Surah 14:6
Show Full Scripture Context (14:6-8) — 3 Verses
وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ أَنجَىٰكُم مِّنۡ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَسُومُونَكُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمۡۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَظِيمٞ
(Remember) when Moses said to his people, ‘Remember the blessing of God on you, when He rescued you from the house of Pharaoh. They were inflicting on you the evil punishment, and slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. In that was a great test from your Lord.’
وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَئِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمۡۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرۡتُمۡ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٞ
And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If indeed you are thankful, I shall indeed give you more, but if indeed you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is harsh indeed.’
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِن تَكۡفُرُوٓاْ أَنتُمۡ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ
And Moses said, ‘(Even) if you disbelieve, you and whoever is on the earth all together – surely God is indeed wealthy, praiseworthy.’
Allah states that Musa reminded his people about Allah's annals and days and of Allah's favors and bounties that He bestowed on them, when He saved them from Fir'awn and his people and the torment and disgrace they used to exert on them. They used to slaughter whomever they could find among their sons and let their females live. Allah delivered them from all this torment, and this is a great bounty, indeed. This is why Allah described this affliction,
{and in it was a tremendous trial from your Lord.}
'For He granted you (O Children of Israel) a great favor for which you are unable to perfectly thank Him.' Some scholars said that this part of the Ayah means, "what Fir'awn used to do to you was a tremendous trial.' Both meanings might be considered here and Allah knows best. Allah said in another Ayah,
{And We tried them with good and evil in order that they might turn (to Allah).} [7:168]
Allah's statement next,
{And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed}
means, proclaimed and made known His promise to you. It is possible that this Ayah means, your Lord has vowed and sworn by His might, grace and exaltness. Allah said in a similar Ayah,
{And (remember) when your Lord declared that He would certainly keep on sending against them (i.e. the Jews), till the Day of Resurrection.} [7:167]
Allah said,
{If you give thanks, I will give you more;}
meaning, 'if you appreciate My favor on you, I will give you more of it, [and if you are thankless]... I will punish you.'
And Musa said: "If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (free of all needs), Worthy of all praise."
Allah is Rich and free of need for the thanksgiving of His servants, while His servants are all poor and need Him. The Prophet said in an authentic Hadith:
"O My servants. If the first and the last among you, mankind and Jinns among you, had the heart of the most pious and righteous man among you, that will not increase my kingdom in the least. O My servants! If the first and the last among you, mankind and the Jinns among you, had the heart of the most wicked man among you, that will not decrease My kingdom in the least. O My servants! If the first and the last among you, the mankind and Jinns among you, stood in one flat area and each asked me (what they wish), and I gave each one of them what they asked, that will not decrease My kingdom except by that which the needle carries (of water) when inserted in the ocean."
Verily, all praise and glory are due to Allah, the Rich [free of need], the Worthy of all praise.