Remembrance of dreadful torment by Pharaoh

Lesson # 917 from the Noble Quran

Remembrance of dreadful torment by Pharaoh

Surah ‘A’-RAAF (The Heights) – Chapter – 7)

 Stage – 2, Verses – 140 & 141 of 206, Section – 16 of 24 (Part - 9)

                                                                       

                                 

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim    

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

140.  He said: Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah when He hath favoured you above (all) creatures? 141.  And (remember) when We did deliver you from Pharaoh’s folk who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. And that was a tremendous trial from your Lord.

140.  Qaala  ‘a-gayrAllaahi  ‘abgiikum  ‘ilaahanw-wa  Huwa  fazzalakum  ‘alal-‘aalamiin. 141.  Wa  ‘iz  ‘anjay-Naakum-min  ‘Aali-  Fir-‘awna  yasuu-muunakum  suuu-‘al-‘azaab.  Yuqattiluuna  ‘abnaaa-‘akum  wa  yastah-yuuna  nisaaa-‘akum.  Wa  fii  zaalikum  balaaa-‘um-mir-Rabbikum  ‘aziim.

           

Lesson

Yasuu-muunakum – {they (were afflicting you)}, this word has been derived from suum. Suum means “to vex, to trouble, to torment, to afflict”.

Yastah-yuuna - {they (were sparing, let them living)}, origin of this word is ‘astah-yaaa’, which has been made from hayaat. Hayaat means “life”. ‘Astah-yaaa’ means “to let (someone) survive”.

Balaaa-‘un – actual meanings of this word are trial, test, examination. Sometimes it comes by means of any calamity/disaster, and sometime by means of favor. Therefore, it can be used in both meanings. Here it aims favor.

It was described in the previous verse that the Children of Israel asked for permission from Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) to worship by keeping the idols in front. He (peace be upon Him) commanded that this way is dangerous. You don’t know about its sequel. It makes a man oblivious from actual God at the end. Its benefit is fictitious only, you don’t know, whether it will be gainful or otherwise, that is to say; to focus the attention at a particular point. But its harm and loss is sure i.e. falling into the belief in a plurality of God (polytheism).

It is commanded that Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) said: It is biggest misfortune of the human being if he forgets Allah Almighty. Can it be suitable to adopt any such matter, which appears in the beginning a harmless but consequence of which is that, at the end, the people begin to consider the idols as God and everything and are involved in the polytheism and infidelity. I do not accept your request that I create another god for you except Allah Almighty, Who is Creator, Lord and Worshipped of all of the mankind and other entire creatures? Beholding such strongest Signs of God Almighty, that He did deliver you from Pharaoh’s nation and raised your dignity more than the entire world at that time (after deliverance from the people of Pharaoh). It is biggest tyranny if you arrange to forget Him.

In the next verse, the Jews are being reminded again about the biggest favor of God Almighty on their ancestors. They would have been removed from the earth as horns from the donkey’s head; if God Almighty had not favored the Children of Israel, because the people of Pharaoh used to slaughter their sons and spare their women. It was a tremendous trial from the Lord of the Worlds (God Almighty).

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)