Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُم مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَاءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٤٩﴾ وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ﴿٥٠﴾
2:49 (Remember O’ the Children of Israel) when We saved you from Firon’s clan who inflicted a terrible torment on you. (He) slaughtered your sons and spared your women and in that there was a great test from your Lord.
2:50 And (recall) when We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned the people of Firon while you were looking on.
2:49 Freedom from Firon
Commentary: Prophet Ya’qub (AS) and his 12 children lived in the land of Canaan, roughly corresponding to present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. They migrated to Egypt when Prophet Yusuf (AS) was the treasure of the Egyptian king, and their progenies eventually developed into a nation in Egypt referred to as the Children of Israel.
The Children of Israel lived in Egypt for more than 450 years across the fertile land of the Nile Valley. They grew crops and raised animal herds to enjoy a prosperous life until the rise of Firon (Pharaoh).
Firon took the Children of Israel as slaves, slaughtered their sons, and afflicted cruelty and oppression on them. This excruciating torment lasted until Prophet Musa (AS) and Haroun (AS) led the exodus of the Children of Israel back to their original homeland of Canaan. Verses 2:49-50 remind the Children of Israel of the divine assistance that led them to their freedom from Firon’s brutality and oppression.
The Exodus of the Children of Israel: For many years, Prophet Musa (AS) preached to Firon and invited him to the divine faith using evidence, logic, and reason. He also asked Firon to free the Children of Israel from the yoke of slavery[1] (فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَا تُعَذِّبْهُمْ).
Nevertheless, Firon continued to inflict severe punishment on the Israelites. Finally, Allah (SWT) inspired Musa (AS) to leave Egypt with the Children of Israel overnight[2]. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Israelites.
Firon and his army soon realized the departure of the Israelites and immediately began pursuing them. The Israelites reached the banks of the Nile (or the Red Sea) and became terrified. There was a river in the front with no boats to carry them across and Firon was with his army close behind.
At this moment, Allah (SWT) commanded Musa (AS) to strike the water of the river with his cane. Without hesitation, Musa (AS), obeyed the command. Suddenly, the river parted to reveal a dry path. The Israelites followed the dry path and safely reached the other side of the shore.
With his army, Firon reached the bank of the Nile River (also referred to as the Red Sea) and saw the dry patch. Without hesitation, he marched forward in pursuit of the Israelites. Midway, the Nile began to flow as usual and the pursuing army consequently drowned before the eyes of the Children of Israel.
The Qur’an counts this event as a hard-hitting trial (بَلَاءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ). The word “Bala” [Arabic: (بَلَا)] comes from (بَلِيَ), and it means to sustain deterioration resulting from continuous use[3]. Since trials and tribulations stress the body and drain the soul, they are called “Bala.”
One of the missions of the messengers of Allah (SWT) was to free humankind from slavery. The Children of Israel were subjugated to physical slavery and Prophet Musa (AS) freed them from Firon’s excruciating torment. However, one should not forget that humans also tend to become captive and slaves of their false desires and personal ignorance. Freedom from the shackles of ignorance and mental slavery is achieved through obeying Allah (SWT) and His messengers[4].
Word-for-Word Translation:
2:49 [وَإِذْ] And when [نَجَّيْنَاكُم] we saved you [مِّنْ] from [آلِ] the people [فِرْعَوْنَ] of Firon [يَسُومُونَكُمْ] who were afflicting you with [سُوءَ] horrible [الْعَذَابِ] torment [يُذَبِّحُونَ] slaughtering [أَبْنَاءَكُمْ] your sons [وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ] and letting live [نِسَاءَكُمْ] your women. [وَفِي] And in [ذَٰلِكُم] that [بَلَاءٌ] was a trial [مِّن] from [رَّبِّكُمْ] your Lord [عَظِيمٌ] great.
2:50 [وَإِذْ] And when [فَرَقْنَا] we parted [بِكُمُ] for you [الْبَحْرَ] the sea [فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ] then We saved you, [وَأَغْرَقْنَا] and we drowned [آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ] the people of Firon [وَأَنتُمْ] while you [تَنظُرُونَ] were looking.
Note:
[1]. Ta-Ha, 20:47 & Ad-Dukhan 44:18 .
[2]. Ta-Ha, 20:77.
[3]. Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol.1, P.248.
[4]. Al-Araf 7:157.
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Commentary on the Holy Quran (2:47-48)