Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 56

That is, it is sheer foolishness on your part that, puffed up over this world’s temporary wealth and prosperity, you are forgetting Allah.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 57

That is, I have no rational proof that they share in Godhood — how then could I, with my eyes closed, accept so momentous a claim as that they too share in divinity and that I must worship them alongside Allah?

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 58

This phrase can carry several meanings. One is that they have no right, either in this world or in the Hereafter, to have Allah’s creatures invited to acknowledge their godhood. Another is that people have forcibly made them into gods, whereas they themselves neither claim godhood in this world, nor will they rise up in the Hereafter claiming, “We too were gods — why did you not believe in us?” A third is that calling upon them is of no benefit whatsoever, either in this world or the Hereafter, since they are utterly powerless, and invoking them is entirely futile.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 59

“Exceeding limits” means transgressing beyond the truth. Every person who acknowledges the godhood of others besides Allah, or sets himself up as a god, or rebels against Allah and adopts an attitude of self-rule in the world, and then commits all manner of excesses against his own self, against Allah’s creatures, and against everything else he deals with in the world — such a person has, in reality, leapt beyond every bound of reason and justice.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 60

This phrase clearly shows that, when saying these things, this believer was fully certain that, as the price of speaking this truth, the wrath of Pharaoh’s entire kingdom would fall upon him, and that he would have to forfeit not only his honors and interests but his very life. Yet, knowing all this, relying solely on Allah, he carried out the duty which, at this critical moment, his conscience told him was his to fulfill.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 61

This shows that this man held such an important position in Pharaoh’s kingdom that, despite speaking this truth openly in the full court, right in front of Pharaoh, no one dared punish him publicly. This is why Pharaoh and his supporters had to resort to secret schemes to destroy him — but Allah did not allow even these schemes to succeed.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 62

This manner of narration suggests that this incident of the believer from Pharaoh’s household speaking the truth occurred right at the very end of the struggle between Moses and Pharaoh. It is likely that, worn down by this prolonged conflict, Pharaoh finally resolved to kill Moses. But the outspokenness of this influential figure in his own court must have alerted him to the danger that Moses’ influence had reached even the upper ranks of government. He must therefore have decided that, before taking this final drastic step against Moses, he should first identify those elements among the nobles and high officials of the kingdom who had been influenced by this movement, suppress them, and only then lay hands on Moses. But while he was still engaged in these schemes, Allah commanded Moses and his companions to migrate, and Pharaoh, pursuing them along with his armies, was drowned.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 63

This verse is clear proof of that punishment of the intermediate realm (barzakh) which is repeatedly mentioned in the hadith under the heading of the punishment of the grave. Allah here plainly mentions two stages of punishment: one, a lesser punishment which Pharaoh and his people are being given even now, before the coming of the Hour — namely, that they are presented before the fire of Hell morning and evening, the sight of which keeps them in constant dread, knowing that this is the very Hell into which they must eventually be cast. Then, when the Hour comes, they will be given the real and greater punishment ordained for them — that is, they will be thrust into that very Hell which they have been made to witness from the moment they were drowned until now, and will continue to be made to witness until the Hour arrives. And this matter is not confined to Pharaoh and his people alone. Every guilty person, from the moment of death until the Hour, continues to be shown the evil fate that awaits him, while every righteous person continues to be shown a beautiful picture of the good fate Allah has prepared for him. It is related by Abdullah ibn Umar in Bukhari, Muslim, and Musnad Ahmad that the Prophet said: whenever any of you dies, his final abode is shown to him morning and evening — if he is among the people of Paradise, then among the people of Paradise; if he is among the people of Hell, then among the people of Hell — and it is said to him, “This is your place, until Allah raises you up to it on the Day of Resurrection.” (For further details, see Tafhim al-Qur’an, Volume 1, page 386; Volume 2, pp. 150, 535–538; Volume 3, pp. 299–300; Volume 4, Surah Ya-Sin, footnotes 22–23.)

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 64

They will not say this in the hope that their former leaders, rulers, or guides could actually save them from punishment or have it reduced. By that time, the reality will already have become clear to them that these people can be of no use to them there at all. Rather, they will say this to humiliate them: in the world you lorded your authority over us with such great pomp — now save us here too from this calamity which has befallen us because of you.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 65

That is: both we and you have been punished alike, and each has already received from Allah’s court whatever punishment was due. It is no longer in anyone’s power to alter that judgment or to increase or decrease the punishment given.

Surah Al-Mu’min, Footnote No. 66

That is: given that messengers had indeed come to you with clear signs, and you have arrived here as punishment for having refused to accept what they said (disbelief), it is not possible for us in any way to pray to Allah on your behalf, since such a prayer requires some valid excuse, and you have already exhausted every possibility of excuse on your own part. In this situation, if you wish to pray yourselves, then go ahead and try. But we tell you beforehand: the prayer of those who arrive here through disbelief, as you did, is completely futile.