The Debate between the Might and the Truth within a Quranist Vision (23)
The Moral Lessons from the Quranic Story of Moses and Pharaoh, Secondly: Self-Deification and Tyranny between Moses' Pharaoh and the Pharaohs of the Muhammadans
Published in February 16, 2018
Translated by: Ahmed Fathy
Secondly:self-deification and tyranny between Moses' Pharaoh and the pharaohs of the Muhammadans:
1- The paramount importance of the Quranic story of Moses' Pharaoh is its indication of the direct link between political tyranny and religious tyranny (i.e., self-deification of tyrants). Tyrannical rulers feel superior over all people; this is sinful because God has created all human beings as equal to one another; superiority and highness are only for our Almighty Lord God the Creator. This is why the Quran repeats that Moses' Pharaoh sins included his assuming superiority on earth; for instance, within the Quranic Chapter 28, we read: "Pharaoh exalted himself on earth..." (28:4), and in contrast, within the end of this Quranic Chapter 28, we read this description of those pious ones who deserve to enter into Paradise: "That Home of the Hereafter - We assign it for those who seek no superiority on earth, nor corruption. And the outcome is for the pious ones." (28:83). Thus, seeking and maintaining superiority on earth are directly linked to spreading corruption; Moses' Pharaoh is described in the Quran as a corrupt tyrant, and his tyranny led him to deify himself and to see all his deeds of corruption as a path toward guidance: "...Pharaoh said, "I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the path of guidance."" (40:29). In this case, tyranny, corruption, and self-deification are interrelated. Of course, political tyranny has continued to exist after the death of Moses' Pharaoh; it continues to exist shamelessly within the countries of the Muhammadans ruled by shameless tyrants. Yet, no Arab tyrants would dare to announce self-deification in the manner of Moses' Pharaoh. Within history, the Shiite Fatimid caliph in Cairo, Egypt, named Al-Hakim, was the only tyrant that declared his self-deification and imposed this on the Egyptian subjects; he was assassinated as a result later on. As for tyrants like the Umayyad caliphs and the pre-Umayyad caliphs Abou Bakr, Omar, and Othman, they got very near, each in different ways, to self-deification but they had never expressed this plainly. The main way adopted by the Umayyad caliphs was spreading the philosophy of (determinism by Fate); i.e., all (good and bad) events/things were decreed beforehand by God and thus no one must oppose the tyranny, oppression, decrees, commands, and injustices of caliphs and their governors and viziers, under the pain of being put to death, as this opposition was deemed at the time as an insult to God! The Pharaonic tyranny in Egypt during the era of Moses had not but one aspect: theocracy of the self-deified tyrant who was also the head of clergymen. As for the caliphates, kingdoms, and sultanates in the Middle-East (until now), the deep-rooted tyranny has included the tyrannical rulers who have used obsequious clergymen serving them as part of the deep-state; theocracies have emerged as well; e.g., the Fatimid caliphs and the caliphs of the Second Abbasid Era tightly held both the religious authority and the political one in their grip. Within our modern era, the Arab world and the countries of the Muhammadans follow either theocratic regimes (e.g., Iran and the Saudi kingdom) or secular military tyrannical regimes, and both types of regimes use/ride/control clergymen in order to use/ride/control the citizens (or subjects!). Despite the apparent differences between the Shiite theocracy of Iran and the Wahabi Sunnite theocracy of the Saudi kingdom (as both the Sunnite and Shiite religions are earthly, fabricated ones), there are many similarities in ideology and ways of tyrannical rule.
2- Moses' Pharaoh was brief and declared precisely and directly that he was the lord most high of the Egyptian people, as he proclaimed his self-deification frankly and outspokenly, unlike tyrants of today's world: "...I am your Lord, the most high." (79:24); "...I know of no god for you other than me..." (28:38). Hence, Moses' Pharaoh went into extremes of tyranny and announced his self-deification; besides, he conferred this stature of divinity to others around him, as he made his retinue members as deities above God; we infer this from the words of Moses addressed to them: "..."Do not exalt yourselves above God..." (44:19). This deifying of retinue members is not done by today's Pharaonic rulers within the countries of the Muhammadans to their cronies, primes ministers, minsters, and other retinue members.
3- Yet, the corrupt tyrants of the current, dismal era within the countries of the Muhammadans have exceeded Moses' Pharaoh's political tyranny. This is proven when we contemplate and reflect on the dialogue held by Moses and Pharaoh in the verses 26:16-33. This type of dialogue will never be allowed by tyrants of today with any opposition figures, of course. Such Arab tyrants of today unleash their dogs and cronies/henchmen within the police state to oppress, persecute, imprisoned, interrogate, and torture all their political foes.
4- We demonstrate here this dialogue held between Moses and Moses' Pharaoh:
Moses said: "..."We are the Messengers of the Lord of the Worlds. Let the Israelites go with us."" (26:16-17); here, Moses and Aaron briefly and clearly introduced themselves along with their mission and message.
Pharaoh said: "..."Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you stayed among us for many of your years? And you committed that deed you committed, and you were ungrateful."" (26:18-19); here, Pharaoh reminded Moses of bringing him up in the royal palace and told him he has been ungrateful as he killed an Egyptian man.
Moses said: "..."I did it then, when I was of those astray. And I fled from you when I feared you; but my Lord gave me wisdom, and made me one of the messengers. Is that the favor you taunt me with, although you have enslaved the Israelites?"" (26:20-22); here, Moses admitted his guilt and how he fled Egypt out of fear, but later on, God has made him a messenger; Moses counterattacked Pharaoh by reminding him of his oppression and enslavement of the Israelites for no reason.
Pharaoh said: "..."And what is the Lord of the Worlds?"" (26:23); here, Pharaoh counterattacked Moses by questioning him about the Lord God Who sent him as a messenger; Pharaoh knew for sure that any answer by Moses would inevitably provoke the ire of the Pharaonic retinue members.
Moses said: "...The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, if you are aware." (26:24); here, Moses offered straightforward and brief answer which cannot be refuted; the Lord God, and never Pharaoh, is the True God of Egypt and all the universe.
Pharaoh said: "..."Do you not hear?'" (26:25); here, Pharaoh posed this question mockingly to his retinue members, as he knew in advance their real stance and he wanted them to ridicule Moses like he did. Pharaoh, for sure, knew they would support and obey him, even if he told them to massacre Moses and Aaron. We guess here that Pharaoh might have intended to intimidate and threat Moses; yet, Moses never felt afraid of Pharaoh and his retinue members.
Moses said: "..."Your Lord and the Lord of your ancestors of old."" (26:26); here, Moses boldly and defiantly addressed Pharaoh and his retinue members by reminding them of the fact that God is the Lord of their ancestors as well.
Pharaoh said: "..."This messenger of yours, who is sent to you, is crazy."" (26:27); here, Pharaoh – within the typical Egyptian manner – was ridiculing and deriding Moses.
Moses said: "..."Lord of the East and the West, and everything between them, if you understand."" (26:28); here, Moses replied reasonably and in earnest, and he implicitly accused the listeners inside the Pharaonic palace of being unable to discern and understand.
Pharaoh said: "..."If you accept any god other than me, I will make you a prisoner."" (26:29); here, Pharaoh plainly threatened Moses, not of being put to death but to suffer imprisonment for rejecting him as a deity. Egypt is the oldest country on earth, and it has the most ancient deep-state in the world; the features of this deep-state have always included prisons that held those who dared to oppose any pharaohs/tyrants, if such opposition figures were not summarily put to death.
Moses said: "..."What if I bring you something convincing?"" (26:30); here, Moses changed the course of this dialogue by introducing a new topic that drew the attention of Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said: "..."Bring it, if you are being truthful." " (26:31); here, Pharaoh swallowed the bait as he found a chance for challenging and undermining the stance of Moses.
Moses, thus, had the chance to show them two miracles bestowed by the Lord God: "So he cast his staff; and it was a serpent, plain to see.And he pulled his hand; and it was white, for all to see." (26:32-33). Within the rest of this Quranic story, we know that Pharaoh felt defeated and hurt and made an appointed time to being magicians and sorcerers within a futile attempt to defeat Moses.
5- The Pharaonic Egyptian deep-state was fully controlled by Moses' Pharaoh at the time; yet, he did not use it to interrogate Moses; rather, he used it to persecute and to spy on the Israelites inside Egypt, and he consulted his affluent retinue members who always uttered and echoed what would please him. The Quran also tells us about the believing prince among the family of Pharaoh who acted as an opposition figure and who protested against Moses' Pharaoh's words about Moses; this prince delivered a speech to preach and warn Pharaoh and the retinue members inside the Pharaonic palace.
6- Moses' Pharaoh is the imam/leader of all tyrants in all eras after his death, and yet, he was less tyrannical when compared with Arab tyrants of our modern era now in the countries of the Muhammadans.
CONCLUSION:
1- The Quranic stories of the Israelites and of Moses and Pharaoh provide many indications for those Quranist researchers who contemplate and reflect deeply on these stories.
2- We have received many questions of our fellow Quranists about (1) the Israelite tribes, (2) the Promised Land or the Holy Land, ordained by God to the Israelites, (3) the conditions of the Israelites after the death of Moses, and (4) if the Quranic term (Israelites) may apply (or not) to the modern state of Israel that was established in 1948. These questions entail another separate, detailed book; we sincerely hope to find enough time and effort to write this book one day. May God help and aid our person
Signature:
Dr. Ahmed Subhy Mansour
February the 16th , 2018
Springfield, VA, the USA