سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 4
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them: killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidûn(i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
فِرْعَوْنَ
fir'ʿawna
Firaun
عَلَا
ʿalā
exalted himself
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
وَجَعَلَ
wajaʿala
and made
أَهْلَهَا
ahlahā
its people
شِيَعًۭا
shiyaʿan
(into) sects
يَسْتَضْعِفُ
yastaḍʿifu
oppressing
طَآئِفَةًۭ
ṭāifatan
a group
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
يُذَبِّحُ
yudhabbiḥu
slaughtering
أَبْنَآءَهُمْ
abnāahum
their sons
وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ
wayastaḥyī
and letting live
نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ
nisāahum
their women
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, he
كَانَ
kāna
was
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
l-muf'sidīna
the corrupters
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
4. Pharaoh exalted himself in the land (of Egypt) [4] and divided its people into factions, oppressing one group among them (the Children of Israel), making them weak [5]. He slaughtered their sons [6] and let their women live. Surely, he was among the corrupters.
[4] That is, Pharaoh had become arrogant. He began to consider himself a very great being, and he exceeded all limits in oppressing and wronging people. He raised himself from the position of servitude to the position of complete autonomy and adopted a highly rebellious attitude. Later, the word "Pharaoh" began to be used in the literal sense for someone who is arrogant, rebellious, and defiant.
[5]
Pharaoh's Political Policy. Who Were the Copts and the Israelites:
In order to strengthen and maintain his rule, his political policy was to create class divisions among his subjects. One group was his own people or the ancient inhabitants of Egypt, who were called the Copts, and this was the respected class. Only they could obtain government positions, and as the ruling nation, their rights were looked after more than necessary. The other group was the Israelites, who had settled there since the time of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) ؑ, that is, for about four hundred years. At that time, they had come as the ruling nation, but after just a century, when irreligion and moral decline began among them and they split into sects, Allah took away their rule from them and the Egyptians regained control. The Egyptians, in retaliation, treated the Israelites like untouchables and outcasts. They had no respect in society. They could not obtain any government position. Generally, these people were slaves or servants of the ruling nation, and their women also worked in their houses. In this way, Pharaoh had practically made these people his slaves.
[6]
Pharaoh's Action for the Genocide of the Israelites:
The movement of Egyptian nationalism had started long before, and as a result, such unjust treatment was meted out to the Israelites (i.e., by the Copts). However, Pharaoh Ramses took the extreme step that henceforth, any boy born to the Israelites should be killed, and the girls should be allowed to live. The girls or women would automatically come under the control of the Copts or the people of Pharaoh, and in this way, after some time, the lineage of the Israelites would be completely wiped out and assimilated into the Egyptians. Accordingly, spy-type women were appointed to enforce Pharaoh's order, who would report to the government about newborn children among the Israelites. And this was merely a precautionary measure; otherwise, the order for the Israelites was that they must inform the government about any newborn boy, and they were compelled to do so.
Pharaoh's Dream That an Israelite Would End His Rule:
It is narrated in some tafsirs that Pharaoh had a disturbing dream, which his astrologers interpreted to mean that a boy would be born among the Israelites by whose hands Pharaoh and his rule would be destroyed. Pharaoh, to avert this danger, ordered the killing of the Israelite boys. From this perspective, if considered, Pharaoh's action was utter foolishness and despotism. Because if the astrologers' interpretation was correct, then this event was bound to happen, and it did happen. There was not even a hint in the dream or its interpretation that Pharaoh could save himself by taking some preventive measure. And if the interpretation was wrong, then this was simply a cruel act. In any case, in both situations, his action was tyrannical and barbaric. And as for the matter of the dream or its interpretation, Allah knows best about its authenticity or lack thereof. Even if this had not been the case, the circumstances arising from nationalism had already developed to such an extent that Pharaoh considered this action appropriate to completely crush the Israelites. And Ibn Kathir describes the situation of this dream and its interpretation as follows: The Israelites used to mention among themselves a prophecy of Ibrahim Khalilullah ؑ that the destruction of the kingdom of Egypt was destined at the hands of an Israelite youth. Gradually, this matter reached Pharaoh's ears as well. This fool, in an attempt to prevent fate and destiny, implemented this cruel scheme.
[4] That is, Pharaoh had become arrogant. He began to consider himself a very great being, and he exceeded all limits in oppressing and wronging people. He raised himself from the position of servitude to the position of complete autonomy and adopted a highly rebellious attitude. Later, the word "Pharaoh" began to be used in the literal sense for someone who is arrogant, rebellious, and defiant.
[5]
Pharaoh's Political Policy. Who Were the Copts and the Israelites:
In order to strengthen and maintain his rule, his political policy was to create class divisions among his subjects. One group was his own people or the ancient inhabitants of Egypt, who were called the Copts, and this was the respected class. Only they could obtain government positions, and as the ruling nation, their rights were looked after more than necessary. The other group was the Israelites, who had settled there since the time of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) ؑ, that is, for about four hundred years. At that time, they had come as the ruling nation, but after just a century, when irreligion and moral decline began among them and they split into sects, Allah took away their rule from them and the Egyptians regained control. The Egyptians, in retaliation, treated the Israelites like untouchables and outcasts. They had no respect in society. They could not obtain any government position. Generally, these people were slaves or servants of the ruling nation, and their women also worked in their houses. In this way, Pharaoh had practically made these people his slaves.
[6]
Pharaoh's Action for the Genocide of the Israelites:
The movement of Egyptian nationalism had started long before, and as a result, such unjust treatment was meted out to the Israelites (i.e., by the Copts). However, Pharaoh Ramses took the extreme step that henceforth, any boy born to the Israelites should be killed, and the girls should be allowed to live. The girls or women would automatically come under the control of the Copts or the people of Pharaoh, and in this way, after some time, the lineage of the Israelites would be completely wiped out and assimilated into the Egyptians. Accordingly, spy-type women were appointed to enforce Pharaoh's order, who would report to the government about newborn children among the Israelites. And this was merely a precautionary measure; otherwise, the order for the Israelites was that they must inform the government about any newborn boy, and they were compelled to do so.
Pharaoh's Dream That an Israelite Would End His Rule:
It is narrated in some tafsirs that Pharaoh had a disturbing dream, which his astrologers interpreted to mean that a boy would be born among the Israelites by whose hands Pharaoh and his rule would be destroyed. Pharaoh, to avert this danger, ordered the killing of the Israelite boys. From this perspective, if considered, Pharaoh's action was utter foolishness and despotism. Because if the astrologers' interpretation was correct, then this event was bound to happen, and it did happen. There was not even a hint in the dream or its interpretation that Pharaoh could save himself by taking some preventive measure. And if the interpretation was wrong, then this was simply a cruel act. In any case, in both situations, his action was tyrannical and barbaric. And as for the matter of the dream or its interpretation, Allah knows best about its authenticity or lack thereof. Even if this had not been the case, the circumstances arising from nationalism had already developed to such an extent that Pharaoh considered this action appropriate to completely crush the Israelites. And Ibn Kathir describes the situation of this dream and its interpretation as follows: The Israelites used to mention among themselves a prophecy of Ibrahim Khalilullah ؑ that the destruction of the kingdom of Egypt was destined at the hands of an Israelite youth. Gradually, this matter reached Pharaoh's ears as well. This fool, in an attempt to prevent fate and destiny, implemented this cruel scheme.
