Story of the Believer from Pharaoh's Family in the Quran

The account appears in Surah Ghafir (also called Surah al-Mu'min, "the Believer"), verses 23 to 46. It begins by saying that Allah sent Musa with clear signs to Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun, and that they called him a magician and a liar.

Then Pharaoh said, in the meaning of verse 26: let me kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord, for I fear he will change your religion or spread corruption in the land. Musa answered that he had sought refuge with his Lord and their Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Account (verse 27). It is at this moment that the believing man speaks.

The Quran describes him as a believing man "from the family of Pharaoh" who had been concealing his faith. It does not give his name, his position or his age.

The Arabic of his first words is: وَقَالَ رَجُلٌۭ مُّؤْمِنٌۭ مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمَٰنَهُۥٓ أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّىَ ٱللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَكُ كَٰذِبًۭا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُۥ ۖ وَإِن يَكُ صَادِقًۭا يُصِبْكُم بَعْضُ ٱلَّذِى يَعِدُكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌۭ كَذَّابٌۭ

The meaning is: do you kill a man merely because he says "My Lord is Allah", when he has come to you with clear proofs? If he is lying, the harm of his lie is on him. If he is truthful, some of what he promises will reach you. Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar.

His argument is calm and fair. He did not insult Pharaoh, and he did not start by announcing his own faith. Next he reminded them (verse 29) that their power was only for today, and asked who would protect them if Allah's punishment came. Pharaoh replied that he showed them only what he saw and guided them only to the right way.

The man then warned them of a fate like the "day of the companies", meaning the peoples who denied before them, such as the people of Nuh, 'Ad and Thamud (verses 30-31). He warned them of the Day of Calling, a day when they would turn their backs and flee with no protector from Allah (verses 32-33).

He also reminded them that Yusuf (Joseph) had come to them earlier with clear proofs, but they stayed in doubt until he died and then said that Allah would never send a messenger after him (verse 34).

Pharaoh answered by asking Haman to build a tower so that he might reach the heavens and look at the God of Musa, while saying he thought Musa was a liar (verses 36-37). The man did not stop. He said, in the meaning of the verses:

• Follow me and I will guide you to the way of right conduct (verse 38).
• This worldly life is only temporary enjoyment, and the Hereafter is the home of permanent settlement (verse 39).
• Whoever does an evil deed is repaid only with its like, but whoever does righteousness, male or female, while believing, will enter Paradise with provision without account (verse 40).
• How is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire? (verses 41-43)

Notice that he used the same phrase Pharaoh had used, "the way of right conduct", and showed where it truly leads. He ended with: فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ مَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ That is, you will remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah, for Allah sees His servants.

The Quran says: فَوَقَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا۟ ۖ وَحَاقَ بِـَٔالِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوٓءُ ٱلْعَذَابِ The meaning is that Allah protected him from the evil of what they plotted, and the people of Pharaoh were surrounded by the worst of punishment.

Verse 46 adds that they are exposed to the Fire morning and evening, and that on the Day the Hour is established it will be said: make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.

The Quran does not say how Allah protected him, whether he stayed in Egypt, or when his faith became known.

The man is not named in the Quran. Some later books give names for him, but they are not from the Quran or an authentic hadith, so we do not rely on them.

He should not be confused with the man in Quran 28:20, who came running "from the farthest end of the city" to warn Musa that the chiefs were plotting to kill him, so that Musa left for Madyan. That is a different scene from the speech in Surah Ghafir. The Quran does not say they are the same person, so it is safest to treat them separately.

Also, the Quran does not say that the believer's speech changed the mind of Pharaoh's people. It tells us only that Allah protected him and that the arrogant ones were punished.

• Speak the truth with fairness. The believer argued from what Pharaoh's court could accept: if Musa is lying, it is on him; if he is truthful, you will suffer.
• Faith can be hidden for a time, but there may come a moment when a believer must speak up to protect an innocent person.
• Remind people of the Hereafter. The man contrasted the passing life of this world with the permanent home to come.
• Reliance on Allah is the believer's final answer to threats: "I entrust my affair to Allah."
• Protection belongs to Allah. The man stood alone in front of a tyrant, and the Quran tells us that Allah protected him from their plots.