Transliteration
Famā āmana liMūsā illā dhurriyyatun min qawmihi alā khawfin min Fir'awna wa malā'ihi an yaftinnahum wa inna Fir'awna la'ālin fil-ardi wa innahu lamina al-musrifīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how only a small group from among Pharaoh's own people believed in Moses, and they did so in secret out of fear that Pharaoh and his chiefs would persecute them. Ibn Kathir notes that this 'offspring' (dhurriyyah) refers to those few believers, likely including the believing man from Pharaoh's family mentioned in Surah Ghafir. The verse emphasizes Pharaoh's tyrannical power and his excess (israf) in rejecting truth and oppressing believers, illustrating the difficult circumstances under which faith must sometimes be embraced.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan Surah Yunus, which discusses the signs of Allah and the rejection of messengers by their peoples. The surah uses the story of Moses and Pharaoh as a primary example of divine patience with disbelieving nations and the ultimate triumph of truth. This ayah specifically addresses the stark contrast between the masses who rejected Moses and the rare few who believed despite overwhelming social and political pressure.
Related Hadiths
The story relates to the believer from Pharaoh's household mentioned in Surah Ghafir 40:28-45, where Sahih Bukhari includes accounts of his secret faith and courageous testimony. Additionally, the theme connects to the hadith in Sahih Muslim about how faith enters the heart despite external pressures and opposition.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith sometimes requires standing alone against tyranny and social pressure, reminding believers that righteousness is not measured by numbers but by sincerity of heart. It also warns against becoming so enamored with worldly power and authority that one becomes deaf and blind to truth, as exemplified by Pharaoh's arrogance and excess.
Related Ayahs
إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ
To Him is your return all together. [It is] the promise of Allāh [which is] truth. Indeed, He begins the [process of] creation and then repeats it that He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds, in justice. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment for what they used to deny.
وَيُحِقُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
And Allāh will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."
وَٱتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَٱصْبِرْ حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ
And follow what is revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and be patient until Allāh will judge. And He is the best of judges.
وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًا وَٱجْعَلُوا۟ بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah and establish prayer and give good tidings to the believers."