Pharaoh’s Tyranny and the Lesson of Divine Punishment

The Tyrant Pharaoh’s Punishment: A Lesson for Reflection

Oppression is darkness, corruption on earth, and the greatest sin on this planet. Allah, except for associating partners with Him, can forgive oppression and harm done to one’s own self and His rights. However, He will never forgive those who oppress others. Even if such tyrants escape punishment in worldly courts, they will certainly face justice in the court of the Creator of the universe. In the Hereafter, a specific punishment awaits them. Human history is filled with stories of tyrants who received a dreadful punishment, and I would like to discuss, based on the Qur’an, the most tyrannical person in history—Pharaoh—and the punishment and wrath Allah inflicted on him, which serves as a lesson and warning for humanity. However, very few people heed this lesson. Allah says:

فَالْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ آيَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا لَغَافِلُونَ
(Surah Yunus, 10:92)
Translation: “So today We will save your body, so that you may be a sign for those who come after you. And indeed, many among mankind are heedless of Our signs.”

Banu Isra’il, to whom Prophet Musa (Moses) was sent, were the descendants of the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob), and they were residing in Egypt. Allah had granted Banu Isra’il many blessings, elevating them above all nations, and providing them with dominion and rule over the world. Allah says:

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:47)
Translation: “O children of Israel, remember My favor that I have bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you over the worlds.”

In Egypt, there were also the Coptic people, among whom Pharaoh ruled. When Banu Isra’il disobeyed Allah and exceeded the limits, He imposed the tyranny of Pharaoh upon them for four centuries. Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites and ensured that none of them could escape. Allah, in His mercy, sent Prophet Musa (AS) to lead them to freedom from Pharaoh’s oppression.

The story of Musa and Pharaoh is long, and its details are mentioned in Surah Al-Qasas, Surah Ash-Shu’ara, and other places in the Qur’an. I will briefly mention here, based on the Qur’an and Tafsir, the story of Prophet Musa and the deliverance of Banu Isra’il from Pharaoh’s tyranny. Before the birth of Musa, astrologers and seers informed Pharaoh that a child would be born among the Israelites who would bring an end to his rule. Consequently, Pharaoh began killing every male child born among the Israelites. The killing was done in an alternating manner: one year they would kill the boys and the next year they would let them live. Musa’s older brother Harun was born before the year of killing, and Musa was born during it. Allah revealed to Musa’s mother to place him in a chest and cast it into the river, with the promise that He would return the child to her and make him a prophet. She obeyed Allah’s command and instructed her daughter to watch over the chest from a distance. In a miraculous twist of fate, Pharaoh’s servants found the chest and brought it to his court. When Pharaoh saw the child, he ordered that it be killed. However, his wife intervened, suggesting that the child might be of use to them or that they could adopt him. By Allah’s will, the child was returned to his mother for breastfeeding, as he did not drink milk from anyone else.

Pharaoh, who had been searching for the child destined to overthrow his kingdom, was raising the very same child in his palace. This was a great miracle of Allah. Musa grew up in Pharaoh’s palace, and one day he saw an Egyptian man mistreating an Israelite. Musa tried to stop him, and when the man persisted, Musa struck him, causing his death. Fearing Pharaoh’s retribution for the killing, Musa fled to Madian, where he helped two women water their animals and, in gratitude, was offered work by their father. Musa agreed to work for him for eight years, which eventually turned into ten years. After completing the agreed-upon time, Musa married one of the daughters of the man and set off with his family. During the journey, they stopped at a place where Musa noticed a fire. When he approached it to seek warmth, Allah spoke to him and appointed him as a prophet to go to Pharaoh and deliver His message. Allah gave him nine miracles to prove his prophethood.

Musa had two fears: one, he had killed an Egyptian, and second, Pharaoh was a tyrant who claimed to be a god. Moreover, Musa had a speech impediment, so he prayed to Allah for help, and Allah responded:

قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي، وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي، وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي، يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي، وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي، هَارُونَ أَخِي، اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي، وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي
(Surah Ta-Ha, 20:25-32)
Translation: “Musa said, ‘My Lord, expand for me my chest and ease my task and untie the knot from my tongue so that they may understand my speech. And appoint for me a minister from my family, Harun, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task.'”

Both Musa and his brother Harun (AS) went to Pharaoh, calling him to the worship of Allah, the Lord of all worlds. But Pharaoh was stubborn and demanded signs to prove Musa’s message. Musa showed him miracles: his staff turned into a serpent, and his hand would glow when placed under his arm. Pharaoh rejected these as mere sorcery. He summoned his own magicians to challenge Musa. In the contest, the magicians threw their staffs and ropes, but Musa’s staff swallowed them up, turning into a serpent. Witnessing this, all the magicians believed in the God of Musa. Still, Pharaoh remained arrogant and refused to submit, continuing to claim that he was the highest god. This was his gravest sin. The Qur’an describes Pharaoh as rebellious, cruel to the Israelites, and a spreader of corruption, saying:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
(Surah Al-Qasas, 28:4)
Translation: “Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a group of them, slaughtering their sons and keeping their women alive. Indeed, he was one of the corruptors.”

Besides being a liar, Pharaoh and his army are also called rebellious, sinful, arrogant, and tyrannical people in various verses. Because of his oppression, Pharaoh was deserving of Allah’s punishment. Musa also prayed to Allah for Pharaoh’s destruction:

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ آتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَأَهُ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَالًا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِيلِكَ ۖ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ
(Surah Yunus, 10:88)
Translation: “And Musa said, ‘Our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his assembly finery and wealth in this world to lead them astray from Your way. Our Lord, eliminate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment.'”

Soon after, various calamities struck Pharaoh and his people—drought, famine, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood. Pharaoh promised to free the Israelites in exchange for the removal of these plagues, but he failed to fulfill his promises. The final punishment came when Musa, leading Banu Isra’il, fled Egypt. Pharaoh and his army pursued them, but when they reached the Red Sea, Allah parted the waters, allowing Musa and his people to cross. As Pharaoh and his soldiers tried to follow, the waters returned, drowning them all.

Allah says:
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:50)
Translation: “And when We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people while you were looking on.”

A hadith from Sahih al-Tirmidhi (3108) mentions that when Pharaoh was drowning, Angel Jibril began stuffing dirt into his mouth out of fear that he might utter the words “There is no god but Allah,” and Allah might show him mercy.

Pharaoh received his punishment in this world—drowned in the sea—and even in the afterlife, he and his people will face eternal torment. Allah says:
النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ
(Surah Ghafir, 40:46)
Translation: “The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears, [it will be said], ‘Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.'”

This entire event serves as a critical lesson that Allah saved Prophet Musa and his followers from the tyranny of the most oppressive ruler, and even Pharaoh’s wife, Asiya, believed and prayed to Allah for salvation. Regarding the ultimate fate of the tyrant Pharaoh, Allah said:

فَأَخَذْنَاهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ ۖ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ
(Surah Al-Qasas, 28:40)
Translation: “So We took him and his soldiers and threw them into the sea. See how the end of the wrongdoers.”

Allah also says:

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِم مُّوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا ۖ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
(Surah Al-A’raf, 7:103)
Translation: “Then We sent after

them Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his assembly, but they wronged them. So, see how the corruption ends.”

Therefore, the lesson of Pharaoh’s fate, the tenacious rejection of truth, and the tyranny he upheld serve as a profound reminder of the importance of righteousness, justice, and submitting to the will of Allah. All forms of oppression lead to destruction—whether individual or collective—and we are all accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgment.