Why Did Pharaoh Decide to Kill Moses, and What Did He Fear?
لماذا قرر فرعون قتل موسى وممّ كان يخاف؟
Pharaoh claimed that he wanted to kill Moses, and that he wanted to hear the opinions that would agree with his intention. He did not want the chiefs to stop him from killing the Prophet of Allah. This was after he had gotten rid of the magicians and continued to torture the Children of Israel. He justified his desire, of killing Moses, with two things: the first, having fears about Moses changing the creed of the nation and its people; the second, causing mischief in the land, and therefore exhausting the nation and its citizens.
Allah the Almighty says: (And Pharaoh said, "Let me kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord! I truly fear that he may change your traditions or cause mischief in the land." Moses replied, "I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.") (Ghafir 40:26-27). Note: the original answer labelled this quotation 40:26 only; its last sentence is from verse 27, so the reference has been corrected.
زعم فرعون أنه يريد قتل موسى، وأنه يريد من الخواطر أن تسمح له بذلك وأن لا يمنعه الملأ من قتل نبي الله، وذلك بعد أن تخلص من السحرة، واستمر في تعذيب بني إسرائيل، وعلّل رغبته بأمرين: الأول: الخوف أن يبدّل دين الدولة ودين الشعب. الثاني: أن يظهر الشغب في البلاد، والتعب للدولة والمواطنين معًا.
قال الله تعالى: "وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ذَرُونِي أَقْتُلْ مُوسَى وَلْيَدْعُ رَبَّهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُبَدِّلَ دِينَكُمْ أَوْ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ. وَقَالَ مُوسَى إِنِّي عُذْتُ بِرَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مُتَكَبِّرٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِيَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ" (غافر 40: 26-27). (ملاحظة: كانت الإحالة في الجواب الأصلي إلى الآية 26 وحدها، والمقتبس الآيتان 26 و27، فصُحّحت.)
1. Two Stated Fears | خوفان معلنان
Pharaoh frames his decision around two concerns, that Moses would change the nation's religion and that he would spread corruption in the land (40:26), presenting the killing of a prophet as protection of the people; the answer places this after he had lost publicly to Moses' miracles, while he was still torturing the Children of Israel. Ibn Kathir remarks on the irony with the saying "Pharaoh has become a preacher": the tyrant posing as the people's protector against Moses. His other charges are covered in the accusations Pharaoh brought against Moses.
يؤطر فرعون قراره حول مخاوف معلنة، أن يبدل موسى دين الأمة، وأن ينشر الفساد في الأرض (غافر 40: 26)، مقدّمًا قتل نبيٍّ في صورة حماية الناس؛ ويجعل الجواب ذلك بعد أن خسر علنًا أمام معجزات موسى، وهو ما زال يعذب بني إسرائيل. ويعلّق ابن كثير على هذه المفارقة بالمثل: "صار فرعون مذكرًا"، أي واعظًا يشفق على الناس من موسى عليه السلام.
2. Who Actually Answered Pharaoh | من الذي ردّ فعليًا على فرعون
The next ayah records Moses' own reply, seeking refuge in his Lord "from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning" (Ghafir 40:27). The believer who spoke up in Moses' defense at this same court moment, a man from Pharaoh's own household, is covered in full in how this believer defended Prophet Moses, along with the identity of the two men who helped Moses.
تسجل الآية التالية رد موسى، إذ استعاذ بالله "من كل متكبرٍ لا يؤمن بيوم الحساب" (غافر 40: 27). أما المؤمن الذي دافع عن موسى في هذا الموقف نفسه، وهو رجلٌ من آل فرعون، فهو موضوع صفحةٍ مستقلة تشرح دفاعه بالكامل.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Why did Pharaoh want to kill Moses?
He claimed fear that Moses would change the nation's religion and cause corruption in the land.
How did Moses respond?
He sought refuge in Allah from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Judgment.