اذهَب إِلىٰ فِرعَونَ إِنَّهُ طَغىٰ

فَقُل هَل لَكَ إِلىٰ أَن تَزَكّىٰ

وَأَهدِيَكَ إِلىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخشىٰ

[And said:] ‘Go to Pharaoh, for indeed he has rebelled,

and say: “Would you purify yourself?

I will guide you to your Lord, that you may fear [Him]?”’

EXEGESIS

Verse 17 is the command directed to Prophet Moses (a) from God. This can be inferred either because ‘And said’ is implied in the beginning of the verse, or because verse 17 comes to elaborate and explain God’s call to Prophet Moses (a).^{‎[1]Mizan‎, 20/187.}

Hal laka ilā (would you) in verse 18 expresses the soft inviting tone in which Prophet Moses (a) first invited Pharaoh towards guidance despite his long history of extreme transgression and tyranny towards the Children of Israel (a) (2:49, 14:6, 28:4). This was in alignment with God’s command to Prophet Moses (a) to Speak to him in a soft manner; maybe he will take admonition or fear (20:44).^{‎[2]Zamakhshari, 4/695.}

EXPOSITION

God called Prophet Moses (a) to go to Pharaoh due to the latter’s severe transgressions. God commissioned Prophet Moses (a) to exhort him against his tyranny and transgression and to ask him to release the Children of Israel from captivity.^{‎[3]Qutb, 6/3814.} But first, the divine commandment to Prophet Moses (a) is to kindly invite Pharaoh to rethink his choices (20:44). Indeed, the rule in the prophetic way is to call people to God with compassion and kindness (3:159).^{‎[4]Razi, 31/39.} Pharaoh was drowned in a sea of transgressions that had heavily contaminated his heart. He was contaminated with the vices of disbelief, arrogance, ruthlessness, oppression, and rebelliousness.^{‎[5]Fadlallah, 24/37.} He needed a path to self-purification, and hence God called him to remediate himself and commanded Prophet Moses (a) to say: Would you purify yourself?^{‎[6]Mizan‎, 20/187.}

As per God’s command, Prophet Moses (a) calls Pharaoh to the way of self-purification, which begins by turning to God and coming to know Him. By the statement I will guide you to your Lord, Prophet Moses (a) invites Pharaoh to God, understanding that knowledge of God will result in being conscious and fearful of Him (16:2).^{‎[7]Razi, 31/40.} In turn, consciousness of God becomes a detractor from transgression against Him and His creation and from violating the bounds of His worship and obedience. Indeed, only those of Allah’s servants having knowledge fear Him (35:28).

The relationship between verses 18 and 19 can be described in two ways. If we take self-purification to be turning to God in repentance and consequently being conscious and fearful of Him and hence turning away from sin and going towards His obedience, verse 19 complements verse 18. On the other hand, if we take self-purification to be the very act of obedience to God’s commands and abstinence from His prohibitions, then verse 19 can be seen as an explanation of verse 18.^{‎[8]Mizan‎, 20/188.} According to Ibn Abbas, purify yourself refers to purifying oneself from polytheism and bearing witness that there is no god but God.^{‎[9]Tabrisi, 10/655.}

[1] Mizan‎, 20/187.
[2] Zamakhshari, 4/695.
[3] Qutb, 6/3814.   
[4] Razi, 31/39.
[5] Fadlallah, 24/37.
[6] Mizan‎, 20/187.
[7] Razi, 31/40.
[8] Mizan‎, 20/188.
[9] Tabrisi, 10/655.