Surah Al Imran Tafseer

كَدَأْبِ الِ فِرْعَوْنَ

Like the Da'b of the people of Fir`awn.

Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said that the Ayah means,

"Like the behavior of the people of Fir`awn."

This is the same Tafsir of Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, and others.

Other scholars said that the Ayah means,

"Like the practice, conduct, likeness of the people of Fir`awn."

These meanings are all plausible,

for the Da'b means practice, behavior, tradition and habit.

The Ayah indicates that the disbelievers will not benefit from their wealth or offspring. Rather, they will perish and be punished.

وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ

and those before them; they belied Our Ayat. So Allah punished them for their sins.

This is the same end the people of Fir`awn and the previous nations met, those who rejected the Messengers, the Ayat, and proofs of Allah that they were sent with.

وَاللّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

And Allah is severe in punishment.

meaning, His punishment is severe and His torment is painful. None can escape Allah's grasp, nor does anything escape His knowledge. Allah does what He wills and prevails over all things, it is He to Whom everything is humbled and there is no deity worthy of worship, nor any Lord except Him