He recorded against them with injustice that the people of the oppressors were brought forward. Then he addressed them with clarity, as if the meaning of the oppressors and its translation is the people of Pharaoh, and they are two expressions that convey the same meaning: if he wishes, he mentions them as the oppressors, and if he wishes, he refers to them as the people of Pharaoh. They have deserved this name for two reasons: due to their oppression of themselves through disbelief and wickedness, and due to their oppression of the Children of Israel by enslaving them. It was recited: 'Ala yattaqoon' with the noon being broken, meaning: 'Will they not fear Me?' The noon was omitted due to the meeting of the two noons, and the ya was omitted for sufficiency by the kasrah. If you say: What does the saying 'Ala yattaqoon' relate to? I say: It is an independent statement that Allah, glorified and exalted is He, followed with His sending to them for warning and recording against them with injustice, expressing astonishment to Musa about their state which is notorious for oppression and tyranny, and about their feeling secure from consequences and their lack of fear and caution from the days of Allah. It is possible that 'la yattaqoon' is a state of the pronoun in 'the oppressors,' meaning: they oppress while not fearing Allah and His punishment, so the hamzah of denial was introduced on the state. As for the one who recited: 'Ala tattaqoon' in the address, it is in the manner of turning to them, confronting them, and striking their faces with denial and anger towards them, as you see someone complaining about a wrongdoing to some of his close ones while the wrongdoer is present. When he begins to complain and his temperament becomes heated, and his anger intensifies, he stops addressing his companion and turns to the wrongdoer, reproaching him and saying: 'Did you not fear Allah? Did you not feel ashamed before the people?' If you say: What is the benefit of this turning and addressing Musa, blessings and peace be upon him, at the time of conversation, while those addressed are absent and unaware? I say: Conducting this in the speech to them is like conducting it in their presence and delivering it to their hearing, for he is the one conveying it, prohibiting it, and spreading it among the people. There is kindness in it and encouragement for increased piety. How many verses were revealed concerning the disbelievers, and in them is a greater share for the believers, for reflection and consideration of their context. And in 'Ala yattaqoon' with the ya and broken noon, there is another meaning, which is: 'O people, fear Me,' like His saying: 'Ala yasjudoo.'