Surah Al-Qasas

Allah will fulfil His Promise.

To remove the doubts and objections that were being raised against the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺand to invalidate the excuses which were being offered for not believing in him. The story of the Prophet Moses has been related, which by analogy with the period of revelation impresses the following points in the listener’s mind:

1. Firstly, Allah provides the means and motives of whatever He wills in an undetectable way. Thus, Allah arrange things such that the child through whom Pharaoh had to be removed from power was brought up in his own house, without him knowing whom he was fostering. Who can challenge Allah and disrupt His plans?
2. Secondly, Prophethood is not granted to a person amid festivities by issuing a proclamation from the heavens. You wonder how Muhammad ﷺhas been blessed with Prophethood unexpectedly but Moses, whom you acknowledge as a Prophet (v.48) was also appointed Prophet unexpectedly while on a journey. This event occurred in the desert at the foot of Mt. Sinai and there were no witnesses. Even Moses himself did not anticipate what he was going to be blessed with. He in fact had seen a fire in the distance and sought to either seek directions or at least return with a branch – little did he know that he would return with the gift of Prophethood.
3. Thirdly, those whom Allah wishes to use in his service are often without military might and manage to successfully overcome much stronger and better equipped opponents. The contrast that existed between the might of Moses and Pharaoh was far more prominent and obvious than that which existed between Prophet Muhammad ﷺand the Quraysh; yet the world came to know who the victor was.
4. Fourthly, objections were raised time and time again saying, ‘Why has Muhammad ﷺnot been given the same which was given to Moses?’ i.e., miracles of the staff and the shining hand etc. as if to suggest that they would readily believe only if they were shown the kind of the miracles that were shown by Moses to Pharaoh. But then they are reminded, ‘Do you know what sort of response was made by those who were shown those miracles?’ They had not believed even after seeing the miracles and had only said, ‘This is magic’ for they were adamant in their stubbornness and hostility to the Truth.

Will you then only believe when you are shown the same kind of miracles? Are you aware what fate the disbelievers were met with after seeing the miracles? They were annihilated by Allah. Do you now wish to meet the same fate by asking for miracles in your stubbornness?

Connection between the beginning and the ending of the Surah Promise of Allah. There is a promise in the beginning of the Surah to the mother of Musa, that her child shall be returned to her (28:7). Indeed, Allah fulfilled His promise. The Surah ends with Allah promising the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, that He shall return him back home (28:85). This seems to be towards the end of the Makki period and just prior to the Hijrah (migration) to Madinah. Indeed, Allah did fulfil His promise with the conquest of Makkah. This is a demonstration of the fact that, without doubt, Allah does help and give victory to His friends and this adds to the Yaqin (certainty) of the Believer.

Those arrogant on Earth. In the beginning of the Surah, Allah mentions in (28:4) that Pharaoh was arrogant in the land. Towards the end in (28: 83), Allah mentions that He has reserved the after-life for those who are not arrogant on Earth.