So Allah protected him from the evils of their plotting, the severity of their deceit, and what they intended to inflict of various types of punishment on those who opposed them. It was said that he was saved with Musa, and what they intended for the family of Pharaoh was to torture the Muslims. Their plotting returned upon them as the Fire, instead of a bad punishment. Or it is a news of a deleted subject, as if someone said: What is the bad punishment? It was said: It is the Fire. Or it is a subject whose predicate is 'they are presented to it,' and in this way, it is a glorification of the Fire and a terror of its punishment. Their being presented to it means their being burned by it. It is said: The imam presents the captives to the sword when he kills them with it. And it was recited: 'the Fire' in the accusative, which supports the last interpretation. Its meaning is: They enter the Fire being presented to it. It is also possible that 'morning and evening' is in the accusative for specification, meaning that at these two times they are punished by the Fire, and in between that, Allah knows their condition. They may either be punished by another type of punishment or relief may be granted to them.

It is possible that 'morning and evening' signifies continuity. This is as long as the world exists. When the Hour rises, it will be said to them: 'Enter, O family of Pharaoh, the severest punishment of Hell.' And it was recited: 'Enter, O family of Pharaoh,' meaning: It is said to the guardians of Hell: 'Admit them.' If you say: The saying 'and the evil punishment encompassed the family of Pharaoh' means that what they intended in their plotting against the Muslims returned upon them, like the saying of the Arabs: 'Whoever digs a pit for his brother falls into it.' If the evil punishment is interpreted as the Fire of Hell, then their plotting would not have returned upon them, because they are not punished by Hell. I say:

It is possible for a person to drown a people and then be burned by the Fire, and this is called 'haq' because he intended evil and what befalls him is named evil. It is not a condition for the 'haq' that the one who is afflicted is the same evil itself. It is also possible that Pharaoh intended, when he heard the warning of the Muslims about the Fire, and the words of the believer: 'And indeed, the transgressors are the companions of the Fire,' to do what Nimrod did and punish them with the Fire. Thus, what he intended returned upon him like what he had plotted and intended to do. This verse is used as evidence for the affirmation of the punishment of the grave.