Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 79

(Ayah 79) {وَ اَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهٗ وَ مَا هَدٰى :} Here is a question: {’’ اَضَلَّ ‘‘} (led astray) and {’’ مَا هَدٰى ‘‘} (did not put on the straight path) both mean the same thing, so what is the benefit of this repetition? There are several answers to this question. One is that it is for emphasis, as He said: «{ اَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ اَحْيَآءٍ }» [ النحل : ۲۱ ] "They are dead, not alive." Another is that in "Pharaoh led his people astray," there was a possibility that if in some matters he led his people on the wrong path, then in others he might have guided them correctly, or at least brought them some worldly benefit. It is said, no! He did not put them on the right path in anything; rather, he made them so foolish and worthless that they continued to follow him even in his utter follies. (Zukhruf: 45) (Biqā‘ī) Just as nowadays in the atheist country of China, by government order, if more than one or two children are born, they are usually killed in the hospital by a poison injection, and if someone manages to save their child from death, that child cannot be registered in the birth register nor can they receive the privileges of a registered citizen. Only someone with children can truly understand this painful situation. Despite this, the entire nation is following these orders either happily or helplessly; what could be a greater {’’ مَا هَدٰى ‘‘} than this? The third answer is that in fact, this is a sarcasm on Pharaoh's claim which he made: «{ مَاۤ اُرِيْكُمْ اِلَّا مَاۤ اَرٰى وَ مَاۤ اَهْدِيْكُمْ اِلَّا سَبِيْلَ الرَّشَادِ }» [ المؤمن : ۲۹ ] "I am only showing you what I see, and I am guiding you only to the path of right conduct." And in verse (63) of the surah under commentary, his followers also declared their way to be the best. In response, Allah Almighty said, "Pharaoh led his people astray and did not put them on the straight path." (Zamakhshari)