۞ وَجَـٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ ٱلْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتْ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓا۟ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ 90
Translations
And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."
Transliteration
Wa jawazna bibani Israila al-bahr fa-attaba'ahum Fir'awn wa junuduhu baghyan wa 'udwan hatta idha adrakahu al-gharaq qala amantu annahu la ilaha illa alladhi amanat bihi banu Israila wa ana mina al-muslimin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah parted the sea for Banu Isra'il to cross safely, while Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them out of tyranny and enmity. When the waters engulfed Pharaoh at the moment of drowning, he proclaimed belief in Allah alone, the same God in whom the Children of Israel believed, and declared himself among the submitters. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this deathbed belief came too late—after witnessing the punishment directly—which is why it was not accepted according to Q. 40:85, illustrating that faith must precede destruction.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Pharaoh's persecution of Banu Isra'il and their miraculous deliverance, which appears multiple times throughout the Qur'an. It serves as a historical reminder to the Meccan believers of Allah's power over tyrants and His protection of the faithful, drawing a parallel to their own situation under Meccan opposition. The surah emphasizes that Allah's signs are evident to those who reflect, yet many turn away out of arrogance.
Related Hadiths
The drowning of Pharaoh is confirmed in various hadiths. Imam Muslim reports that the Prophet ﷺ stated Pharaoh's body was preserved as a sign: 'So today We shall save you in body that you may be to those who come after you a sign' (Q. 10:92). Additionally, hadiths discuss how belief at the moment of death is rejected, supporting the theological point of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith and repentance must come before one faces Allah's punishment, not at the moment of destruction—a reminder that genuine belief requires sincere commitment during one's lifetime, and that witnessing divine punishment as a consequence of disbelief is not an acceptable time to submit. The contrast between the immediate acceptance of Banu Isra'il's faith and the rejection of Pharaoh's death-moment belief underscores the importance of timely repentance.
Related Ayahs
وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And never be of those who deny the signs of Allāh and [thus] be among the losers.
وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُوا۟ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرَ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And, [O Muḥammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter and do not recite any of the Qur’ān and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it. And not absent from your Lord is any [part] of an atom's weight within the earth or within the heaven or [anything] smaller than that or greater but that it is in a clear register.
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّى رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نُنجِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Then We will save Our messengers and those who have believed. Thus, it is an obligation upon Us that We save the believers.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
For those their refuge will be the Fire because of what they used to earn.