Firʿawn Exalted Himself

This ayah describes the political and social situation in the time of Mūsā. Firʿawn exalted himself in the land. This was the political situation of that time: Firʿawn was the only figure of power. He was so strong and powerful, and he had so much influence over people's lives, that he thought he was God. He said: ana rabbukumu al-aʿlā — I am your lord, most high. And he said: mā ʿalimtu lakum min ilāhin ghayrī — I do not know of any god for you other than me. Allah (swt) had given him so much power that he could get away with this claim and nobody would protest it. When he said, I am your lord and I am your god, nobody said you are wrong. He got away with it because he had so much influence and power over people's lives.

And he divided the people into parties — and that is how you rule: farriq tasud, divide and conquer. He divided the people of Egypt into different classes and different tribes. That is how you dominate: by class conflict and by conflicts within society. That is how kings rule. Banū Isrāʾīl were placed at the lowest level, the lowest class, and he placed the other groups of Egypt above them and over them. So Banū Isrāʾīl were taken as slaves and servants. He oppressed a group among them — the children of Isrāʾīl.

The children of Isrāʾīl had multiplied a great deal. They began with Yūsuf and his brothers, but by now they were already a huge nation; it is said there were about 600,000 of them when Mūsā left Egypt with them. In any case, Firʿawn saw a dream. It is said that Firʿawn saw a dream, and it was interpreted to mean that a child would be born among the children of Israel who would take away his kingdom. When Firʿawn heard that interpretation, he said: easy, we will take care of that — any child who is born, kill him. So he would kill all the male children, and he would take the women as slaves and servants. He killed the sons and let the females live. Truly, he was one of those who spread corruption.