The Detriment of Lingering Bad Habits

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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

Allah, The Most High, said:

فَمَا آمَنَ لِمُوسَىٰ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

But none believed in Musa (Moses) except the offspring of his people, because of the fear of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them; and verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) was arrogant tyrant on the earth, he was indeed one of the Musrifun (polytheists, sinners and transgressors, those who give up the truth and follow the evil, and commit all kinds of great sins). [Yunus 83]

“But none believed in Musa except the offspring of his people”.

Meaning: Youth from the Children of Israel, (who) exercised patience ( in a state of) fear due to the firm Iman in their hearts.

“Because of the fear of Firaun and his chiefs lest they should persecute them” by (turning them) away from their religion (i.e. from Musa’s message of Tawhid).

“And verily, Firaun was an arrogant tyrant on the earth”.

He had  Qahr and Ghalabah in the land – (complete dominion over others in a manner that presented no chance for the oppressed to resist and prevailing with injustice) – thus their fear of his vengeance was justified, especially that “he was indeed one of the musrifeen”– Meaning, those who encroach the limits imposed by Allah through rebellion and transgression.

Old Habits Die Hard

And the wisdom – Allah knows best – behind the fact that only a small group of youth from his people believed in Musa is because the young people are more receptive to the truth and quicker to submit to it. This is unlike the elders and others who were raised upon disbelief. Because of the deeply rooted corrupt beliefs in their hearts, they are often further from the truth than others. 

An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi