Verse 4 Surah Al-Qasas

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Merciful.

Allah, The Most High, said:

إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِيَعً۬ا يَسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَآٮِٕفَةً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يُذَبِّحُ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

Verily, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people (into different) groups, weakening (oppressing) a group among them, killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidoon. [Al-Qasas. 4]

وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِيَعً۬ا

And made its people (into different) groups.

Meaning, different groups that were organised and distinguished, and he utilised each group in that which he desired in his kingdom. [1]

He made them into different distinct groups, dealt with them based on his evil desires, and subjugated them as he wanted through his power and authority. [2]

He divided them into different sects and they went along with him in everything he desired of evil and corruption, or he used some as a means to get others to obey him; or he made them into different distinct groups under his service and used every group in some type of work, such as construction, tillage, earthwork and other burdensome work. Whoever did not work was beaten, thus they served him. Or he made them into sects and incited hatred and enmity between them, so that they do not agree (among themselves). [3]

 إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

Verily, he was of the Mufsidoon

Meaning, those whose intention is neither to rectify the religious nor worldly affairs, [4] committing unlawful killing and being disobedient to Allah. [5]

[1] An Excerpt from ‘Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer’

[2] An Excerpt from ‘Tafseer Sadi’.

[3] An Excerpt from Ruh Al-Ma’aanee 11/64-65 By Allamah Al-Alusi.

[4] An Excerpt from ‘Tafseer Sadi’.

[5] An Excerpt from ‘Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilm at-Tafseer by Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi