Translation of the meanings Ayah 88 Surah Yūnus - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 88

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءَاتَيۡتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَأَهُۥ زِينَةٗ وَأَمۡوَٰلٗا فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِكَۖ رَبَّنَا ٱطۡمِسۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ وَٱشۡدُدۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ

(88) ^[2446]Mūsā said: “Our Lord, you have given Pharaoh and his notables ornaments and wealth in the worldly life for them ˹only˺ to divert ˹others˺ from Your Path. Our Lord, obliterate their riches and tighten ˹the seal˺ on their hearts so that they may not Believe until they ˹actually˺ see the painful Punishment”.

[2446] Moses’ praying so is not to be misunderstood as vindictiveness on his side (cf. al-Qurṭubī), but it might be taken as a statement for making a firm stand and a clear-cut announcement of departure away from the Deniers once and for all. He did the same as Noah (عليه السلام) did when God told him that none of his people, besides those who already did so, will ever Believe (cf. 11: 36), so he prayed for them to be utterly wiped out (cf. 71: 27).