Surah Yunus, Ayah 88

Moses (peace be upon him) said: O our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and the nobles from his people the glitz and glamour of this world. You have also given them wealth in this worldly life; but they were not grateful to You for what You gave them. Instead, they used that to mislead others from Your path. O our Lord, utterly destroy their wealth. Make their hearts hard so that they do not believe, unless they see the painful punishment at a time when their belief will be of no benefit to them.

And Musa said: "Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Fir'awn and his chiefs splendor and wealth in the life of this world, our Lord! That they may lead men astray from Your path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment. (88)Allah said: "Verily, the invocation of you both is accepted. So you both keep to the straight way, and follow not the path of those who know not. (89)

Musa supplicated against Fir'awn and His Chiefs

Allah mentioned what Musa said when he prayed against Fir'awn and his chiefs after they refused to accept the truth. They continued to go astray and be haughty and arrogant. Musa said:

رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ آتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَأَهُ زِينَةً

(Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Fir'awn and his chiefs splendor) and pleasure of this worldly life.

وَأَمْوَالًا

(and wealth) plentiful and abundant. Allah's statement,

فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِيلِكَ

(in the life of this world, Our Lord! That they may lead men astray from Your path.) was read with the word "Liyadillu" and "Liyudillu." The first is with a Fathah over the Ya, meaning that "You have given them that while You know they would not believe in what You have sent me with to them. You did that so they would gradually be drawn away from the truth." As Allah said:

لِّنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ

(that We may test them thereby.)(20:131) and (72:17). Others read the word with a Dammah over the Ya. (i.e. Liyudillu) This makes the Ayah mean: You have given them that so whoever You willed from among Your creatures will be tried. Those whom You wish to misguide would think that You have given them that because You loved them and You cared about them."

رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ

("Our Lord! Destroy their wealth,") Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid said: "They asked Allah to destroy their wealth." Ad-Dahhak, Abu Al-'Aliyah and Ar-Rabi'a bin Anas said: "Allah made their wealth into engraved stones as it was before." About Allah's statement,

وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ

(and harden their hearts) Ibn 'Abbas said, "Harden their hearts means put a seal on them."

فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ

(so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment.) This prayer was from Musa because he was angry for the sake of Allah and His religion. He prayed against Fir'awn and his chiefs when he was certain that there was no good in them. Similarly, Nuh prayed and said:

رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا - إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا

(My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth! If You leave them, they will mislead Your servants, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.)(71:26-27) Harun said "Amin" to his brother's prayer. And Allah answered Musa's prayer. Allah said:

قَدْ أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا

(Verily, the invocation of you both is accepted.) 'in destroying Fir'awn's people.

قَدْ أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا فَاسْتَقِيمَا

(Verily I have answered your prayers (both of you). So you both keep to the straight way) So as I have answered your prayer, you should remain steadfast on My command.' Ibn Jurayj narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said about this Ayah: "Be steadfast and follow My command."