Yūnus 10:88
The verse
And Moses said: Our Lord! Lo! Thou hast given Pharaoh and his chiefs splendour and riches in the life of the world, Our Lord! that they may lead men astray from Thy way. Our Lord! Destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they believe not till they see the painful doom. — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
This verse describes Moses calling on his Lord to destroy the splendor and riches of Pharaoh and his chiefs, wealth that Moses acknowledges was bestowed by God on his enemies. But Moses asks for more than the destruction of his enemies’ material goods—he wants the destruction of their souls by asking his Lord to “harden their hearts” and prevent them from believing in God.
Moses’ second request seems especially harsh and beneath his station as an “inspired” prophet, charged by God to be “steadfast in prayer” and “give glad tidings” to believers (Q 10.87). Even his own people show more restraint and objectivity because they only ask God for mercy for themselves from the unbelieving Pharaoh (Q 10.86).
This portrayal is far from the objective of prophethood. God sends his prophets to deliver people—not to keep them in the darkness of ignorance.
Arabic text of this item
تُصور الآيةُ موسى وهو يدعو الله أن يبدد أموال فرعون وأشرافِ قومه، وتقول إنه سأل الله أن يجعل أموال هؤلاء حجارة، وأن يُنزل بهم كلَّ دمار. ثم تضيف الآية القول إن موسى دعا ربَّه أن لا تنشرحَ قلوبُ أعدائه للإيمان، بل أن يزيدوا في الضلالة.
وقد يتفهم المرء دعاء موسى على فرعون إن كان هذا لإجل إقرار العدالة بحق ظالم مثل فرعون، ولكن أن يسأل موسى ربه أن يغلق قلوبهم، ثم يضيف دعاءً أن يزيدوا في الضلالة لهو تصورٌ بعيدٌ عن غاية النبوة وسلوك الأنبياء. فغاية الله من إرساله الأنبياء أن يقود الناس إلى طريق البر، لا أن يبقيهم في متاهة الضلال.
Sources cited
- al-Ţabarī, Tafsīr 12: 264-267 compare with al-Qurţubī 11: 39-40.
- الطبري، تفسير 12: 264، 267.
- القرطبي، تفسير 11: 39-40.