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Surah 40. Ghafir, Ayah 28

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وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمَـٰنَهُۥٓ أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّىَ ٱللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَكُ كَـٰذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُۥ ۖ وَإِن يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبْكُم بَعْضُ ٱلَّذِى يَعِدُكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ
Waq a la rajulun muminun min a li firAAawna yaktumu eem a nahu ataqtuloona rajulan an yaqoola rabbiyya All a hu waqad j a akum bi a lbayyin a ti min rabbikum wain yaku k ath iban faAAalayhi ka th ibuhu wain yaku sa diqan yu s ibkum baAA d u alla th ee yaAAidukum inna All a ha l a yahdee man huwa musrifun ka ththa b un
At that, a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who [until then] had concealed his faith,19 exclaimed: "Would you slay a man because he says, God is my Sustainer- seeing, withal, that he has brought you all evidence of this truth from your Sustainer? Now if he be a liar, his lie will fall back on him; but if he is a man of truth, something [of the punishment] whereof he warns you is bound to befall you: for, verily, God would not grace with His guidance one who has wasted his own self by Iying [about Him].20
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a liar". As regards my rendering of musaf as "one who wastes [or "has wasted"] his own self", see note [21] on the last sentence of 10:12 . Thus, the anonymous believer spoken of here argues that the message brought by Moses is so convincing that, by itself, it is a proof of his not being "one who wastes his own self" - i.e., destroys himself spiritually-by a spurious claim to divine inspiration.

Cf. the parable of the believer in {36:20-27} and, in particular, the corresponding note 15.

At this, a believer from among the relatives of Fir'on, who had kept his faith hidden, said: "Will you kill a man merely because he says: `My Rabb is Allah, specially when he has brought you clear signs from your Rabb? If he is lying, may his lie be on his head; but if he is speaking the truth, then some of the dreadful things he is threatening you with may very well fall on you. Surely Allah does not guide the one who is a lying transgressor.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
A believing man from Pharaoh's people, who was hiding his faith, argued, 'Will you kill a man1 'only' for saying: 'My Lord is Allah,' while he has in fact come to you with clear proofs from your Lord? If he is a liar, it will be to his own loss. But if he is truthful, then you will be afflicted with some of what he is threatening you with. Surely Allah does not guide whoever is a transgressor, a total liar.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., Moses (ﷺ).

And a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who hid his faith, said: Would ye kill a man because he saith: My Lord is Allah, and hath brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie is upon him; and if he is truthful then some of that wherewith he threateneth you will strike you. Lo! Allah guideth not one who is a prodigal, a liar.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
A believer a man from among the people of Pharaoh who had concealed his faith said: "Will ye slay a man because he says `My Lord is Allah'? When he has indeed come to you with Clear (Signs) from your Lord? And if he be a liar on him is (the sin of) his lie: but if he is telling the Truth then will fall on you something of the (calamity) of which he warns you: truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies! 4396 4397 4398
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A commonsense view is put before them by an Egyptian who loves his own people and does not wish them to perish in sin. "Will you kill this man for calling on Allah? Have you not seen his character and behaviour? Do you not see the 'Clear Signs' about him that bespeak his credentials? Suppose for a moment that he is a liar and pretender: he will suffer for his falsehood, but why should you turn against Allah? But suppose that he is really inspired by Allah to tell you the truth and warn you against evil, what will be your fate when Allah's Wrath descends? For it must descend if he is a true Messenger sent by Allah."

This is with reference to the "Clear signs". 'They are Signs of Allah's guidance, for Allah would never guide a man who exceeds the bounds of truth and tells you lies! Such a man is bound to be found out!'

There is nothing to justify the identification of this man with the man mentioned in xxviii. 20, who warned Moses long before Moses had received his mission. On the contrary, in this passage, the man is evidently speaking after Moses had received his mission, preached to Pharaoh, and got a certain amount of success, for which Pharaoh and his people were trying, to seek his life. Moses had evidently already brought his Clear Signs.

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