Surah Baqarah ayat 49 Tafsir Quran 2:49

﴿وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُم مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَاءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ﴾
[ البقرة: 49]

2:49 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 your forefathers the address here and henceforth directed to those living at the time of the our Prophet is about how God blessed their forefathers and is intended to remind them of God’s grace so that they might believe; from the folk of Pharaoh who were visiting you with that is making you taste evil chastisement of the worst kind the sentence here is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the person of the pronoun suffixed in najjaynākum ‘We delivered you’; slaughtering your newly-born sons this is explaining what has just been said; and sparing retaining your women doing so because of the saying of some of their priests that a child born among the Israelites shall bring about the end of your rule Pharaoh; and for you therein chastisement or deliverance was a tremendous trial a test or a grace from your Lord.

Recall that We rescued you from tyranny and oppression suffered at the hands of the people of Pharaoh, who brutally slaughtered your sons and to serve their purpose they spared your women; this was indeed a severe but sure test of your actions and reactions echoing your true beliefs and the prevalent inclinations among you

The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned Allah said to the Children of Israel, "Remember My favor on you وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَـكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ( 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, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. ) ( 14:6 ). We will explain this Ayah in the beginning of Surat Al-Qasas ( 28 ), Allah willing, and our reliance and trust are with Him. The meaning of, يَسُومُونَكُمْ ( 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, يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( killing your sons and sparing your women ) that explains His statement, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ( who were afflicting you with horrible torment ) then it explains the meaning of the favor He gave them, as mentioned in His statement, اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِى أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ ( Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you ).
As for what Allah said in Surat Ibrahim, وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ ( And remind them of the annals of Allah ) ( 14:5 ) meaning, the favors and blessing He granted them, He then said, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. ) ( 14:6 ) 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, وَفِى ذَلِكُمْ بَلاَءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ ( 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." We should mention that in the blessing there a is test, the same as with hardship, for Allah said, وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ( And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good ) ( 21:35 ) and, وَبَلَوْنَـهُمْ بِالْحَسَنَـتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ( And We tried them with good (blessings ) and evil ( calamities ) in order that they might turn ( to obey Allah. )) ( 7:168 ). Allah's statement next, وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَـكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ( 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, فَأَنجَيْنَـكُمْ ( 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ said,
«أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِمُوسَى مِنْكُم»
( I have more right to Musa than you have. ) So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted that day and ordered that it be fasted.
This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

(2:49) Recall *64 the time when We delivered you from the slavery of Pharaoh's people. *65 They had inflicted a dreadful torment on you: they killed your sons and let your daughters live. And in this there was a hard trial for you from your your Lord *66 .

And [recall] when We saved your forefathers meaning

*64).
From here on, through the several sections that follow, reference is made to the best
*65).
We have rendered 'Al Fir'awn' as 'Pharaoh's people'.
This includes the members of the Pharaonic family as well as the aristocracy of Egypt.

*66).
The test was whether they would emerge from the crucible of persecution as pure gold, or as mere dross.
The test also lay, in whether or not, after their miraculous deliverance from so great a calamity, they would become grateful servants of God.

 

The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned Allah said to the Children of Israel, "Remember My favor on you وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَـكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ( 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, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. ) ( 14:6 ). We will explain this Ayah in the beginning of Surat Al-Qasas ( 28 ), Allah willing, and our reliance and trust are with Him. The meaning of, يَسُومُونَكُمْ ( 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, يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( killing your sons and sparing your women ) that explains His statement, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ( who were afflicting you with horrible torment ) then it explains the meaning of the favor He gave them, as mentioned in His statement, اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِى أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ ( Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you ).
As for what Allah said in Surat Ibrahim, وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ ( And remind them of the annals of Allah ) ( 14:5 ) meaning, the favors and blessing He granted them, He then said, يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ( Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. ) ( 14:6 ) 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, وَفِى ذَلِكُمْ بَلاَءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ ( 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." We should mention that in the blessing there a is test, the same as with hardship, for Allah said, وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ( And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good ) ( 21:35 ) and, وَبَلَوْنَـهُمْ بِالْحَسَنَـتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ( And We tried them with good (blessings ) and evil ( calamities ) in order that they might turn ( to obey Allah. )) ( 7:168 ). Allah's statement next, وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَـكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ( 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, فَأَنجَيْنَـكُمْ ( 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ said, «أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِمُوسَى مِنْكُم» ( I have more right to Musa than you have. ) So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted that day and ordered that it be fasted.
This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

( And (remember ) when We did deliver you from Pharaoh’s folk), from Pharaoh and his people, ( who were afflicting you with dreadful torment ), and here Allah mentions the torment He sent on them: ( slaying your sons ) in their tender years ( and sparing ), using ( your women ) who were of age: ( That was a tremendous trial from your Lord ), a tremendous calamity from your Lord; and it is also said this means: a tremendous blessing.

And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.

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