Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 28

(Ayah 28) ➊ { وَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ مِّنْ اٰلِ فِرْعَوْنَ …:} Moses (peace be upon him) sought Allah’s protection from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning, so Allah accepted his supplication and raised in his support a man from the family of Pharaoh, who had believed in Moses (peace be upon him) but was concealing his faith. He defended Moses (peace be upon him) in a very good manner and tried to prevent Pharaoh from killing him. Because he was from Pharaoh’s own people, he had the courage to speak, and for this reason, after his words, Pharaoh tried to reassure his people; otherwise, no Israelite in his court had such courage nor would it have been tolerated. This is Allah’s amazing arrangement that when Moses (peace be upon him) entrusted his matter to Him, He provided support from where it was not even imagined. Allah has called him { ’’رَجُلٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ ‘‘ }, meaning he was characterized by both manliness and faith. The proof of his being a perfect man and a perfect believer is that he performed the best jihad. Abu Sa‘id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ أَوْ أَمِيْرٍ جَائِرٍ ] [ أبو داوٗد، الملاحم، باب الأمر والنہي : ۴۳۴۴ ] “The best jihad is to speak a word of justice before a tyrant king or a tyrant leader.” Some say that this was the same person who had previously informed Moses (peace be upon him) in Pharaoh’s assembly about the plan to kill him, upon which he migrated to Madyan, but we have no means to confirm this; however, there is no doubt that he was also a perfect man. See Surah Al-Qasas (20).

The commentator Razi has written from his experience that in the circumstances that befell him, whenever an evil person intended harm against him and he did not confront him but sufficed with entrusting the matter to Allah, Allah, the Exalted, appointed people for his defense whom he did not know at all and who went to great lengths to remove that harm.

➋ {يَكْتُمُ اِيْمَانَهٗۤ:} From this sentence, it is understood that despite Pharaoh’s harshness, the message of Moses (peace be upon him) had reached everywhere, even some people from Pharaoh’s own family had been affected by it, though they could not express it. Thus, this believing man also used to conceal his faith before, but when the matter reached the point of killing Moses (peace be upon him), his faith did not allow him to remain silent. He began speaking as a neutral person, but in the end, he openly expressed his faith and entrusted his matter to Allah, as will come ahead, as a result of which Allah protected him from the oppression and tyranny of Pharaoh and his companions. Even though he had been concealing his faith until now, Allah still called him a believer, from which it is understood that a person remains a believer even if he conceals his faith out of necessity. See also Surah An-Nahl (106).

➌ { اَتَقْتُلُوْنَ رَجُلًا اَنْ يَّقُوْلَ رَبِّيَ اللّٰهُ …:} In this sentence, the believing man stated three truths: First, that the only Lord is Allah, the Exalted. Thus, he said, “Do you want to kill a man just because he says, ‘My Lord (my Sustainer and Owner) is only that Pure Being whose name is Allah’?” That is, he does not accept Pharaoh as his lord, but accepts the One who created Pharaoh and his forefathers and all creatures including the heavens and the earth, so should he be honored and respected for this or should he be killed? The second truth ({وَ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنٰتِ}) he stated was that he has come to you with clear proofs from his Lord, which you have no justification to deny; all the magicians of the land have failed against him and have acknowledged his truth and believed in him. The third truth ({مِنْ رَّبِّكُمْ}) is that the One who sent him with a message is also your Lord; it is your ignorance that you have taken someone else as your lord besides Him.

➍ The kinds of opposition and circumstances Moses (peace be upon him) faced, our Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also faced similar situations. In these events, there is comfort for you (O Prophet), that you are not alone; previous prophets also faced such difficulties.

➎ The commentator Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “To say before Pharaoh {’’ اَتَقْتُلُوْنَ رَجُلًا اَنْ يَّقُوْلَ رَبِّيَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} (Do you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?) is a very great thing (there can be no greater courage than this).” Yes, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned in his Sahih Bukhari an incident of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) which is even greater than this. ‘Urwah bin Zubair said: I asked Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with them both), “Tell me the greatest harm the polytheists inflicted on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” He replied: [ بَيْنَا رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ يُصَلِّيْ بِفِنَاءِ الْكَعْبَةِ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ عُقْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِيْ مُعَيْطٍ فَأَخَذَ بِمَنْكِبِ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ وَلَوٰی ثَوْبَهُ فِيْ عُنُقِهِ فَخَنَقَهُ خَنْقًا شَدِيْدًا فَأَقْبَلَ أَبُوْ بَكْرٍ فَأَخَذَ بِمَنْكِبِهِ وَ دَفَعَ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ وَ قَالَ : « اَتَقْتُلُوْنَ رَجُلًا اَنْ يَّقُوْلَ رَبِّيَ اللّٰهُ وَ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنٰتِ مِنْ رَّبِّكُمْ » ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ المؤمن : ۴۸۱۵ ] “Once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying in the courtyard of the Ka‘bah when ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt came, grabbed the Prophet's ﷺ shoulder, and put his garment around the Prophet’s neck and choked him severely. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, grabbed him by the shoulder, pushed him away from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and said: «اَتَقْتُلُوْنَ رَجُلًا اَنْ يَّقُوْلَ رَبِّيَ اللّٰهُ وَ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنٰتِ مِنْ رَّبِّكُمْ» ‘Do you kill a man because he says, “My Lord is Allah,” while he has come to you with clear proofs from your Lord?’”

The scholars say that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was even braver than that believing man, because he (the believing man) was concealing his faith, while Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was an open believer, the first to believe, and in supporting and defending the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he faced even greater danger than that believing man. Despite this, he did not just say these words but actually pushed ‘Uqbah away from the Prophet.

➏ {وَ اِنْ يَّكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهٗ:} That believing man did not consider Moses (peace be upon him) a liar; he said this as a neutral person, hypothetically, that if he is a liar, then the burden of his lie is upon him, and it is appropriate for you to leave him to his own state. Moses (peace be upon him) also said to them: « وَ اِنْ لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوْا لِيْ فَاعْتَزِلُوْنِ» [ الدخان : ۲۱ ] “And if you do not accept my words, then keep away from me.”

➐ {وَ اِنْ يَّكُ صَادِقًا يُّصِبْكُمْ … :} “And if he is truthful, then some of what he promises you will surely befall you.” Here, the believing man used the word {’’ يَعِدُكُمْ ‘‘} which is used for promise, not {’’ يُوْعِدُكُمْ‘‘} which is for threat. Because in promise, both things are included: if he is truthful and you obey him, then his promise is that you will attain good in this world and the Hereafter, and accordingly, you will surely get some of it; if not in this world, then certainly in the Hereafter. And if you do not believe in him despite his truthfulness, or you kill him, then among the punishments he has promised for your disbelief, some of them will surely befall you in this world. As Allah has warned the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) of various punishments that befell previous nations, He said: « فَكُلًّا اَخَذْنَا بِذَنْۢبِهٖ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ اَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ حَاصِبًا وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ اَخَذَتْهُ الصَّيْحَةُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ الْاَرْضَ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ اَغْرَقْنَا » [العنکبوت : ۴۰ ] “So We seized each one for his sin; among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those seized by the blast, and among them were those whom We caused to be swallowed by the earth, and among them were those whom We drowned.” And if no punishment comes in this world, then there is no way to escape the punishment of the Hereafter.

➑ {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ:} This sentence can have two meanings, and it is possible that this great man intended both. One is that Allah does not guide to the right path the one who is an excessive transgressor and a great liar, whereas there is nothing excessive in Moses (peace be upon him), let alone being a liar; he has never been accused of lying even once. His clear proofs and miracles prove his truthfulness; how can Allah bestow so much grace and favor upon a transgressor and a liar, and how can it be permissible to kill such a person? The second meaning is that by mentioning these two qualities, in reality, he was criticizing Pharaoh, who, by claiming to be lord, was exceeding all bounds and telling a great lie, and his intention to kill was also a result of his being a transgressor and a liar, and such a person is not granted right judgment by Allah.

28. 1. That is, he does not believe in Allah's Lordship just like that, rather he has clear proofs for his stance.

28. He said this as a concession, that if you are not satisfied with his arguments and leave him to his own state, do not interfere with him—if he is a liar, then Allah Himself will punish him for this lie in this world and the Hereafter, and if he is truthful and you have caused him harm, then certainly one of the punishments with which he warns you may befall you.

28. 3. This means that if he were a liar, as you claim, then Allah would not have granted him proofs and miracles, whereas he possesses these things. The second meaning is that if he is a liar, then Allah Himself will humiliate and destroy him; you do not need to take any action against him.

28. And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh, who was concealing his faith [38], said, "Will you kill a man because he says, 'My Lord is Allah,' while he has come to you with clear proofs [39] from your Lord? If he is lying, his lie will be upon him; but if he is truthful, then some of what he threatens you with will surely befall you [40]. Surely, Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor [41] and a liar."

[38]
The Believing Man Who Concealed His Faith:

It is said that this man was Pharaoh’s cousin. Or, even if he was someone else, at the very least he was among Pharaoh’s courtiers and close associates. And he had already believed in Sayyiduna Musa (Moses) ؑ. Some commentators say that when a Copt was killed by Musa ؑ, it was this very man who informed Sayyiduna Musa ؑ that plans were being made to kill him, so he should flee from there as soon as possible. At that time, although Musa ؑ was not yet a prophet and the question of believing in him did not arise, nevertheless, he was impressed by Sayyiduna Musa’s ؑ character and habits, and for this reason, he was also sympathetic towards him. From this statement, two things become clear: firstly, that despite Pharaoh’s harshness, the message of Sayyiduna Musa ؑ had spread secretly, even reaching the palaces of Pharaoh. Secondly, it shows that if a believer, due to the pressure of a disbelieving society, does not openly declare his faith, there is nothing wrong in that.

[39]
The Dialogue Between Pharaoh and the Believing Man:

When Pharaoh said this in the full court, the believing man could not restrain himself and immediately spoke up: What is the crime of the person whom you are intent on killing? On what basis do you want to kill him? Is his only crime not that he calls you to your Lord? Then he has clear proofs with him, which you also know, that he is truthful in his claim. Is this such a crime that it should make him deserving of death?

[40] This believing man continued his speech, saying that regarding his message, there are only two possibilities. One is that he is lying in his claim. In that case, why are you so concerned? Lies have no legs to stand on; sooner or later, they die their own death. And if he is truthful and you kill him, then know that you will not be safe. Then the punishment with which he threatens you will certainly descend upon you. Therefore, my advice is that you leave him alone. That is what is best for you.

[41] This statement made by the believing man fit Sayyiduna Musa ؑ just as it fit Pharaoh. That is, if Musa ؑ—God forbid—was lying to such an extent that you consider killing him to be your only safety, remember that Allah never guides such a person to the right path. And if he is truthful, then it means you are the liars, and despite being liars, you are going so far as to want to kill him—then your destruction is inevitable.

‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt Attempting to Strangle the Prophet ﷺ:

A very similar incident occurred in the time of the Prophet ﷺ. A wretched polytheist, ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt, tried to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Coincidentally, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ arrived at the scene, and on that occasion, he recited this very verse, as is clear from the following hadith: ‘Urwah bin Zubayr ؓ says: I asked ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘As ؓ: “Tell me, what was the greatest harm the polytheists of Mecca inflicted on the Prophet ﷺ?” He replied: “Once, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying in the courtyard of the Ka‘bah. ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt came forward, grabbed the Prophet's ﷺ shoulder, then wrapped a cloth around the Prophet's ﷺ neck and twisted it so hard (as if to kill him). At that moment, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ arrived, grabbed ‘Uqbah’s shoulder, pushed him away from the Prophet ﷺ, and said: ‘Do you want to kill a man just because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ even though he has brought you clear signs from your Lord?’” [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]