Surah Ash-Shu'ara — Verse 64

Word Meanings:

• أَزْلَفْنَا (Azlafna): We brought near, drew close, or gathered together.
• ثَمَّ (Thamma): There, at that very place.
• الْآخَرِينَ (Al-Akharin): The others — referring to Pharaoh and his people (the Copts of Egypt).

Tafsir (Explanation):

After Allah Almighty had parted the sea for His Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) and the Children of Israel, and they had crossed safely to the other side, Pharaoh and his army pursued them in arrogance and rage, driven by their desire to capture the fleeing believers. At that moment, Allah brought the pursuers near to that very spot — the path through the parted sea — and gathered them all together within it. They entered the dry path thinking it was a safe passage, unaware that the same sea that had become a road of salvation for the believers would become a wall of destruction for the disbelievers. Allah drew them close to that place not by chance, but by His perfect decree, so that His promise of punishment would be fulfilled and His sign of power would be complete. When the last of Pharaoh's men had entered, the sea closed over them, drowning them all — a decisive end for those who had transgressed and rejected the truth.

Da'wah Reflection:

This verse is a profound reminder of Allah's absolute control over all affairs. The very same sea that was a source of fear and a barrier for the believers became their deliverance, while it became the grave of their oppressors. When you place your trust in Allah, He can turn the impossible into the possible — He can make a path where there is no path. And for those who persist in arrogance and injustice, their own plans become the means of their downfall. Let this be a lesson in patience and certainty: the victory of truth is inevitable, and the end of falsehood is destruction. So hold firm to your faith, for Allah is always with those who believe, and He never abandons His righteous servants.