Surah Yunus Tafseer

الانَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ

Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before,

do you say that just now when you have disobeyed Allah before that.

وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

And you were one of the mischief-makers.

You were among the makers of mischief on the earth who misled the people.

وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَيِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ

and We made them leaders inviting to the Fire:and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped. (28:41)

These facts about Fir`awn and his status at that time were among the secrets of the Unseen that Allah revealed to His Messenger, Muhammad.

Similarly Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn Abbas said that Allah's Messenger said;

قَالَ لِي جِبْرِيلُ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَأَنَا اخِذٌ مِنْ حَالِ الْبَحْرِ فَأَدُسُّهُ فِي فَمِ فِرْعَونَ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ الرَّحْمَة

Jibril said to me, "If you could have seen me while I was taking black mud from the sea and placing into the mouth of Fir`awn out of fear that the mercy would reach him."

Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir also recorded it.

At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib Sahih."

About Allah's statement,