Verses 114–132
This section summarizes the story of Moses and Aaron, and alludes to the story of Elias (Ilyās). It explains how God blessed them and the punishment accorded to those who belied them. In this section, God’s mercy and glad tidings exceed His warnings and wrath.
Commentary
وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ ١١٤
(37:114) And We were gracious (manannā) to Moses and Aaron.
The verb manannā means “to bless”. Possibly, here, it specifically refers to the ways that God blessed Moses, Aaron, and his people which are mentioned in the next few verses, such as saving them [from the Pharaoh], offering divine assistance, giving them a divinely revealed book, and guidance. In this case, the verses And We saved them both and their people from the great calamity () would be appended to this verse via the conjunction and to demonstrate that these verses explain what these blessings are.
وَنَجَّيْنَاهُمَا وَقَوْمَهُمَا مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ ١١٥
(37:115) And We saved them both (najjaynāhummā) and their people from the great calamity.
This [the great calamity] was the severe distress that befell them when the Pharaoh weakened them, punished them terribly, and slew their boy-children while keeping the girls alive.
وَنَصَرْنَاهُمْ فَكَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ ١١٦
(37:116) And We helped them (wa naṣarnāhum), so they were victorious.
This is what paved the way for their escape from Egypt, their crossing the Read Sea, and destruction of Pharaoh and his forces.
Some hold the mistaken notion that divine assistance (naṣr, as in the verb naṣarnāhum) should have been mentioned before being saved, since being saved depends on divine assistance. However, this view is wrong, because the expression “divine assistance (naṣr)” is used for someone [such as a warrior] who has some power or strength but needs a boost in order to be victorious. After the Israelites left Egypt, they had some strength but still were in need of divine assistance; therefore, the expression “divine assistance” is used for the time after they left Egypt. However, the expression “saving someone” is used when someone has no power of their own; and, before they left Egypt, the Israelites were enslaved prisoners, completely powerless. That is why it first describes them as being “saved” (najjaynāhummā) from Egypt and then as “divinely assisted”.
وَآتَيْنَاهُمَا الْكِتَابَ الْمُسْتَبِينَ ١١٧
(37:117) And We gave them the Book that makes [things] clear.
Meaning that it makes clear the hidden things that they were unaware of; this is what people need in this life and in the hereafter.
وَهَدَيْنَاهُمَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ١١٨
(37:118) And We guided them both on the straight path.
“Guidance” is used here in the full sense of the word. For that reason, it is used with respect to both of then [Moses and Aaron] and does not include their people. The meaning of “guidance to the straight path” was discussed previously in the exegesis of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الْآخِرِينَ ١١٩ سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ ١٢٠ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ١٢١ إِنَّهُمَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ١٢٢
(37:119–122) And We kept them [their memory, their praise, Our blessings upon them] alive among the later generations. Peace be upon Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the virtuous. They were among Our faithful servants.
These verses have already been explained.
وَإِنَّ إِلْيَاسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ١٢٣
(37:123) And Elias (Ilyās) was one of the messengers.
Exegetes say that Elias was from the family of Aaron and was appointed as a prophet for Baalbek. However, there is no evidence for this [in the verses].
إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ١٢٤ أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلًا وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقِينَ١٢٥ اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَرَبَّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٢٦
(37:124–126) When he said to his people, “Will you not be mindful [of Allah, or of evil]? You call upon Baal and forsake the best of creators, [while] Allah is your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old!”
This is part of his call to his people to invite them to the unity of God and to reprimand them for worshipping Baal (one of their idols) in lieu of God.
While he is criticizing them, his words also contain a clear proof for the unity of God. When he says [you] forsake the best of creators, [while] Allah is your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old, he is firstly censuring them for abandoning the worship of the best of creators. However, the creation and origination of things are imbued in their essences as well as the order which flows through all creation and which is known as “divine management”. So just as God created things, He looks after them; He is the manager of all He created. He points to this when he says Allah is your Lord after describing God as the best of creators.
Then he points to the lordship of God. God’s lordship is not limited to specific groups of people, unlike the idols, in that each group of people had their own idol which they took as a lord. God is both their Lord and the Lord of their first forefathers; he is the creator and maintainer of all. He points to this when he says Allah is your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old.
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ ١٢٧
(37:127) But they denied him; therefore, they shall be arraigned (muḥdarūn).
Meaning, they shall be resurrected to be brought forward for punishment. Previously, it was explained that muḥdarūn has the connotation of summoning someone to something dreadful.
إِلَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ١٢٨
(37:128) Except for Allah’s purified servants.
This shows that there were a number of Allah’s purified servants among his people.
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ ١٢٩ سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِلْ يَاسِينَ ١٣٠ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ١٣١ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ١٣٢
(37:129–132) And We kept them [their memory, their praise, Our blessings upon them] alive among the later generations. Peace be upon Elias (Il Yāsīn). Thus do We reward the virtuous. He was one of Our faithful servants.
Similar verses have already been explained.
Examining Narrations
- In Tafsīr al-Qummī, regarding you call upon Baal? (), it says:
They had an idol whom they called Baal.
- In Maʿānī [al-Akhbār], with a chain of narration to Qādiḥ from Imam al-Ṣādiq, from his father, from his forefathers, from ʿAlī, it says regarding Peace be upon Elias (Il Yāsīn) ():
Yāsīn is Muḥammad, and we are Āl Yāsīn (the family of Yāsīn).
Author’s comments: A similar narration is related in ʿUyūn Akhbār al-Riḍā from Imam Riḍā. This interpretation is based on reading the verse as Āl Yāsīn [instead of Il Yāsīn], as reflected in the readings of Nāfiʿ, Ibn ʿĀmir, Yaʿqūb, and Zayd.
Discourse
The discussion “Some Words on the Story of Elias (Ilyās)” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.
Possibly, they adopted this view because it is said that Baalbak was known for having a temple of Baal, and Elias censures the people for their worship of Baal. [Trans.] ↩︎