Allah, the Exalted, said:

"Moses said to his people, 'Seek help from Allah and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah; He gives it as inheritance to whom He wills of His servants. And the outcome is for the righteous.'"

"They said, 'We were harmed before you came to us and after you have come to us.' He said, 'Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors upon the earth, and then He will see how you act.'"

"And We had certainly seized the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and a deficiency in fruits that perhaps they would be reminded.'"

When Pharaoh said, 'We will kill their sons,' and threatened them, Moses, peace be upon him, said to the Children of Israel to strengthen them and promise them what is with Allah: "Seek help from Allah and be patient." The apparent meaning of all this speech is a promise of the unseen, as if his strength necessitates that it is from Allah. There is nothing in the wording of it that indicates that. And "the earth" refers to the earth of this world, which is the most apparent. It is said that what is meant here is the land of Paradise. As for the second part, it is the earth of this world, nothing else.

A group read: "He gives it as inheritance" with a fatha on the letter 'ra'. The seven reciters read: "He gives it as inheritance" with a sukoon on the letter 'waw', a light 'ra' that is kasra. Hafs narrated from Asim, and it is the reading of Al-Hasan: "He gives it as inheritance" with a shadda on the letter 'ra' for emphasis. And patience in this verse encompasses the waiting which is an act of worship and the patience in facing challenges.

And their saying: "Before you came to us" refers to the killing that occurred during the period in which Pharaoh was fearful that a newborn would be born who would destroy his kingdom. And what they mean by 'after you came' refers to Pharaoh's threats and all that occurred during that period of fear for them. Al-Suddi and Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that the Children of Israel said this statement when Pharaoh pursued them and forced them to the sea. Their chests became tight, and they saw a sea in front of them and a large enemy behind them, so they said this statement.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

In general, it is speech that aligns with the known behavior of the Children of Israel regarding their instability towards their prophets, their lack of certainty, and their patience in religion. And Moses' appeal to them with his words: "Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy," and his promise to them of succession upon the earth indicates that it calls for reluctant souls. This belief is strengthened in the Children of Israel by their behavior in this manner without any story. Al-Naqqash narrated that they said this in Egypt when Pharaoh imposed upon them work that they could not bear. It was narrated that he would impose upon them the work of making bricks and prevent them from straw to make their work difficult.

And His saying, the Exalted, "And then He will see how you act" is a reminder and an encouragement towards righteousness. If this promise is considered to be from Allah, then the saying of Al-Hasan ibn Abi Al-Hasan applies: "Perhaps" from Allah is obligatory. And they were made successors in Egypt during the time of David and Solomon, and they conquered the Sacred House with Joshua.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And We certainly seized the people of Pharaoh with years..." This verse informs that He seized the people of Pharaoh during the period in which Musa was calling them, with years that were droughts and famine. This is the way of Allah with nations, and He did the same with Quraysh. And the year in the speech of the Arabs means drought, and from it is the saying of Layla: "And the people are in drought." A year and a lesson, and what follows their pattern from the deficient names is gathered with the waw and the noon, not in the manner of the sound plural but in the manner of compensation, from what is deficient. Likewise, "land" they assumed a deficiency in the feminine ending; for it was right for it to be "Aradah." As for "free" and "freemen," it is because the doubling always has a defect, so they assumed it like deficiency. The breaking of the seen in "sunoon and sineen" and the addition of the alif in "iharrin" is evidence that it is not a sound plural.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And a decrease in fruits..." It has been narrated that the palm tree would bear only one fruit. And Rajaa ibn Haywah said something similar. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, intended for them to repent and to be deterred from what they were upon of disbelief, as the conditions of hardship soften the hearts and encourage what is with Allah.