Surah Al Baqarah Notes (49-56)

Source: Ibn Kathir

The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who Drowned

(49) And [recall] when We saved your forefathers from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the worst torment, slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.

(And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir`awn's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment,) meaning, `I - Allah - saved you from them and delivered you from their hands in the company of Musa after they subjected you to horrible torture.' This favor came after the cursed Pharaoh had a dream in which he saw a fire emerge from Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and then the fire entered the houses of the Coptics in Egypt, with the exception of the Children of Israel. Its purport was that his kingship would be toppled by a man among the Children of Israel. It was also said that some of Pharaoh's entourage said that the Children of Israel were expecting a man among them to arise who would establish a state for them. We will mention the Hadith on this subject when we explain Surat Ta Ha (20), Allah, willing. After the dream, Pharaoh ordered that every newborn male among the Children of Israel be killed and that the girls be left alone. He also commanded that the Children of Israel be given tasks of hard labor and assigned the most humiliating jobs.

The torment here refers to killing the male infants.

In Surat Ibrahim (14) this meaning is clearly mentioned,

(Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live.) (14:6).

The meaning of,

(who were afflicting you) is, "They humiliated you,'' as Abu `Ubaydah stated. It was also said that it means, "They used to exaggerate in tormenting you'' according to Al-Qurtubi. 

As for Allah saying,

(killing your sons and sparing your women) that explains His statement,

(who were afflicting you with horrible torment) then it explains the meaning of the favor He gave them, as mentioned in His statement, (Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you).

So Allah mentioned saving their children from being slaughtered in order to remind them of the many favors that He granted them.

We should state here that `Pharaoh' (Fir`awn) is a title that was given to every disbelieving king who ruled Egypt, whether from the `Amaliq (Canaanites) or otherwise, just as Caesar (Qaysar) is the title of the disbelieving kings who ruled Rome and Damascus. Also, Khosrau (Kisra) is the title of the kings who ruled Persia, while Tubb`a is the title of the kings of Yemen, and the kings of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) were called Negus (An-Najashi).

Allah said,

(And therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.)

Ibn Jarir commented that this part of the Ayah means, "Our saving your fathers from the torment that they suffered by the hand of Pharaoh, is a great blessing from your Lord.'

(50) And [recall] when We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.

(And (remember) when We separated the sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir`awn's (Pharaoh) people while you were watching) means, `After We saved you from Fir`awn and you escaped with Musa; Fir`awn went out in your pursuit and We parted the sea for you.' Allah mentioned this story in detail, as we will come to know, Allah willing. 

One of the shortest references to this story is Allah's statement,

(And saved you) meaning, "We saved you from them, drowning them while you watched, bringing relief to your hearts and humiliation to your enemy.''

Fasting the Day of `Ashura

It was reported that the day the Children of Israel were saved from Fir`awn was called the day of `Ashura'. Imam Ahmad reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah and found that the Jews were fasting the day of `Ashura'. He asked them, "What is this day that you fast'' They said, "This is a good day during which Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, and Musa used to fast this day.'' The Messenger of Allah said, (I have more right to Musa than you have.) So the Messenger of Allah fasted that day and ordered for others too. This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

The Children of Israel worshipped the Calf

(51) And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him, while you were wrongdoers.

Allah then said, "Remember My favor on you when I forgave you for worshipping the calf.'' This happened after Musa went to the meeting place with his Lord at the end of that period which was forty days. 

These forty days were mentioned in Surat Al-A`raf when Allah said,

(And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more)) (7:142).

It was said that these days were during the month of Dhul-Qa`dah plus the first ten days in Dhul-Hijjah after the Children of Israel were delivered from Fir`awn and they safely crossed the sea. 

(52) Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.

(53) And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.

Allah's statement,

(And (remember) when We gave Musa the Scripture) means, the Tawrah,

(And the criterion) that is that which differentiates between truth and falsehood, guidance and deviation.

(So that you may be guided aright), after escaping the sea, as another Ayah in Surat Al-A`raf clearly stated,

(And indeed We gave Musa ـ after We had destroyed the generations of old ـ the Scripture (the Tawrah) as an enlightenment for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy, that they might remember (or receive admonition)) (28:43).

The Children of Israel kill each other in Repentance

(54) And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by your taking of the calf [for worship]. So repent to your Creator and kill yourselves. That is best for [all of] you in the sight of your Creator." Then He accepted your repentance; indeed, He is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.

This was the repentance required from the Children of Israel for worshipping the calf. 

Commenting on Allah's statement;

(And (remember) when Musa said to his people: "O my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshipping the calf...), Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When their hearts thought of worshipping the calf,

Abu `Al-`Aliyah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas commented on,

(So turn in repentance to your Bari') that it means, "To your Creator.'' 

Allah's statement,

(to your Bari' (Creator)) alerts the Children of Israel to the enormity of their error and means, "Repent to He Who created you after you associated others with Him in worship.''

Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "Musa said to his people,

("So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill each other (the innocent kill the wrongdoers among you), that will be better for you with your Creator.'' Then He accepted your repentance. Truly, He is the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.)

Allah ordered Musa to command his people to kill each other. He ordered those who worshipped the calf to sit down and those who did not worship the calf to stand holding knives in their hands. When they started killing them, great darkness suddenly overcame them. After the darkness lifted, they had killed seventy thousand of them. Those who were killed among them were forgiven, and those who remained alive were also forgiven.'

The Best among the Children of Israel ask to see Allah; their subsequent Death and Resurrection

(55) And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah outright"; so the thunderbolt took you while you were looking on.

Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah

(And (remember) when you said: "O Musa! We shall never believe in you until we see Allah plainly.'') means, "Publicly'', "So that we gaze at Allah.'' 

(While you were looking) means, "Some of them were struck with lightning while others were watching.'' Allah resurrected those and struck the others with lightning.

(But you were seized with a bolt of lightning) saying; "They died, and Musa stood up crying and supplicating to Allah, `O Lord! What should I say to the Children of Israel when I go back to them after You destroyed the best of them, (If it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before; would You destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us)' Allah revealed to Musa that these seventy men were among those who worshipped the calf. Afterward, Allah brought them back to life one man at a time, while the rest of them were watching how Allah was bringing them back to life. 

(56) Then We revived you after your death that perhaps you would be grateful.

That is why Allah's said,

(Then We raised you up after your death so that you might be grateful.)''