وَلَقَد جاءَ آلَ فِرعَونَ النُّذُرُ

Certainly the warnings came to Pharaoh’s clan.

EXEGESIS

The lām in laqad (certainly) is to indicate an oath,[1] and has been brought to show the greatness of the signs and warnings directed to Pharaoh and his clan.[2]

The word āl (clan) is usually used to mean family, but possibly in this context a wider sense is intended to include anyone who followed him or was associated with him.[3]

Nudhur (warnings) was discussed previously. It could be the plural of nadhīr which can have the meaning of mundhir, which means that which warns. The thing that warns can be a human prophet or an event. If the former is intended then this refers to Prophet Moses (a) and Prophet Aaron (a), whilst if the latter is intended then this refers to the nine miracles that were given to Prophet Moses (a) (17:101). Based on the forthcoming verse, some have suggested that it is more likely referring to the nine miracles.[4]

It could also be the plural of indhār which means warnings.[5] In this case, the plural form is used as Prophet Moses (a) constantly warned them, i.e. there were several warnings.[6]

EXPOSITION

This is the fifth example given in this chapter of a community that rejected the warnings presented to them and were thus destroyed. The story of Prophet Moses (a) and Pharaoh is one that has been repeatedly and extensively mentioned in the Quran. Whilst many details of their interactions have been mentioned in other chapters, here only a brief indication is made to their encounter as the purpose of this chapter is to act as a reminder and to alert man about the consequences of rejecting the truth.[7]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Ibn ʿĀshūr has highlighted the difference between this verse and the verses which spoke of the peoples of Prophet Noah (a) and Prophet Lot (a), and ʿĀd and Thamūd. This verse does not speak of the Copts or the people of Egypt denying the warnings, but of Pharaoh’s clan only. He concludes that the reason for this difference is because Prophet Moses (a) was not sent to the Copts; his mission was to warn Pharaoh and his clan to free the Children of Israel from enslavement and let them leave Egypt.[8]

Some exegetes suggest that the words Pharoah’s clan could be an indication that the social stratification in this community was such that one person, Pharaoh, was the central figure and dictator and everyone else would be attributed to him, whereas in the other communities mentioned in this chapter they were tribal societies and each community was made of several tribes, hence the difference in nomenclature, i.e. people of Lot (verse 33) and people of Noah (verse 9).[9]

[1] Maraghi, 27/95.
[2] Alusi, 14/90.
[3] Amthal, 17/339; Tabrisi, 9/292.
[4] Amthal, 17/339.
[5] Tabrisi, 9/292.
[6] Ibn Ashur, 27/198.
[7] Munyah, 27/217.
[8] Ibn Ashur, 27/197-198.
[9] Qaraati, 9/364; Razi, 29/318.