Surah Al-Qasas 28:40

The Arrogance of Fir`awn and His ultimate Destiny

Allah tells us of Fir`awn's disbelief and wrongdoing, and how he falsely claimed divinity for his evil self, may Allah curse him.

(Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him.) 43:54 He called on his people to recognize his divinity, and they responded, because of their weak and foolish minds. So, he said:

(O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me.) Allah tells us about Fir`awn:

(Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, saying: "I am your lord, most high." So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah.) (79:23-26) meaning: he brought his people together and called to them in a loud voice, shouting that, and they responded to him obediently. So Allah took revenge on him, and made him a lesson to others in this world and the Hereafter. He even confronted Musa with that, and said:

(If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners) (26:29).

(So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a Sarh in order that I may look at the God of Musa;) He commanded his minister and adviser Haman to bake bricks for him, i.e., to make bricks in order to build a Sarh, a exalted towering palace. This is like the Ayah,

(And Fir`awn said: "O Haman! Build me a Sarh that I may arrive at the ways -- the ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar." Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction) (40:36-37). Fir`awn built this tower, which was the highest structure ever seen on earth, because he wanted to show his people that Musa was lying when he claimed that there was a God other than Fir`awn. Fir`awn said:

(and verily, I think that he (Musa) is one of the liars.) meaning, `when he says that there is a lord other than me.' The issue was not whether Allah had sent Musa, because he did not acknowledge the existence of the Creator in the first place. On the contrary, he said:

(And what is the Lord of Al-`Alamin) (26:23) and:

(If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.) (26:29) and he said:

(O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me.) This was the view of Ibn Jarir.

(And he and his armies were arrogant in the land, without right, and they thought that they would never return to Us.) means, they were arrogant oppressors who spread much mischief in the land, and they believed that there would be no Resurrection.

(So, your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment. Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them).) (89:13-14). Allah says here:

(So, We seized him and his armies, and We threw them all into the sea.) meaning, `We drowned them in the sea in a single morning, and not one of them was left.'

(So, behold what was the end of the wrongdoers. And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire) for those who followed them and took the same path as they did, rejecting the Messengers and denying the Creator.

(and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped.) their humiliation in this world is combined with and connected to their humiliation in the Hereafter, as Allah says:

(We have destroyed them. And there was none to help them) (47:13).

(And We made a curse to follow them in this world,) Allah decreed that they and their king Fir`awn should be cursed by the believers among His servants who follow His Messengers, just as in this world they were cursed by the Prophets and their followers.

(and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be among disgraced.) Qatadah said, "This Ayah is like the Ayah,

(They were pursued by a curse in this (life) and on the Day of Resurrection. Evil indeed is the gift given.) (11:99)."

Pada ayat ini, Allah menegaskan bahwa Fir'aun dan tentaranya sangat sombong dan takabur. Fir'aun menganggap dan mengaku hanya dialah penguasa yang mutlak di muka bumi. Siapa saja yang menantangnya dianggap salah dan durhaka. Kalau dikatakan kepadanya ada Tuhan yang lebih besar daripada kekuasaannya, Fir'aun menjadi kalap, dan tak dapat lagi menguasai dirinya, seperti memerintahkan dengan segera membuat suatu hal yang mustahil, seperti membuat bangunan setinggi langit agar dia dapat berhadapan dengan Tuhan Yang Mahakuasa lagi Mahaperkasa.

Fir'aun dan kaumnya mengira bahwa mereka tidak akan dibangkitkan, tidak akan diperhitungkan apa yang telah dikerjakan selama hidup di dunia, dan tidak ada yang akan menyiksa bila mereka melakukan kezaliman dan kekejaman. Memang demikianlah kepercayaan mereka karena pengaruh kesombongan dan ketakaburan itu. Mereka membuat piramida yang besar untuk kuburan mereka yang diisi dengan perabot yang lengkap dan serba mewah serta pakaian dan perhiasan yang indah-indah, untuk dinikmati sesudah mati.

Karena kesombongan dan ketakaburan itu, Allah mengazab mereka di dunia dan akhirat. Di dunia Fir'aun ditenggelamkan bersama tentaranya ke dalam lautan, dan di akhirat mereka akan disiksa dalam neraka.

Demikianlah nasib yang telah ditetapkan Allah bagi orang yang takabur dan sombong, berbuat zalim dan aniaya terhadap Allah dan sesamanya. Sebenarnya kelanjutan kisah Fir'aun bisa ditemukan pada surah-surah lain dalam Al-Qur'an seperti Surah al-A'raf, Yunus, thaha, dan sebagainya. Akan tetapi, Allah hendak menegaskan di sini bagaimana nasib orang-orang yang durhaka yang tidak lagi mempergunakan akal dan pikirannya sehingga tertutuplah hatinya untuk menerima kebenaran dari mana pun datangnya, sehingga dia menjadi sombong dan takabur. Hal itu layak menjadi perhatian dan pelajaran bagi seluruh manusia.