“Nobles!” said Pharaoh. “I know of no deity that you could have other than myself. Well, Haman, kindle for me a fire (to bake bricks) of clay, and then build me a lofty tower, so that I may have a look at the God of Moses; even though I am convinced that he is one who tells lies.” (38)
Thus arrogantly did he and his hosts behave on earth, against all right, thinking that they would never return to Us. (39)
And so We seized him and his hosts and cast them in the sea. Look what happened in the end to those wrongdoers. (40) And We made them leaders who called others to the fire. No help will they ever receive on the Day of Resurrection. (41) We caused a curse to follow them in this world, and on Resurrection Day they will be among those who are spurned. (42)
And so after We had destroyed those earlier generations, We gave Moses the Book providing insight for mankind, as a guidance and grace, so that they may reflect. (43) (The Story, Al-Qasas: 38: 43)
When Pharaoh accused Moses of producing nothing but sorcery, Moses made a very polite answer, saying: “My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and to Whom the future belongs. Never will the evildoers be successful.” (Verse 37)
In reply to this very polite and confident statement, Pharaoh makes an evasive boastful and sarcastic reply: “Nobles! I know of no deity that you could have other than myself. Well, Haman, kindle for me a fire (to bake bricks) of clay, and then build me a lofty tower, so that I may have a look at the God of Moses; even though I am convinced that he is one who tells lies.” (Verse 38) What a blatant lie Pharaoh has uttered in denial of the truth: “I know of no deity that you could have other than myself.” And those nobles receive such a clear falsehood with humble acceptance. Pharaoh relies on legends that circulated in Egypt at the time claiming that kings descended from deities. He also relied on brute force that did not allow anyone to think or speak out. They clearly saw him to be mortal like themselves, but he makes his arrogant claim and they accept it without question.
He then affects seriousness about wanting to find out the truth and making sure of Moses’ God, but he is only making fun of the whole issue: “Well, Haman, kindle for me a fire (to bake bricks) of clay, and then build me a lofty tower, so that I may have a look at the God of Moses.” Moses says his God is in heaven, and I will go up into the sky to look at him. In the same tone of sarcasm he pretends that he has doubts about Moses and his statements, but nevertheless he wants to look here and there to arrive at the truth: “even though I am convinced that he is one who tells lies.” (Verse 38)
It is at this point in the exchange that the episode involving the match with the sorcerers takes place, but it is not mentioned here. The surah proceeds straight to mention how Pharaoh met his end: “Thus arrogantly did he and his hosts behave on earth, against all right, thinking that they would never return to Us.” (Verse 39) When they thought that they would never return and, as a result, behaved arrogantly, against all right, denying God’s signs and warnings mentioned briefly at the beginning of this episode but detailed in other surahs, God’s punishment was quick: “And so We seized him and his hosts and cast them in the sea.” (Verse 40) His fate is summed up in a few words: He was seized with force and cast in the sea as though he was a little stone. We note the contrast between casting Moses in the river when he was a newborn baby and he finds in it a safe shelter, and Pharaoh, the tyrant king, being cast in the sea with his hosts to be utterly destroyed. Safety and security are ensured when one is on God’s side, while fear and destruction is attendant on being on the other side. We note that in the Arabic text, the same word, yamm, is used for both river and sea as it signifies a great body of water.
“Look what happened in the end to those wrongdoers.” (Verse 40) It is an end that has been in full view for all to see, so as to serve as a lesson for all and a warning for those who deny God’s messages. It shows how God’s power overwhelms tyrants and powerful despots in no time, so as to make their end easy to describe in half a line or even shorter.
Another glance and this whole world is passed by so as to present a scene that shows Pharaoh and his hosts on the Day of Judgment calling people on and leading their followers into hell: “And We made them leaders who called others to the fire.” (Verse 41) Evil is the leadership, and evil is the call. “No help will they ever receive on the Day of Resurrection.” (Verse 41) It is a defeat in this life and a defeat in the life to come, in fair requital for their aggression and transgression beyond all limits. But they will not only be defeated; they are cursed here in this world and spurned in the next: “We caused a curse to follow them in this world, and on Resurrection Day they will be among those who are spurned.” (Verse 42)
The surah leaves out the entire history of the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt, and the events that happened after their departure, in order to mention Moses’ lot after having shown us Pharaoh’s lot:
“And so after We had destroyed those earlier generations, We gave Moses the Book providing insight for mankind, as a guidance and grace, so that they may reflect”. (Verse 43)
It is certainly a great favor that is given to Moses. His is an honorable bequest: A Book revealed to him by God in order to give mankind a new insight that guides them to what is right. It also provides guidance and grace, but they need to reflect and remember how God’s power intervened to save the weak and overcome the powerful. Thus the oppressors are destroyed and the oppressed avenged and given power.
Thus ends the story of Moses and Pharaoh as related in this surah. It makes clear that safety and security can only be achieved by being on God’s side, while fear is always associated with being away from Him. It also shows how God’s hand intervenes to challenge tyranny and overcome it, when its power seems irresistible. The fledgling Muslim community in Makkah needed to understand this concept and be sure of it, while the arrogant idolaters needed to reflect on it. Moreover, this concept is needed whenever and wherever believers advocate the truth and tyranny stands in its way.
This is yet another example of how the Qur’an uses historical accounts as educative material, and also to establish certain facts and principles that need to be reflected upon.