Surah Ash-Shu'araa (26) — Ayah 59

(Ayah 59) Make {كَذٰلِكَ وَ اَوْرَثْنٰهَا بَنِيْۤ اِسْرَآءِيْلَ: ’’ كَذٰلِكَ ‘‘} the predicate of an omitted subject, {’’أَيْ اَلْأَمْرُ كَذٰلِكَ‘‘}, or the subject of an omitted verb, {’’أَيْ وَقَعَ كَذٰلِكَ‘‘}, meaning that although this matter seems impossible, it happened exactly like this, and We made the Children of Israel the inheritors of those gardens, springs, treasures, and splendid places. Here is a question: this verse appears to indicate that after Pharaoh was drowned, the Children of Israel became the owners of the land of Egypt, whereas, as a punishment for refusing to engage in jihad, the Children of Israel wandered in the desert for forty years, and even after that, it is well known that their advance was towards Syria, and Syria itself became the center of the kingdom of Joshua son of Nun, and later David and Solomon, peace be upon them. There is no mention in history of their return to Egypt.

The solution to this question is twofold. One is the view adopted by many commentators: Allah made the Children of Israel the inheritors of many gardens, springs, treasures, and fine places, but not in Egypt, rather in Syria. Other nations became the inheritors of the gardens, springs, etc., of Egypt. According to these commentators, the meaning of what is mentioned in Surah ad-Dukhan (28): «{ كَذٰلِكَ وَ اَوْرَثْنٰهَا قَوْمًا اٰخَرِيْنَ }» (Thus it happened, and We made other people inherit them) is that We made other people, besides the Children of Israel, the inheritors of the land of Egypt. This is the opinion of Ibn Ashur, Biqa'i, and many other commentators.

The second solution is that Allah ultimately made the Children of Israel the owners of the gardens, springs, and treasures of Egypt, but not those who migrated with Moses, peace be upon him, and left there, rather, this blessing was granted to another generation of the Children of Israel, and this is the meaning of this verse: «{ كَذٰلِكَ وَ اَوْرَثْنٰهَا قَوْمًا اٰخَرِيْنَ }» [ الدخان : ۲۸ ] I am satisfied with this opinion. As for the fact that there is no mention in history of the Children of Israel returning to Egypt, the reality is that it is difficult to fully trust pre-Christian history, and the absence of mention does not mean that the event did not occur. Solomon, peace be upon him, who, upon learning of the kingdom of the Queen of Sheba, did not rest until he brought her under his dominion, and according to the Qur'an, was granted such a kingdom as was never befitting anyone after him, for him to include Egypt in his realm was not difficult. Therefore, after removing Pharaoh's people from their gardens and springs, the words "and We made the Children of Israel their inheritors" should be left upon their apparent meaning. Yes, it is correct that those were other Children of Israel who became inheritors, not the Children of Israel who wandered in the wilderness of at-Tih for forty years. (And Allah knows best) See also Surah al-A'raf (136).