How many of gardens and springs do they [Fir’aun’s (Pharaoh) people] left.
And green crops (fields etc.) and goodly places,
And comforts of life wherein they used to take delight!
Thus (it was)! And We made other people inherit them (i.e. We made the Children of Israel to inherit the kingdom of Egypt).
And the heavens and the earth wept not for them , nor were they given a respite.
Allaah (The Most High) said:
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
Verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them, killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidun (i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.). [Soorah Al-Qasas Ayah 4]
[إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ – Verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land]; (exalted himself)] in his kingdom, authority, army and might.
[وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا – and made its people sects]; – (divided them into) different groups, behaved towards them in a way that suited his desires and executed his dominance and strength amongst them based on what he wished.
[يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ – weakening (oppressing) a group among them]; that group was Bani Israa’eel whom Allaah preferred above mankind during their era – who were worthy of being honoured and elevated, however he oppressed them. He neither cared about them nor gave importance to their affairs, to the extent that he [يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ – killing their sons, and letting their females live]- out of fearing that they will become many, plentiful in his land and have kingship.
[إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ – Verily, he was of the Mufsidun]- those who neither intend rectification in the affairs of the religion nor in the worldly affairs, and this was his corruption in the earth.
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[Abridged & slightly paraphrased.. source: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan’ by Imaam Sadi (rahimahullaah). Publisher: Daar Ibn Hazm 1st Ed 1424AH (Year 2003)]
Allaah (The Most High) said:
وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَرۡضِعِيهِۖ فَإِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَأَلۡقِيهِ فِى ٱلۡيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحۡزَنِىٓۖ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيۡكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ
فَٱلۡتَقَطَهُ ۥۤ ءَالُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ لِيَڪُونَ لَهُمۡ عَدُوًّ۬ا وَحَزَنًاۗ إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَـٰمَـٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا ڪَانُواْ خَـٰطِـِٔينَ
”And We inspired the mother of Musa (Moses), (saying): “Suckle him [Musa (Moses)], but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers. Then the household of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief. Verily! Fir’aun (Pharaoh), Haman and their hosts were sinners.” [28:7-8]
That is: The end result and final outcome of picking up Moosa was that he would be an enemy of theirs and a cause of grief that was to grief them. Because what they feared (i.e. that they were to be destroyed at the hands of a man from Bani israa’eel) did not benefit them due to what Allaah has decreed. And that the one they feared amongst Bani Israa’eel (i.e. Moosaa) had been destined to be a leader of theirs, who was to be nurtured by them, under their eyes and guardianship.
[إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَـٰمَـٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا ڪَانُواْ خَـٰطِـِٔين -Verily! Fir’aun (Pharaoh), Haman and their hosts were sinners]; so We wished to punish them for their sins and planned for them a recompense for their (evil) plots and plans.
Imaam Sadi (rahimahullaah) also said: And from the usual ways of Allaah (The Most High) is that He causes affairs to appear gradually—little by little—and not just at once.
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[Abridged and slightly paraphrased…For further details, see Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan]