فَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا۟ لَنَا هَٰذِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا۟ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَٰٓئِرُهُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
27:48; 36:19.
Important Words:
یطیروا (ascribed the evil fortune) is really یتطیروا which is derived from طار, from which also the word طائر (evil fortune ) is derived. They say, طار الطائر i.e. the bird flew or moved in the air by means of its wings. تطیربالشیء means, he augured evil from the thing, because it was the custom among the Arabs to take augury from the flight of birds, طائر meaning a bird. An Arab would say جری له الطائربامرکذا i.e. the bird, viz. fortune brought to him such an event. طائر therefore, means, a bird; a thing from which one augurs either good or evil; an omen, a bodement of good or of evil; an evil fortune or ill-luck; actions; the means of subsistence; the brain. The words انما طائر ھم عند الله mean, their evil fortune is with God; or the cause of their good and evil is with God; or the cause of their evil fortune is with God, i.e. their actions which are the real cause of their evil fortune have reached God and lie in store there (Lane & Lisan). See also 3:50.
Commentary:
The people of Pharaoh ascribed to Moses the evils and misfortunes that befell them. They pretended to think that the miseries with which they had been afflicted were due to the inauspicious advent of Moses. Such has always been the practice of disbelievers. When, at the advent of a heavenly Messenger, misfortunes befall the people in consequence of their misdeeds, they, instead of repenting of their sins, ascribe them to the inauspicious advent of the heavenly Messenger.
Since the word طائر (lit. a bird) signifies an action or evil fortune, the verse constitutes a severe rebuke administered to the people of Pharaoh. They are told that the misfortunes which had befallen them were due not to what they called the "inauspicious" advent of Moses, but to their own sins and iniquitous deeds. Thus the expression, the cause of their evil fortune is with Allah, means that the evil and malicious words which they uttered concerning Moses would be preserved with God and they would be duly punished for their insolence.
27:48; 36:19.
Ta’ir means, an omen, a bodement of good or of evil; an evil fortune or ill-luck (Lane).