Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 83

(Ayah 83) {فَمَاۤ اٰمَنَ لِمُوْسٰۤى اِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّنْ قَوْمِهٖ … :} Despite witnessing such clear miracles, the defeat of the magicians, and their acceptance of faith, no one believed in Musa (peace be upon him) except a few youths from his people. Here, whose people are meant by "his people"? The opinion of Ibn Jarir Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) is that, except for a few boys and girls from Musa's own people, the Children of Israel, no one believed, and that too while fearing Pharaoh and their own chiefs among the Children of Israel, who were agents of Pharaoh, that they would put them through trials and hardships to turn them away from faith. The result of this interpretation is that, except for the magicians from Pharaoh's people and a few youths from the Children of Israel, not a single person believed. The entire nation of Pharaoh and all the elders of the Children of Israel remained deprived of faith and adhered to the religion of Pharaoh. Ibn Jarir and those who share his view say that this was the situation in the early period; later, except for Qarun, all the Children of Israel believed in Musa (peace be upon him). { ’’مَلَاۡىِٕهِمْ ‘‘} (their chiefs) in {’’هُمْ‘‘} the plural pronoun either refers back to Pharaoh, because the Egyptians used the plural pronoun for Pharaoh out of respect, or it refers to the chiefs of the Children of Israel, meaning that the youths from the Children of Israel who believed were afraid of Pharaoh on one hand and their own chiefs on the other. However, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) strongly refuted this meaning of the verse, and in his preference, in {’’ ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّنْ قَوْمِهٖ ‘‘} in {’’هٖ‘‘ } the pronoun refers back to Pharaoh, because the Children of Israel were already awaiting the arrival of Musa (peace be upon him), and when he came, all of them believed, and the next verse also supports this, which shows that all the Children of Israel had believed in Musa (peace be upon him). However, among Pharaoh's people, the Copts, only a few youths believed in Musa (peace be upon him), and the translation of the verse would be: "Then, only a few youths from his (Pharaoh's) people, the Copts, believed in Musa, and they feared Pharaoh and their chiefs lest Pharaoh put them to trial." This translation is clearer, and the scholars of research have preferred this. (Ibn Kathir, Ruh al-Ma'ani) If one reflects, it is evident that even before the arrival of Musa (peace be upon him), despite all their faults, the Children of Israel were Muslims and took pride in being the descendants of prophets. Otherwise, if they had accepted the religion of Pharaoh and not demanded freedom, what need would Pharaoh have had to kill their sons? The incident of Musa (peace be upon him) killing a Copt also happened because he was supporting a man from his own people. Even at that time, Musa (peace be upon him) considered the Children of Israel his own group and the Copts his enemies, and the Children of Israel also thought the same about Musa (peace be upon him), which is why that Israelite called Musa (peace be upon him) for help, even though Musa (peace be upon him) had not yet been granted prophethood. Now, God forbid, if the people of Kashmir become Hindus or the Palestinians become Jews, what need would Hindus and Jews have to oppress them? But despite countless faults in belief and practice, their being Muslim and remaining steadfast upon it is something the disbelievers can never tolerate.