Despite much preaching, many signs and trials, Pharaoh and his people persisted in their arrogant ways. There was growing enmity towards the believers and it was now necessary for the Coptic Egyptians' punishment. It is said that those who did believe (apart from the Magicians) were the wife of Pharaoh, the hairdresser girl of pharaoh's daughter the believing man we spoke about previously and the man who came from the furthest town who warned Moses (in 28:20) whom we also covered earlier. Others say that there was a big group of Coptic Egyptians who converted (as suggested by 10:82)

Recall in 10:84-86 we hear when Moses told the believers to put their trust in Allah and be patient, for He will relieve them of their suffering - we now hear about how Allah did just that.

First, Allah commanded Moses and his brother Aaron to make the Israelites houses' visibly different from that of the Coptic Egyptians, so that it was clear to them where they all were. They were also commanded to make their houses places of worship/increase their prayer in them. Some add that, as it was unsafe for them to pray openly, it was necessary for them to secretly pray in their houses.

We revealed to Moses and his brother, “Appoint houses for your people in Egypt. Turn these houses into places of worship, establish prayer, and give good news to the believers!”10:87

Moses prayed, “Our Lord! You have granted Pharaoh and his chiefs luxuries and riches in this worldly life, ˹which they abused˺ to lead people astray from Your Way! Our Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment.”10:88

After many chances, it was clear that Pharaoh's wealth had blinded him of the truth, and filled him with destructive pride. In response to Moses' dua, Allah answered his plea.

Allah responded ˹to Moses and Aaron˺, “Your prayer is answered! So be steadfast and do not follow the way of those who do not know.”10:89

At this time, there was a festival taking place, so the Israelites pretended to be preparing for that but were in fact preparing to escape the land of Pharaoh. Once they left, Pharaoh heard news and commanded his army to follow and harm them.

And We inspired Moses, ˹saying,˺ “Leave with My servants at night, for you will surely be pursued.”26:52

Then Pharaoh sent mobilizers to all cities,26:53

˹and said,˺ “These ˹outcasts˺ are just a handful of people,26:54

who have really enraged us,26:55

but we are all on the alert.”26:56

It is said that Pharaoh took 100,000 horse-riders and a total of over 500,000 who followed the Israelities until they were close to one another.

So We lured the tyrants out of ˹their˺ gardens, springs,26:57

treasures, and splendid residences.26:58

So it was. And We awarded it ˹all˺ to the Children of Israel.26:59

And so they pursued them at sunrise.26:60

When the two groups came face to face, the companions of Moses cried out, “We are overtaken for sure.”26:61

Moses reassured ˹them˺, “Absolutely not! My Lord is certainly with me—He will guide me.”26:62

When they were being chased and Pharaoh and his army getting closer and closer, the Israelities became worried and angry. Allah then commanded Moses to strike his staff on the sea. At that, the sea began to part, and the israelites demanded separate path for each tribe so Allah made twelve tunnels for each tribe of the Israelites to pass through. The water stood as high as mountains, wind blew and made the ground easy to walk on and the people were told by Moses to walk to safety. They were in awe, knowing this was a miracle from Allah. Once the last person had passed through, Pharaoh reached the sea.

Moses was commanded to leave the sea, despite wanting to strike it again to make the paths disappear. Pharaoh knew this was a miracle from The Lord Moses had warned, but continued to corrupt his people saying that he parted the sea for him to pass through - despite being too scared to walk the path.

So We inspired Moses: “Strike the sea with your staff,” and the sea was split, each part was like a huge mountain.26:63

We drew the pursuers to that place,26:64

and delivered Moses and those with him all together.26:65

Angel Gabriel came in the form of a horse rider on a Buraq( flying horse of paradise and walked in front of Pharaoh and his horse which began to follow Gabriel. Pharaoh could not control his horse and soon after was walking in the sea. His army then followed, until they were all in the newly created paths in the sea.

Suddenly, Allah commanded Moses to strike the sea once more and the paths began to collapse, downing Pharaoh and all his army (the tyrants).

˹Allah responded,˺ “Leave with My servants at night, for you will surely be pursued.44:23

And leave the sea parted, for they are certainly an army bound to drown.”44:24

˹Imagine˺ how many gardens and springs the tyrants left behind,44:25

as well as ˹various˺ crops and splendid residences,44:26

and luxuries which they fully enjoyed.44:27

So it was. And We awarded it ˹all˺ to another people.44:28

Neither heaven nor earth wept over them, nor was their fate delayed.44:29

This was a great sign of Allah's power and the protection He awards the good-doers.

At the point where Pharaoh and his army's bodies were floating around the fierce waves, and they realised they were powerless, Pharaoh called out accepting the truth - but it was too late. He had already seen his death, similar to when the disbelievers will say they believe after death but, if returned to earth, would still persist in their bad deeds (referenced in verses such as 6:27-28).

We brought the Children of Israel across the sea. Then Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them unjustly and oppressively. But as Pharaoh was drowning, he cried out, “I believe that there is no god except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am ˹now˺ one of those who submit.”10:90

˹He was told,˺ “Now ˹you believe˺? But you always disobeyed and were one of the corruptors.10:91

Today We will preserve your corpse so that you may become an example for those who come after you. And surely most people are heedless of Our examples!”10:92

The last verse above has been commented on by Ibn Abbas and others: some of the Israelities were concerned that Pharaoh did or could not die, afterall he had preached himself to be an all-powerful god. Allah showed them he was dead by raising his body up to float in the sea and be seen and then drowned for thousands of years, to be found later as a promise from Allah that He will bring him as a lesson for the later..

When they saw Our punishment, they cried, “˹Now˺ we believe in Allah alone and reject what we had been associating with Him!”40:84

But their faith was of no benefit to them when they saw Our torment. This has ˹always˺ been Allah’s way ˹of dealing˺ with His ˹wicked˺ servants. Then and there the disbelievers were in ˹total˺ loss.40:85

"When Allah drowned Pharaoh he said, 'I believe that there is no god except the One that the children of Israel believe in.' So Jibreel (Gabriel) said, 'O Muhammad! If you could only have seen me while I was taking the mud from the sea, and filling his mouth out of fear that the mercy would reach him.'" [At-Tirmithi 3107, also in Ahmad 1:309]

This story of the shocking failure of Pharaoh, despite all the power and worldly splendour he had, surely is a lesson for all of us. It is also a lesson for the children of Israel.

We are told, narrated Ibn Abbas, that when the Prophet ﷺ arrived at Medina, the Jews were observing the fast on 'Ashura' (10th of Muharram) and they said, "This is the day when Moses became victorious over Pharaoh," On that, the Prophet ﷺ said to his companions, "You (Muslims) have more right to celebrate Moses' victory than they have, so observe the fast on this day." [Bukhari 4680]