SURAH (28) QASAS (AYA 21 to 40)

فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ {28:21}

[Q28:21] Fakharaja minhaa khaaa 'ifany-yataraqqab; qaala Rabbi najjinee minal qawmiz zaalimeen.
[Q28:21] So he went forth therefrom, fearing, awaiting, (and) he said: My Lord! Deliver me from the unjust people.

[Q28:21] Musa pun keluarlah dari negeri itu dalam keadaan cemas sambil memerhatikan (berita mengenai dirinya) serta berdoa dengan berkata: Wahai Tuhanku, selamatkanlah daku dari kaum yang zalim. 

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(28:21) Hearing this, Moses left the place, in a state of fear and, vigilance, and prayed, "O my Lord, save me from the wicked people."

SECTION 3

Moses weds (Laban’s daughter)

Moses in Midian – Moses helps Shuaib’s daughters – One of Shuiab’s daughter wedded to Moses.

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ {28:22}

[Q28:22] Wa lammaa tawajjaha tilqaaa'a Madyana qaala 'asaa Rabbeee ai yahdiyanee Sawaaa'as assabeel. 
[Q28:22] And when he turned his face towards Madyan, he said: Maybe my Lord will guide me in the right path.

[Q28:22] Dan setelah dia (meninggalkan Mesir dalam perjalanan) menuju ke negeri Madyan, berdoalah dia dengan berkata: Mudah-mudahan Tuhanku menunjukkan jalan yang benar kepadaku,

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(28:22) (Leaving Egypt) when Moses set his direction towards Madyan *31 he said "I expect that my Lord will guide me to the right path." *32

*31 Both the Bible and the Qur'an agree that after leaving Egypt the Prophet Moses had gone to live in Madyan (Midian). But the Talmud tells the absurd story that Moses fled to Ethiopia and became a great favourite with the king there. After the king's death the people made Moses their king and leader and gave him the widow of the king for a wife, but during the 40 years of his reign there he never had intercourse with his Negro wife. Then the queen of Ethiopia, who was a wife to Moses in name only, said to the people, "Why should this stranger continue to rule over you '? He has never worshipped the gods of Ethiopia." At this the people of Ethiopia deposed him and made him many rich presents and dismissed him with great honours. Then he came to Midian and met with the events being mentioned below. At this time he was 67 years old. A clear proof of this story's being absurd is that according to it Assyria (northern Iraq) in those days was under Ethiopia, and the Prophet Moses and the Ethiopian king, his predecessor, had led military campaigns to crush the Assyrian revolts. Now anybody who has a little acquaintance with the history and geography can have a look at the map and see things for himself. Assyria could be under Ethiopian domination and have been attacked by the Ethiopian army only in case Egypt and Palestine and Syria had been under its subjugation, or the whole of Arabia under its sway, or, at least the Ethiopian navy so powerful as to have conquered 'Iraq across the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. History, however, does not support the view that the Ethiopians ever held sway over these countries, or their naval force was ever so powerful. This indicates how imperfect was the Israelites' knowledge of their own history, and how the Qur'an corrects their errors and presents thetrue facts in their pure form. Nevertheless, the Christian and the Jewish orientalists are never ashamed of asserting that the Qur'an has plagiarized the Israelite traditions for its narratives. 
*32 The right path: "The path that may take me to Midian safely." It should be borne in mind that Midian in those days was outside Pharaoh's empire. Egypt did not have control over the whole of the Sinai Peninsula but only on its western and southern parts. The Midianites who inhabited the eastern and western coasts of the Gulf of 'Agabah were free from Egyptian influence and authority. That is why the Prophet Moses had headed for Midian after leaving Egypt, because that was the nearest free and inhabited land. But to reach Midian he had to pass through Egyptian territories; avoiding the Egyptian police and military posts on the way. That is why he prayed to God to put him on the right track which should take him to Midian safely. 

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ {28:23}

[Q28:23] Wa lammaa warada maaa'a Madyana wajada 'alaihi ummatam minannaasi yasqoona wa wajada min doonihimum ra ataini tazoodaani qaala maa khatubkumaa qaalataa laa nasqee hataa yusdirar ri'aaa'u wa aboonaa shaikhun kabeer. 
[Q28:23] And when he came to the water of Madyan, he found on it a group of men watering, and he found besides them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What is the matter with you? They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water, and our father is a very old man.

[Q28:23] Dan ketika dia sampai di telaga air negeri Madyan, dia dapati di situ sekumpulan orang-orang lelaki sedang memberi minum (binatang ternak masing-masing) dan dia juga dapati di sebelah mereka dua perempuan yang sedang menahan kambing-kambingnya dia bertanya: Apa hal kamu berdua? Mereka menjawab: Kami tidak memberi minum (kambing-kambing kami) sehingga pengembala-pengembala itu membawa balik binatang ternak masing-masing dan bapa kami seorang yang terlalu tua umurnya.

When going away from Egypt, Musa went towards Midian, and wandering in the desert, arrived at an oasis, weak and hungry, after a week. He sat under a tree near a well and saw shepherds giving water to their flocks while two girls waited with their flocks for their turn. The shepherds were drawing water for their own flocks but none drew water for the girls. These two girls were Safura and Safra, daughters of prophet Shu-ayb, who was very old and could not come to give water to the flocks which compelled the young ladies to go out BUT BECAUSE of their modesty and personal nobility they could not thrust themselves into the crowd of males.

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(27:23) And when he arrived at the well of Madyan *33 he saw a multitude of people watering their animals and apart from them two women keeping their animals back. Moses asked the women "What is your worry?" They said "We cannot water our animals until these shepherds have taken away their animals; and our father is a very old man." *34

*33 This place where the Prophet Moses had arrived was situated, according to the Arab tradition, on the western coast of the Gulf of 'Agabah, a few miles to the north of Magna. Today it is called Al-Bid, and is a small habitation. I visited this place in December, 1952, when I was travelling from Tabuk to 'Agabah. The natives told me that, as they had heard from their elders, Midian was situated there. From Josephus to Burton, alI ancient and modern explorers and geographers, have generally confirmedthis very place as the location of ancient Midian. Nearby there is the place now called Magha`ir Shu'aib or Magharat Shu'aib. There are some Thamudic monuments here. A mile or so away, There are some ancient ruins, where we saw two dry wells, one of which was said to be the well where the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had watered the goats. The same has been related by Abu Fida' (d. 732 A.H.) in Taqvim al-Buldan and Yaqut in Mu jam al-Buldan, on the authority of Abu Zaid Ansari; (d. 216 A.H.), that the natives point to the same well there as the well of Moses. This indicates that the tradition is being handed down since centuries among the people, and therefore, it can be confidently asserted that this is the same place which has been mentioned in the Qur'an. See some photographs of this on the opposite page.
*34 That is, "We are women: it is not possible for us to water our animals by resisting these shepherds. Our father is too old to perform this rigorous duty. There is no other male member in the house either. Therefore we, the womenfolk, have to come out to perform these chores, and until all the shepherds have watered their animals and left, we have to wait." This whole meaning was conveyed by the ladies in a brief sentence, which is indicative of their modesty. They did not want to have a lengthy conversation with a stranger, but at the same time, they did not to have a lengthy conversation with a stranger, but at the same time, they did not like that he should form a wrong impression about their family, thinking how lethargic were the manfoIk who sat back in their homes and sent the women to perform outdoor duties.
About the father of these ladies traditions that have become current among the Muslims are that he was the Prophet Shu`aib (peace be upon him), but the Qur'an makes no allusion to this, although Prophet Shu`aib is a prominent character of the Qur'an. If he were really the father of the ladies, it would have been clearly mentioned here. No doubt there are some traditions in which his name has been mentioned, but both 'Allama Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir concur that none of them has been authentically reported. That is why great commentators like Ibn `Abbas, Hasan Basri, Abu `Ubaidah and Said bin Jubair have relied on the Israelite traditions and mentioned the same names of this personage which appear in the Talmud. etc. Evidently, if the name of Shu'aib had actually been reported froth the Holy Prophet these scholars would not have mentioned any other name.
The Bible mentions him as Re'uel in one place and Jethro in another (Exod. 2: 16-18, 3: 1, 18: 5), and says that he was the priest of Midian. In the Talmudic literature he has been variously called as Re'uel, Jethro and Hobab. The present-day Jewish scholars are of the view that Jethro was a synonym for "his excellency' and his real name was Re'uel or Hobab. Similarly, they differ about the meaning of the word Kohen. Some regard it as a synonym of priest and others of prince. According to the Talmud Re'uel used to visit Pharaoh from time to time before the birth of Prophet Moses, and pharaoh relied on his knowledge and good counsel and mature opinion. But when the royal council of Egypt started consultations for the subduing of the Israelites and it was decided that their male children be killed on their birth, he did his best to stop Pharaoh from enforcing this wrong decision, warned him of its evil consequences and counselled that if he found the Israelites unbearable, he should let them go to Canaan, the laud of their forefathers. These words of Re'ue angered Pharaoh, and he sent him in shame front his presence. Re'uel then left Egypt for his country. Midian, and settled there ever afterwards.
As to his religion it is commonly believed that, like the Prophet Moses, he was a follower of Prophet braham's Faith, for just as the Prophet Moses was a ' Descendant of Isaac, son of Abraham (peace be upon bath of them), so was he a descendant of Midian, son of Abraham. Probably due to this relationship he tried to prevent Pharaoh from persecuting the Israelites and angered him. Nisaburi, the commentator, writes on the authority of Hasan Basri: "He was a Muslim: he had embraced the religion of the Prophet Shu`aib." The Talmud says that he publicly condemned the idol-worship of the Midianites as a folly. Due to this the people of Midian had turned his opponents

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ {28:24}

[Q28:24] Fasaqaa lahumaa summa tawallaaa ilaz zilli faqaala Rabbi innee limaaa anzalta ilaiya min khairin faqeer. 
[Q28:24] So he watered (their sheep) for them, then went back to the shade and said: My Lord! Surely I stand in need of whatever good Thou mayest send down to me.

[Q28:24] Maka Musa pun memberi minum kepada binatang-binatang ternak mereka, kemudian dia pergi ke tempat teduh lalu berdoa dengan berkata: Wahai Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku sangat berhajat kepada sebarang rezeki pemberian yang Engkau berikan.

Musa could not tolerate the highhandedness and went over to the girls to help, who stood quiet and helpless. Musa asked the shepherds to help the young ladies but they told Musa to draw water for the flocks of the girls himself.

ù  The robust figure and strong arms of Musa kept the shepherds away and he drew the huge bowl from the well alone which the shepherds used to pull out jointly, several of them, and gave water to the flocks of the girls.

ù  Another version says that Musa asked the girls if there was another well. The girls pointed out a well whose mouth a huge rock, almost immovable, had kept shut. Musa, at once, removed it and took out water from the well.

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(28:24) Hearing this Moses watered their animals for them, then turned and sought a shady place and said, "Lord, I stand in need of any good that You may send down to me."

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ {28:25}

[Q28:25] Fajaaa'at hu ihdaahumaa tamshee 'alas tihyaaa'in qaalat inna abee yad'ooka li yajziyaka ajra maa saqaita lanaa; falammaa jaaa'ahoo wa qassa 'alaihil qasasa qaala laa takhaf najawta minal qawmiz zaalimeen. 
[Q28:25] Then one of the two women came to him walking bashfully. She said: My father invites you that he may give you the reward of your having watered for us. So when he came to him and gave to him the account, he said: Fear not, you are secure from the unjust people.

[Q28:25] Kemudian salah seorang dari perempuan dua beradik itu datang mendapatkannya dengan berjalan dalam keadaan tersipu-sipu sambil berkata: Sebenarnya bapaku menjemputmu untuk membalas budimu memberi minum binatang ternak kami. Maka ketika Musa datang mendapatkannya dan menceritakan kepadanya kisah-kisah kejadian yang berlaku (mengenai dirinya) berkatalah orang tua itu kepadanya: Janganlah engkau bimbang, engkau telah selamat dari kaum yang zalim itu.

News of this event went to Prophet Shu-ayb through one of his daughters who invited Musa home.

While walking, he told the girl to walk behind him and in case he needed guidance she might point the direction by throwing a small stone in that direction before him.

µ  When Shu-ayb ordered food to be served, Musa declined it because he would not sell any of his good deeds for a profit of this world; he did not give water to his flock for any return from him. On this, Shu-ayb replied that it was not in return that he served food, but as his custom to welcome and receive a guest. Musa then accepted the food.

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(28:25) (Not long afterwards) one of the two women came bashfully towards him, *35 and said, "My father calls you so that he may reward you for watering our animals for us." *36 When Moses went to him and narrated to him his whole story he said, "Have no fear for you have now escaped from the wicked people."

*35 Hadrat `Umar has explained this sentence, thus: "She came walking modestly, with her face covered with a part of her outer garment, unlike those immodest women, who go about wherever they like, and enter wherever they like without any hesitation." Several traditions bearing on this subject have been reported by Said bin Mansur, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim-and Ibn al-Mundhir from Hadrat 'Umar through authentic chains of athorities. This shows that the Islamic concept of modesty which the Companions of the Holy Prophet had understood from the Qur'an and the teaching and training of the Holy Prophet was absolutely opposed to keeping the face exposed to the other then and moving about immodestly outside the house hadrat `Umar has clearly regarded covering of the face as a symbol of modesty and exposing it to the other men as an immodesty and shamelessness. 
*36 She said this also out of modesty, for she had to give a sound reason for her coming to another man all alone; otherwise it was not at all necessary that a gentleman should have been rewarded if he had rendered some service to the (helpless) women in trouble. And then, in spite of hearing of a reward, the Prophet Moses' willingness to follow her forthwith to her house indicates the state of extreme helplessness in which he found himself at that time. He had left Egypt empty-handed and might have taken at least eight days to reach Midian. He must be hungry and worn out by journey. And, above all, he must be anxious to find a shelter in the unfamiliar land and a sympathetic person to give him refuge. Under this very compulsion, in spite of hearing that he was being called to be rewarded for a small service he had rendered, the Prophet Moses felt no hesitation in going with the woman. He must have thought that the prayer he had just made to God was being answered thus by God Himself. Therefore, he did not think it was right to turn down the means of hospitality provided by his Lord by an unnecessary show of self-respect. 

قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ {28:26}

[Q28:26] Qaalat ihdaahumaa yaaa abatis taajirhu inna khaira manistaajartal qawiyyul ameen. 
[Q28:26] Said one of them: O my father! Employ him, surely the best of those that you can employ is the strong man, the faithful one.

[Q28:26] Salah seorang di antara perempuan yang berdua itu berkata: Wahai ayah, ambillah dia menjadi orang upahan (mengembala kambing kita), sesungguhnya sebaik-baik orang yang ayah ambil bekerja ialah orang yang kuat, lagi amanah.

One of his daughters recommended to Shu-ayb that Musa be taken in employment because he was strong and trustworthy.

Ì  Imam Musa bin Jafar al Kazim says that Shu-ayb asked his daughter: "I know by his removing the huge rock from the mouth of the well that he is strong, BUT how do you know that he is also trustworthy?" Then the girl narrated to her father how Musa had asked her to walk behind him and point the way by throwing a small stone before him, for he said that he did not belong to those people who cast their eyes upon the backs of women.

Syed Safdar Husain in his Early History of Islam refers to W. Irving's Successor of Mohammad., and says *that at the time of going to Siffin, the army made a halt at a place where there was no water. *Imam Ali, with some of his warriors, went in search of water. *In a nearby monastery, a monk informed him that water is available at a place five miles away from there. *Not only the soldiers but the horses and other beasts of burden were so thirsty that there was no possibility of taking them to the pointed out place. *The Imam asked his men to dig the earth on a particular spot. After some digging a huge rock appeared. All the men, who could gather round the rock, did their best to lift and remove it, but the rock did not move an inch. *Then the Imam, who had once lifted the door of the fort of Khaybar, put his hand under the rock, lifted it and threw it several feet away. There was abundant water under the earth covered by the rock. ** The monk asked Ali if he was a prophet. Ali said: "No. I am the successor of the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT)." The monk said: "It is written in our holy books that there is a well in this vicinity but none save a prophet of ALLAH (SWT) or a divinely chosen successor will discover it. Now I become a Muslim." He took part in the battle of Siffin and was martyred.

At the time of departure Ali covered the well with the earth. *While returning from the battle Ali asked his men if they could find the well again. *They thought it was easy, BUT in spite of extensive search they could not. Ali informed them that the well would remain hidden till the Day of Resurrection.

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(28:26) One of the two women said to her father, "Dear father, employ this man as a servant, for the best man for you to employ as a servant can be the one who is strong and trustworthy." *37

*37 It is not necessary that the girl said this to her father in his very first meeting with Moses. Most probably her father made the traveller stay with him for a couple of days, and the girl counseled him thus during that time. What she meant by this counsel was: "Father, you are old, and therefore, we girls have to go out to perfom outdoor duties. We have no brother either, who could take up these chores. You thay, therefore, employ this man as a servant: he is strong and will be able to face all kind of rigours, and he is also trustworthy. He helped us only due to his noble nature when he found us standing helpless, but he never raised his eyes at us."

قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنْكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ ۖ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ ۚ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ {28:27}

[Q28:27] Qaala innee ureedu an unkihaka ihdab nataiya haataini 'alaaa an taajuranee samaaniya hijaj; fa in atmamta 'ashran famin 'indika wa maaa ureedu an ashuqqa 'alaik; satajiduneee in shaaa'al laahu minas Saaliheen. 
[Q28:27] He said: I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on condition that you should serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be of your own free will, and I do not wish to be hard to you; if ALLAH (SWT) please, you will find me one of the good.

[Q28:27] Bapa perempuan itu berkata (kepada Musa): Aku hendak mengahwinkanmu dengan salah seorang dari dua anak perempuanku ini, dengan syarat bahawa engkau bekerja denganku selama delapan tahun; dalam pada itu, jika engkau genapkan menjadi sepuluh tahun, maka yang demikian itu adalah dari kerelaanmu sendiri dan (ingatlah) aku tidak bertujuan hendak menyusahkanmu; engkau akan dapati aku Insya ALLAH (SwT), dari orang-orang yang baik layanannya.

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(28:27) Her father said (to Moses), *38 "I wish to give you one of my daughters in marriage provided that you serve me for eight years; and if you wish you may complete ten. I do not want to be harsh to you; if God wills, you will find me a righteous man. "

*38 It is also not necessary that the father should have said this to Moses immediately at the daughter's counsel. One feels that he must have formed this opinion after due consideration. He must have thought: "No doubt he is a noble person, but employing a healthy and strong young man like him as a servant in a house where there are grown up daughters would not be the right thing. When he is a gentle, educated and civilized man of a noble family (as he must have come to know from the story told by Moses), why shouldn't he be kept as a son-in-law in the house?" After reaching such a decision, he might have spoken to Moses at a suitable time.
HERE AGAIN THE LSRAELITES have done a grave injustice to their illustrious Prophet, greatest benefactor and national hero. The Talmud says, "Moses lived with Re'uel, and he looked with favour upon Ziporah, the daughter of his host, and married her." Another Jewish tradition related in the Jewish Encyclopedia is to the effect: When Moses related his story to Jethro, the latter understood that he was the person at whose hand the kingdom of Pharaoh was to be destroyed according to prophecies. Therefore, he immediately imprisoned Moses so that he should hand him over to Pharaoh and get a reward. He remained imprisoned for seven or ten years in a dark underground cell, but Jethro's daughter, Ziporah, whom he had first met at the well of water, kept visiting him in the cell secretly and providing him with food and drink;. They had even decided to marry. After seven or ten years Ziporah said to her father, "Years ago you put a man in the cell and then forgot him altogether. He should have died by now. But if he is still alive, he must be a godly person." Hearing this when Jethro went to the prison, he found Moses alive and was convinced that he had miraculously remained so. Then he married Ziporah to him.
Have the Western orientalists who are ever on the lookout for the sources of the Qur'anic narratives ever cared to see this manifest difference that exists between the Qur'anic version and the Israelite traditions? 

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ {28:28}

[Q28:28] Qaala zaalika bainee wa bainaka aiyamal ajalaini qadaitu falaa 'udwaana 'alaiya waLLaahu 'alaa ma naqoolu Wakeel. 
[Q28:28] He said: This shall be (an agreement) between me and you; whichever of the two terms I fulfill, there shall be no wrongdoing to me; and ALLAH (SWT) is a witness of what we say.

[Q28:28] Musa menjawab: Perjanjian itu adalah antaraku denganmu (tetap dihormati bersama); yang mana sahaja dari dua tempoh itu yang aku tunaikan, maka janganlah hendaknya aku disalahkan dan ALLAH (SwT) jualah menjadi Pengawas terhadap apa yang kita katakan itu. 

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(28:28) Moses replied, "Be it an agreement between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, let there be no injustice to me after that; and Allah is a witness to what we have agreed upon. *39

*39 Some people have taken this conversation between the Prophet Moses and the girl's father for a contract of marriage, and have started the dispute whether service under the father can be looked upon as a dower of the daughters marriage, and whether such external conditions can be laid down for the marriage contract; whereas the words of the verses under discussion themselves indicate this was not the contract of marriage but the initial proposal that is generally made before the execution of the marriage contract itself. After all, how can this be taken for a contract of marriage when it had not yet been decided which of the two girls was to be given away in marriage. The purport of the conversation was that the girl's father said, "I am prepared to marry one of my daughters to you provided that you promise that you will stay in my house for eight to ten years and help me in performing household chores, for I am old and have no son either, who could manage my properties. I have only daughters whom I have to send to perform outdoor duties. I want you to strengthen me as my would-be son-in-law. Lf you are willing to accept this responsibility, and do not intend to take away your wife soon after marriage, I will marry one of my daughters to you." The Prophet Moses himself was in search of a shelter at that time, so he accepted the proposal.
Evidently, it was a sort of contract that had been agreed upon between the two parties before the marriage. After this the actual marriage must have taken place according to the law and the dower also settled. There could be no question of including the condition of service in the marriage bond itself. 

SECTION 4

Moses Commissioned with Apostle

Moses commissioned with Apostleship, given the Miracles and commanded to proceed against Pharaoh – Moses fears and prays to God for Aaron’s assistance – Moses gives Aaron’s assistance – Pharaohand his men disbelieve Moses and Aaron, and they are destroyed.

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آنَسَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ {28:29}

[Q28:29] Falammmaa qadaa Moosal ajala wa saara bi ahliheee aanasa min jaanibit Toori naaran qaala li ahlihim kusooo inneee aanastu naaral la 'alleee aateekum minhaa bikhabarin aw jazwatim minan naari la 'allakum tastaloon. 
[Q28:29] So when Musa had fulfilled the term, and he journeyed with his family, he perceived on this side of the mountain a fire. He said to his family: Wait, I have seen a fire, maybe I will bring to you from it some news or a brand of fire, so that you may warm yourselves.

[Q28:29] Setelah Musa menyempurnakan tempoh kerjanya itu dan (mendapat izin) berjalan dengan isterinya (kembali ke Mesir), dia melihat (dalam perjalanannya itu) api dari sebelah Gunung Tursina. (Ketika itu) berkatalah dia kepada isterinya: Berhentilah; sesungguhnya aku ada melihat api, semoga aku dapat membawa kepada kamu sesuatu berita dari situ atau sepuntung dari api itu, supaya kamu dapat memanaskan diri.

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(28:29) When Moses completed the term *40 and he was travelling with his family, he saw a fire in the direction of Tur. *41 He said to his family, "Stay a while: I have seen a fire: I may bring some information from there, or a burning brand with which you may warm yourselves."

*40 According to Hadrat Hasan bin `Ali bin Abi Talib, the Prophet Moses had completed the ten years term instead of the eight years. According to Ibn 'Abbas, this has been related on the authority of the Holy Prophet himself. He has said, "Moses (peace be upon him) completed the term which was more perfect and more agreeable to his father-in-law, i.e. ten years."
*41 That the direction of the journey was towards Mt. Tur shows that the Prophet Moses might be traveling to Egypt with his family, for Tur lies on the way from Midian to Egypt. Probably Prophet Moses thought that he had stayed away from home for ten long years and the Pharaoh in whose reign he had left Egypt had also died, if he quietly went back and stayed with his people, nobody would know it.
The Biblical version of the sequence of events is different from the Qur'an's. It says that the Prophet Moses `led the flocks (of his father-in-law) to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." There God spoke to him, and appointed him to Prophethood and commanded him to go to Egypt. Then Moses went back to Jethro, his father-in-law, took his permission and went to Egypt with his family. (Exod. 3: 1, 4: 18) Contrary to this, the Qur'an says that the Prophet Moses left Midian with his family after completing the term and during this journey AIIah spoke to him and appointed him to Prophethood.
Both the Bible and the Talmud agree that the Pharaoh in whose house Prophet Moses had been brought up had died during his stay in Midian, and now another Pharaoh was the king of Egypt. 

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِنْ شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ {28:30}

[Q28:30] Falammaaa ataahaa noodiya min shaati'il waadil aimani fil buq'atil muubaarakati minash shajarati ai yaa Moosaaa inneee AnaLLaahu Rabbul 'Aalameen. 
[Q28:30] And when he came to it, a voice was uttered from the right side of the valley in the blessed spot of the bush, saying: O Musa! Surely I am ALLAH (SWT), the Lord of the worlds.

[Q28:30] Maka ketika dia sampai ke tempat api itu, (kedengaran) dia diseru dari tepi lembah yang di sebelah kanan, di tempat yang dilimpahi berkat, dari arah pohon kayu (yang ada di situ): Wahai Musa, sesungguhnya Akulah ALLAH (SwT) Tuhan sekalian alam. (Sesungguhnya api itu adalah sebagai satu isyarat yang didatangkan oleh ALLAH (SwT) untuk menarik perhatian Musa ke tempat itu dan bukannya zat ALLAH (SwT), WALLAH (SwT)u A'lam)

Refer to Maryam 19:52 and Ta Ha 20:13. This was the place where Musa came in direct communion with ALLAH (SWT).

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) HAD DIRECT COMMUNION WITH ALLAH (SWT) IN MI-RAJ (see commentary of Bani Israil 17:1); and the stage of aw adna (Najm 53:9) is beyond sidratil muntaha (Najm 53:14).

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(28:30) When he reached there, a voice called out from a tree in the blessed ground *42 on the right side *43 of the valley: "O Moses, I am Allah, Lord of the universe."

*42 That is, in the ground which was being lit up by Divine Light. 
*43 That is, on that side of the valley which lay to the right of the Prophet Moses. 

وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ {28:31}

[Q28:31] Wa an alqi 'asaaka falam maa ra aahaa tahtazzu ka annnahaa jaaannunw wallaa mudbiranw wa lam yu'aqqib; yaa Moosaa aqbil wa laa takhaf innaka minal aamineen. 
[Q28:31] And saying: Cast down you staff. So when he saw it in motion as if it were a serpent, he turned back retreating, and did not return. O Musa! Come forward and fear not; surely you are of those who are secure;

[Q28:31] Dan (sekarang) campakkanlah tongkatmu. (Dia pun mencampaknya), maka apabila dia melihat tongkatnya itu (menjadi seekor ular besar) bergerak cepat tangkas, seolah-olah seekor ular kecil, berpalinglah dia melarikan diri dan tidak menoleh lagi. (Lalu dia diseru): Wahai Musa, datanglah kemari dan janganlah engkau takut. Sesungguhnya engkau dari orang-orang yang beroleh aman. 

Refer to the commentary of Araf 7:107, 108 Ta Ha 20:19 to 22.

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(28:31) And (it was commanded), "Cast down your staff." When Moses saw that the staff was writhing like a snake, he turned about and fled and did not even look behind. (It was said,) "Moses, come back and have no fear: you are quite safe.

اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ ۖ فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ {28:32}

[Q28:32] Usluk yadaka fee jaibika takhruj baidaaa'a min ghairi sooo'inw wadmum ilaika janaahaka minar rahbi fazaanika burhaanaani mir Rabbika ilaa Fiw'awna wa mala'ih; innahum kaanoo qawman faasiqeen. 
[Q28:32] Enter your hand into the opening of your bosom, it will come forth white without evil, and draw your hand to yourself to ward off fear: so these two shall be two arguments from your Lord to Firon and his chiefs, surely they are a transgressing people.

[Q28:32] Masukkanlah tanganmu melalui belahan dada bajumu, nescaya keluarlah ia putih bersinar-sinar dengan tiada cacat dan kepitlah tanganmu di celah ketiakmu ketika merasa takut (nescaya hilanglah takutmu). Yang demikian adalah dua bukti dari Tuhanmu (untuk engkau menunjukkannya) kepada Firaun dan kaumnya. Sesungguhnya mereka itu adalah kaum yang fasik (derhaka). 

(see commentary for verse 31)

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(28:32) Put your hand into your bosom: it will come out shining, without any harm to you; *44 and fold back your arm to ward off fear. *45 These are two clear Signs from your Lord to be shown to Pharaoh and his courtiers: they are very disobedient people indeed." *46

*44 These two miracles were shown to the Prophet Moses at that time so that, firstly, he himself is fully convinced that the same Being Who is speaking to him is, in fact, the Creator and Master and Ruler of the whole system of the universe and secondly, he should have full satisfaction that he was not going unarmed before Pharaoh, to perform the dangerous mission assigned to him, but would go well armed with the two powerful weapons.
*45 That is, "Whenever you experience the fear of any danger, fold back your arm to yourself: this will strengthen your heart and will deliver you completely from every feeling of fear and dread." The arm probably implies the right arm. The arm can be folded back in two ways: either by bringing the arm and pressing it against the side, or by pressing one hand under the armpit of the other. Probably the first way was implied, for in that case the other person cannot perceive that one is specially doing so in order to ward off fear.
The Prophet Moses was taught this device because he was being sent to counter a tyrannical government without any army and worldly equipment. He was going to meet with many a dreadful situation when a great Prophet also could not remain safe from fear and terror. AIlah said to him, "Whenever you face such a situation, just do this* and Pharaoh will not be able to shake your heart in spite of all the power of his mighty kingdom."
*46 The words by themselves imply: "Go to Pharaoh with these Signs and present yourself as Allah's Messenger, and invite him and his chiefs to the obedience and worship of Allah, Lord of the worlds." That is why his appointment has not been specified here, though at other places it has been clearly stated, thus: 'Go to Pharaoh for he has become rebellious' "(Ta Ha: 24) And: "When your Lord called Moses, saying: "Go forth to the wicked people--the people of Pharaoh'." (Ash-Shu'araa: 10). 

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا فَأَخَافُ أَنْ يَقْتُلُونِ {28:33}

[Q28:33] Qaala Rabbi innee qataltu minhum nafsan fa akhaafu ai yaqtuloon. 
[Q28:33] He said: My Lord! Surely I killed one of them, so I fear lest they should slay me;

[Q28:33] Nabi Musa merayu dengan berkata: Wahai Tuhanku, bahawa aku telah membunuh seorang dari kalangan mereka; oleh itu aku takut mereka akan membunuhku

Refer to the commentary of Ta Ha 20:25 to 36.

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(28:33) Moses submited, "My Lord, I have killed a man of theirs: I fear that they will put me to death; *47

*47 It did not mean that he was hesitant to go there because of the fear, but it meant this: "Kindly make some such arrangement that I am not apprehended on the charge of murder just on arrival even before I may convey to them Your message, for in that case the very object for which I am being sent will be defeated." The next verse makes it plain that the Prophet Moses, by this submission, did not at all mean to reject the office of Prophethood and refuse to go before Pharaoh because of the fear.

وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي ۖ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُكَذِّبُونِ {3428:}

[Q28:34] Wa akhee Haaroonu huwa afsahu minnee lisaanan fa arsilhu ma'iya rid ai yusaddiquneee innee akhaafu ai yukazziboon. 
[Q28:34] And my brother, Haroun, he is more eloquent of tongue than I, therefore send him with me as an aider, verifying me: surely I fear that they would reject me.

[Q28:34] Dan saudaraku Harun, dia lebih fasih lidahnya daripadaku, maka utuslah dia bersama-samaku sebagai penyokong yang mengakui kebenaranku; sesungguhnya aku bimbang bahawa mereka akan mendustakan daku. 

(see commentary for verse 33)

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(28:34) and my brother Aaron is more eloquent of tongue than I: send him with me as a helper so that he may support me; I fear that they will treat me as a liar. "

قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا ۚ بِآيَاتِنَا أَنْتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَالِبُونَ {28:35}

[Q28:35] Qaala sanashuddu 'adudaka bi akheeka wa naj'alu lakumaa sultaanan falaa yasiloona ilaikumaa; bi Aayaatinaa antumaa wa manit taba'akumal gaaliboon. 
[Q28:35] He said: We will strengthen your arm with your brother, and We will give you both an authority, so that they shall not reach you; (go) with Our signs; you two and those who follow you shall be uppermost.

[Q28:35] ALLAH (SwT) berfirman: Kami akan menguatkan tenaga dan daya-usahamu dengan saudaramu (Harun) dan Kami akan memberikan kuasa kemenangan kepada kamu berdua oleh itu mereka tidak akan sampai kepada maksud membahayakan atau mengalahkan kamu. Dengan membawa ayat-ayat keterangan Kami itu, kamu berdua serta pengikut-pengikut kamu akan menang.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said that when Musa returned to his wife from Mount Sinai, she asked him from where he was returning. Musa replied that he was coming from ALLAH (SWT) who is the creator of fire. HE THEN LEFT TO SEE FIRAWN.

°          When Musa reached Firawn's palace and started inviting people to the true faith someone informed Firawn that there was a man at his door who claimed to be a prophet from ALLAH (SWT).

°          It was Firawn's habit to throw the victims of his anger before wild animals who ate them before his eyes. He ordered some lions and other animals to be brought and Musa to be presented in chains.

°          When Musa was brought and turned towards wild beasts they began to wag their tails and lick Musa's feet. Firawn was surprised and said that he had never seen such a person.

°          Then Musa turned his face to the throne and Firawn recognised him and said: "Did we not nourish you and brought you up?"

°          He ordered Musa to be beheaded by the executioner. When the executioner raised his sword on Musa, Jibrail caused the sword to cut the executioner himself and thereafter whoever attempted to slay Musa was himself beheaded. At last, Firawn ordered Musa to be released.

°          Musa showed his hand shining as a bright star and said that this is my sign of being a prophet and then he threw his staff which turned into a big snake and opened its wide mouth big enough to swallow Firawn sitting on his throne.

°          Firawn got frightened and ran out requesting Musa to hold back the snake. He held it, and it came back to its original state of an ordinary stick.

Imam Ali said:

“By ALLAH (SWT) I see Musa with his large arms, clad in a woollen shirt, his waist tied with a rope, his shoes made of mule's skin in his feet, his staff in his hand, standing on the door of Firawn and inviting him to declare his belief in the Lord of the worlds."

THIS VERSE ALSO CONTAINS THE PROPHECY OF THE FALL OF MAKKA WHEN THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND ALI ENTERED THE CITY AND ALI REMOVED THE IDOLS IN KA-BAH BY STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD).

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(28:35) Allah said, "We shall strengthen your hand with your brother and shall give both of you such authority that they will not be able to harm you in any way. With Our Signs you and your followers only shall triumph. *48

*48 This meeting of the Prophet Moses with Allah and the mutual conversation has been described in much greater detail in Surah Ta Ha (vv. 9-48). Anyone possessed of fine taste, who compares this Qur'anic version with the story given in the Bible (Exod., chs. 3, 4), will be himself able to judge which of the two is Divine Revelation and which the result of human story-telling. Besides, he will also be able to judge whether the Qur'anic version is, God forbid, a plagiarism of the Bible and Israelite traditions, or that God Himself is describing the actual event, Who had honoured Moses by calling him up into His Presence. (For further explanation, see E.N. 19 of Surah Ta Ha).

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُفْتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ {28:36}

[Q28:36] Falammaa jaaa'ahum Moosaa bi Aayaatinaa baiyinaatin qaaloo maa haazaaa illaa sihrum muftaranw wa maa sami'naa bihaazaa feee aabaaa'inal awwaleen.
[Q28:36] So when Musa came to them with Our clear signs, they said: This is nothing but forged enchantment, and we never heard of it amongst our fathers of old.

[Q28:36] Setelah Nabi Musa datang kepada Firaun dan kaumnya dengan membawa ayat-ayat keterangan Kami yang terang nyata, mereka berkata: Apa yang engkau bawa ini hanyalah sihir yang dibuat-buat dan kami tidak pernah mendengar tentang perkara ini dalam kalangan datuk nenek kami yang telah lalu.

Firawn termed these miracles as mere tricks BUT ACKNOWLEDGED that he had never seen such a thing. SIMILARLY although the non-believers called the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) a sorcerer BUT they did not dare to call him a liar.

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(28:36) Then, when Moses came to those people with Our clear Signs, they said"This is nothing but false magic, *49 and we have never heard of such things in the time of our forefathers. *50

*49 The words of the Text mean "Fabricated or forged magic." If fabrication is taken to mean falsehood, it would mean, "The staff's turning into a serpent and the shining of the hand is not any real change in the nature of the thing itself, but a mere illusion, which this man calls a miracle in order to deceive us." And if it is taken to mean a forgery it will imply: "This person has forged something which appears to be a staff; but when it is thrown on the ground, it moves like a snake. As for the hand, he has rubbed something on it so that when he draws it out of the armpit, it shines. He himself works these magical tricks but tries to make us believe that these are miracles which God has granted him." 
*50 The reference is to the teachings which the Prophet Moses had presented while conveying this message of Tauhid. The details have been given at other places in the Qur'an. For example, according to Surah An-Naziyat: 18-19, he said to Pharaoh: "Will you mind to purify yourself, that I may guide you to your Lord so that you may have fear (of Him)?" And in Surah Ta Ha: 47-48: "We have come to you with Signs from your Lord; peace is for him who follows the Right Way. We have been informed by Revelation that there is punishment for him who rejects it and turns away." And: "We are Messengers from your Lord: so let the Israelites go with us." It was about these things that Pharaoh said, "Even our forefathers had never heard that there was a Being more powerful than Pharaoh of Egypt, Who was authorised to command him, to punish him, to send a man to his court to convey His instructions to him, and to warn the king of Egypt to fear Him. These are strange things which we are hearing today from a man like you." 

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ جَاءَ بِالْهُدَىٰ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ وَمَنْ تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ {28:37}

[Q28:37] Wa qaala Moosaa Rabbeee a'alamu biman jaaa'a bilhudaa min 'indihee wa man takoonu lahoo 'aaqibatud daari innahoo laa yuflihuz zaalimoon. 
[Q28:37] And Musa said: My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and whose shall be the good end of the abode; surely the unjust shall not be successful.

[Q28:37] Dan (bagi menjawabnya) Nabi Musa berkata: Tuhanku lebih mengetahui siapakah yang membawa hidayat petunjuk dari sisiNya dan siapa yang akan beroleh kesudahan yang baik di dunia ini. Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang zalim tidak akan berjaya. 

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(28:37) Moses replied, "My Lord is fully aware of the person who has brought guidance from Him and He alone knows who will fare best in the end; the truth is that the unjust never attain true success." *51

*51 That is, "You think I am a magician and a forger, but my Lord is well aware of me. He knows what sort of a man is the person whom He has appointed as a Messenger; and the final judgement rests with Him. If I am a liar, I shall meet an evil end; and if you are a liar, you should know that your end will not be good. In any case, the inevitable fact is that the unjust will not attain true success. He who is not Allah's messenger but falsely presents himself as a messenger for selfish motives, is also unjust and will not attain success. And the one who rejects a true Messenger by false accusations and suppresses the Truth by deceit and fraud, is also unjust and will never attain success."

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَلْ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ {28:38}

[Q28:38] Wa qaala Fir'awnu yaaa aiyuhal mala-u maa 'alimtu lakum min ilaahin ghairee fa awqid lee yaa Haamaanu 'alatteeni faj'al lee sarhal la'alleee attali'u ilaaa ilaahi Moosaa wa innee la azunnuhoo minal kaazibeen. 
[Q28:38] And Firon said: O chiefs! I do not know of any god for you besides myself; therefore kindle a fire for me, O Haman, for brick, then prepare for me a lofty building so that I may obtain knowledge of Musa's god, and most surely I think him to be one of the liars.

[Q28:38] Dan Firaun pula berkata: Wahai orang-orangku, aku tidak mengetahui ada bagi kamu sebarang tuhan yang lain daripadaku; oleh itu, wahai Haman, bakarkanlah untukku batu-bata, serta binalah untukku bangunan yang tinggi, supaya aku naik melihat Tuhan Musa (yang dikatakannya itu) dan sesungguhnya aku percaya adalah Musa dari orang-orang yang berdusta. 

Firawn wanted to reach the heavens by building a tower of bricks to go into outer space (the heaven) AND see if there is any ALLAH (SWT) there. The modern scientists are also making efforts to reach and investigate the higher realms.

±  According to verse 55:33 of Rahman such attempts may bear fruit if done with authority (after knowing the laws made by ALLAH (SWT), BUT it is in vain to search for ALLAH (SWT) whether here on earth or in the farthest space, in such ways.

IN SEARCH OF ALLAH (SWT), ONE'S MIND SHOULD CROSS THE MATERIAL WORLD AND AIMS.

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(28:38) And Pharaoh said, "O chiefs, I do not know of any other god of yours than myself. *52 Burn for me bricks of clay, O Haman, and build me a high tower so that I may climb it to see the God of Moses for I consider him to be an utter liar." *53

*52 By this Pharaoh did not, and could not, mean that he was the creator of his people and the earth and the heavens, for such a thing be uttered only by a madman. Likewise; he also did not mean that they had no other deity besides him for the Egyptians worshipped many gods, and the Pharaoh himself had been made the incarnation of the sungod. The Qur'an testifies that the Pharaoh himself worshipped many gods: "The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said, `Will you leave Moses and his followers free to spread disorder in the land, and to discard you and your deities'?" (A1-A`raf: 127) Therefore, inevitably, the Pharaoh had not used the word "god" here for himself as a creator and deity, but as an absolute and supreme sovereign. What he meant was this: "I am the owner of this land of Egypt: I alone will rule here: My law will be the law of the land; I alone shall be accepted as the fountainhead of all commands and prohibitions here. None else is entitled to give commands in this country. Who is this Moses, who has appeared as the delegate of the Lord of the universe and is conveying orders to me as though he is the ruler and I am his subordinate?" That is why he addressed his courtiers, thus: "O people: Is not the kingdom of Egypt mine? And are not these canals flowing beneath me?" (Az-Zukhruf: 51) And that is why he said to Moses again and again, "Have you come to turn us away from the faith of our forefathers so that you too may dominate over the land?" (Yunus: 78) "O Moses, have you come to drive us out of our land by the power of your sorcery?" (Ta Ha: 57) "I fear he will change your religion, or cause mischief to appear in the land." (Al-Mu'min: 26)
If the matter is considered from this angle it will become evident that the position of Pharaoh was no different from the position of those states which claim political and legal sovereignty independent of Divine Law brought by the Prophets. Whether they accept a king as the fountainhead of law and commands and prohibitions, or the will of the nation, in any case as long as they stick to the position that the country will be ruled by their law and not by the Law of AIlah and His Messengers, there will be no fundamental difference between their position and that of Pharaoh. It is, however, a different thing that the ignorant people curse Pharaoh but approve these as lawful. A person who understands reality will look for the spirit and sense and not merely for words and terminology. Pharaoh had used the word "god" for himself but these stales use the term "sovereignty" in the same sense. (For further explanation, see E.N. 21 of Ta'Ha.
*53 This was the same kind of mentality as the Russian communists of today are displaying. They launch Sputniks and Lunics and tell the world that these balls have not found God anywhere above. That stupid man of yore wanted to see God from the top of a tower. This shows that the extent of the imagination of the straying people during the past 3,500 years has remained where it was. They have not advanced even an inch. It is not known who told them that the Being Whom the God-worshippers acknowledge as the Lord of the universe resided some where above according to their belief. And if they do not see Him a few thousand feet or a few lakh miles above the earth's surface in this limitless universe, it will be a proof that He exists nowhere.
The Qur'an does not specify whether Pharaoh actually got such a tower built and tried to see God from the top of it, but it only relates what he said. Apparently, he did not commit the folly. He only meant to befool the people.
This also is not clear whether Pharaoh was, in actual fact, a disbeliever in the Being of the Lord of the universe, or talked atheism only due to stubbornness. In this regard his sayings point to the same mental confusion which one finds in the statements of the Russian Communists. Sometimes he wanted to climb into the sky and come back to tell the world that he had nowhere seen the God of Moses, and sometimes he would say, "Why were not bracelets of gold sent down on him, or a company of angels as attendants?" (Az-Zukhruf: 53) These things are not much different from what a former Prime Minister of Russia, Khrushchev, said. He sometimes rejected God and sometimes invoked Him and swore by Him. We are of the opinion that after the passage of the period of the Prophet Joseph and his successors when Egypt was dominated by the Coptic nationalism and a political revolution took place in the country owing to the racial and nationalistic prejudice, the new leaders, in their nationalistic enthusiasm, revolted against the God also towards Whom the Prophet Joseph and his followers, the Israelites and the Egyptian Muslims, had been calling the people. They thought that if they believed in God, they would never be able to shed the influence and impact of the civilization brought about by the Prophet Joseph. For if that civilization remained, they would never be able to consolidate, their political influence. For them belief in God and Muslim sovereignty were inseparable and inter-dependent. Therefore, to get rid of the one it was necessary to reject the other, although they could not root out belief in One God from the depths of their hearts. 

وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا يُرْجَعُونَ {28:39}

[Q28:39] Wastakbara huwa wa junooduhoo fil ardi bighairil haqqi wa zannooo annahum ilainaa laa yurja’oon. 
[Q28:39] And he was unjustly proud in the land, he and his hosts, and they deemed that they would not be brought back to Us.

[Q28:39] Dan berlaku sombong takburlah Firaun dan tenteranya di negeri itu dengan tiada alasan yang benar dan mereka menyangka bahawa mereka tidak akan dikembalikan kepada Kami. 

As the last sentence of this verse says THE ARROGANT AND THE INSOLENT OF EVERY AGE WILL BE PUNISHED when they will come before ALLAH (SWT) for the final judgement.

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(28:39) He and his hosts assumed haughtiness in the land unjustly, without anyright, *54 and they thought they had never to return to Us. *55

*54 That is, Allah, Lord of the worlds, alone is entitled to the right to greatness, but Pharaoh and his hosts assumed greatness when they attained a little power in a small territory on the earth.
*55 That is, "They thought they were answerable to none and with this assumption they started behaving absolutely independently in their day to day life."

فَأَخَذْنَاهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ ۖ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ {28:40}

[Q28:40] Fa akhaznaahu wa junoo dahoo fanabaznaahum fil yammi fanzur kaifa kaana 'aaqibatuz zaalimeen. 
[Q28:40] So We caught hold of him and his hosts, then We cast them into the sea, and see how was the end of the unjust.

[Q28:40] Dengan sebab itu Kami mengepungnya bersama-sama tenteranya serta Kami humbankan mereka ke dalam laut; maka perhatikanlah bagaimana buruknya kesudahan orang-orang yang zalim.  

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(28:40) Consequently, We seized him and his hosts and cast them into the sea. *56 Now behold what fate the wicked people met!

*56 Allah in these words has depicted their worthlessness and insignificance as against their false pride. They thought they were big people, but when the respite Allah had granted them to reform themselves came to an end, they were thrown into the sea like so much rubbish.