Years of Drought

Allah (swt) sent Mūsā ayat — signs. How many signs do we already know of, up to this moment? Two: the stick and the hand. The ayat in total were nine.

And indeed We punished the people of Firʿawn with years of drought and shortness of fruits, that they might remember. So these are another two: the drought, and having no fruits. So now we have four. And then there are another five, mentioned in another ayah.

Allah (swt) is sending them ayat. And Allah says that whenever He sends them a sign, He sends them a following sign that is greater than the one before it.

So Allah is sending them powerful signs. Why? So that they will remember. The stick was not enough. The hand was not enough. So Allah sent drought upon them: they would get no rain. Wa naqṣin min al-thamarāt — they would have fewer fruits. Al-Ḥasan says these two signs are one, and he would put another one in its place: al-baḥr. He would count the splitting of the sea as one sign. So then we have five left.

Now, when these two signs occurred, Firʿawn and his people came to Mūsā and told him: can you please ask your Lord to release us from this drought and from this problem? So they sent a delegation from the government to meet with Mūsā and tell him: please release us from this problem. Mūsā made duʿāʾ to Allah (swt), and Allah (swt) provided them with rain and fruits again. Fa-idhā hum yankuthūn — they broke their promise to Mūsā.