فَاستَخَفَّ قَومَهُ فَأَطاعوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُم كانوا قَومًا فاسِقينَ

So he fooled his people and they obeyed him. Indeed they were a transgressing lot.

EXEGESIS

Istakhaffa (he fooled his people) is the form ten verb derived from the root verb khaffa which denotes lightness. Khafīf is light in contrast to thaqīl which is heavy. This term is used in several ways: first, it is used in consideration of comparison by weight and measuring one thing against another, such as saying ‘a light dirham’ and ‘a heavy dirham’. Second, it is used in consideration of comparison by time, such as saying ‘a light horse’ and ‘a heavy horse’ when one runs more than the other in the same amount of time. Third, khafīf is said of someone who is frivolous or flighty (one who is light-minded), while thaqīl is said of someone who possesses dignity and composure. In this case, ‘light’ carries a negative connotation (blame), while ‘heavy’ carries a positive connotation (praise).[1]

Based on this, istakhaffa in this verse means Pharaoh led his people to lightness (frivolity) and ignorance;[2] istakhaffahu ʿan raʾyihi and istafazzahu ʿan raʾyihi (he made him light/trivialised him away from his opinion) means he drove him to ignorance and removed him from the correctness he had been upon. Istakhaffa bihi (he treated him lightly) means he disdained/humiliated him.[3] This concept is also reflected in 30:60, let not those who have no conviction make you unsteady (lā yastakhiffannaka), whereby the term yastakhiffannaka implies that those without firm faith may try to sway or unsettle you, but you should remain steadfast and not be influenced by their lack of conviction or shallow understanding.[4]

Kānū (they were) in kānū fāsiqīn indicates continuity, meaning that the people of Pharaoh had a history of transgression and this attribute was not recent.[5]

EXPOSITION

This verse hints at the idea that Pharaoh was not completely heedless of the reality of Prophet Moses (a) and knew that his own arguments were weak.

So he fooled his people and they obeyed him: like all tyrants, Pharaoh recognised that reason, knowledge, and human nature inherently supported Prophet Moses (a). However, he employed different tactics to mislead his people.[6] By understanding the verb istakhaffa to mean treating something as insignificant or light, many exegetes understand this as an indication that Pharaoh belittled the intellect of his people, deeming them foolish and easily misled, so that his lies and absurdities could deceive them.[7] Yet, they still followed and obeyed him. This is the way of ignorant masses, the followers of every demagogue. When the elites and rulers belittle them and deceive them with trivial matters, they fall for it and follow and obey them.[8]

Some exegetes elaborate on this, explaining that Pharaoh made his people’s intellect seem light – or insignificant – by presenting them with frivolous and superficial arguments. For instance, he pointed to his own dominion over Egypt as a supposed sign of his correctness, equating political power with divine truth.[9] Others add that Pharaoh stripped his people of the weight of reason and faith by stirring within them a love for base desires. For when a person possesses reason and faith, they become steadfast and balanced, neither shaken by storms nor uprooted by tempests. But if they lose these qualities, they become like a feather tossed about by the winds. Pharaoh incited fanaticism, resorted to threats and temptations, and ultimately led people astray from their sound intellects toward their fleeting desires.[10]

Indeed they were a transgressing lot: this can be seen as stating the reason as to why these people were misled: because they were a transgressing lot. Had these misguided people not already been corrupt and rebellious against obedience to God and the judgement of reason, they would never have succumbed to such propaganda and superstition, nor paid it any heed. They themselves paved the way for their own misguidance and, as a result, are left with no excuse whatsoever. It is true that Pharaoh stole the minds of these people and compelled them to obey him, but they aided him in this theft by blindly following him. Indeed, these were a corrupt people following a corrupt leader.[11] Perhaps the inclusion of the phrase and they obeyed him is an indication to the same, for if only Pharaoh was to be blamed, there would be no need of mentioning this.[12] Some exegetes state that the clause Indeed they were a transgressing lot is an explanation for and they obeyed him, because a believing servant of God who obeys Him does not obey anyone else except by His command. Servitude to God necessitates freedom from all other forms of servitude.[13]

Alternatively, the transgression being referred to here could be referring to their polytheistic beliefs and rejection of the divine message.[14]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes suggest that his people here refers to a specific group among his people, namely those who were present at the gathering where Prophet Moses (a) delivered his call. These were the chiefs who were in Pharaoh’s company.^[15]

[1] Raghib, 1/288.
[2] Bahrayn, 5/48.
[3] Lisan, 9/80.
[4] Qurtubi, 16/101.
[5] Rahnama, 17/78.
[6] Amthal, 16/75.
[7] Furqan, 26/342.
[8] Hadi, 3/236; Tabrisi, 9/78.
[9] Tabrisi, 9/78.
[10] Mudarrisi, 12/495.
[11] Amthal, 16/75.
[12] Mudarrisi, 12/496.
[13] Hadi, 3/236.
[14] Atyab, 12/43.
[15] Ibn Ashur, 25/271.