Transliteration:( Qaaloo oozeenaa min qabli an ta'tiyanaa wa mim ba'di maa ji'tanaa; qaala 'asaa Rabbukum ai yuhlika 'aduwwakum wa yastakhli fakum fil ardi fayanzura kaifa ta'maloon )
They said: "We were oppressed before you came to us, and since you have come to us" (269). He said: "It is likely that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, then He will see how you act" (270).
The Israelites expressed their grief and frustration, saying that they had faced oppression even before Musa’s arrival, and that nothing had improved since. They had hoped that after Musa (peace be upon him) appeared, Pharaoh’s cruelty—especially the killing of their children—would stop, as the original reason (preventing Musa’s birth) was no longer valid. Yet, the inhuman killing continued, leaving them to wonder, “When will relief finally come?”
Musa (peace be upon him) responded with hopeful reassurance, revealing a prophecy: that Allah would soon destroy Pharaoh and grant the Israelites control of the land. This reflects Musa’s knowledge of the unseen (ghayb), as granted by Allah. His words were fulfilled exactly—Pharaoh was drowned, and the Israelites inherited Egypt. Yet, Musa added a subtle reminder: once power is given, Allah will observe how you act, highlighting that freedom comes with responsibility and a test of righteous conduct.
The tafsir of Surah Al-A’raf verse 129 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah A’raf ayat 127 which provides the complete commentary from verse 127 through 129.
(7:129) The people of Moses replied: ‘We were oppressed before your coming to us and after it.’ Moses said: ‘Your Lord will soon destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land. Then He will see how you act.’
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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