Fir'awn
فِرعَونDefinition
Fir'awn — Pharaoh — is the Quran's primary case study in political tyranny taken to its theological extreme: a ruler who not only oppressed his people but declared 'I am your lord, most high.' Ibn Kathir presents Pharaoh as a figure who began with ordinary political ambition and, unchecked by any inner restraint or external opposition, escalated to divine claims that the Quran treats as the ultimate human arrogance. His drowning in the Red Sea while pursuing the freed Israelites — crying out at the last moment 'I believe that there is no god but the One in whom the Children of Israel believe' — is accepted by some scholars as a deathbed repentance that came too late, a faith adopted at the moment of death that the moment of death does not accept.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Kathir and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Fir'awn.
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"his arrival, she adorned and honored him, delighted by his good fortune. She then suggested taking him to Pharaoh to receive further gifts and honors. When Moses was placed in Pharaoh's lap, he grabbed Pharaoh's beard and pulled it down. Pharaoh's advisers, who were enemies of Allah, said to him, Do you not see what Allah promised his prophet Abraham? That this child would inherit from you, overcome you, and cast you down. Call the executioners to slaughter him. This was yet another trial for Moses. Pharaoh's wife rushed to Pharaoh saying, What do you plan concerning this boy whom you have gifted to me? He replied, Do you not see? He claims that he will overcome me and"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 1 — From Creation to Mūsā
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"to slaughter him. This too was part of the trials as ibn Jubair noted. Pharaoh's wife pleaded with them saying, spare him for this one will not increase the numbers of the children of Israel until I speak to Pharaoh. She approached Pharaoh and said, he is a joy of the eye for me and for you. Pharaoh replied, he will be for you as I have no need for him. The messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, remarked, by him in whose hand is my soul. If Pharaoh had acknowledged him as a joy of the eye for himself as his wife did, Allah would have guided him as he guided her, but he was deprived of that. Pharaoh's wife then"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 1 — From Creation to Mūsā
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"with our signs indeed we are with you listening. Go to Pharaoh and say we are messengers of the Lord of the worlds sent to release with us the children of Israel. Pharaoh responded arrogantly recalling how Moses had lived among them and saying did we not raise you among us as a child and you stayed among us for years of your life? This indicates that the Pharaoh whom God sent Moses to was the same one he had fled from. According to the people of the book Pharaoh from whom he fled died during his stay in Midian and the Pharaoh to whom he was sent was another Pharaoh. The phrase and you did that deed of yours which you did"
— Ibn Kathir, The Story of Musa
Appears in
2 books in the library
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