But faith is an optional matter which cannot be materialized by compulsion.

But faith is an optional matter which cannot be materialized by compulsion. Once the lamp is lit and you can see its brightness since your eyes are not defective, wittingly or unwittingly, you will acquire knowledge of the lamp being lit. According to this explanation, in this assumption faith will be acquired. According to the explanation of the Qur’an, however, notwithstanding the existence of knowledge, faith on the lamp being lit may not exist in yourself.

One of the proofs in the Qur’an substantiating this fact is in the account of the Pharaoh and his people vis-à-vis Musa (Moses) ( ‘a ). The Qur’an says, “We gave nine signs (miracles) to Musa and sent him with the nine signs to Pharaoh and his people. He showed the signs one after another to the people, the first of which was the same famous episode of his staff’s transformation into a snake. Similarly, “the white (shining) palm” was one of his miracles.

The reaction of Pharaoh to Musa ( ‘a ) and his miracles was that he said to his people: الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي I do not know of any god that you may have other than me.

(17:102) ” From the Arabic literary perspective, there are two emphases in this verse; one is the lam maftuh (the letter lam “ ل ” marked with the fathah “ فتحة ” vowel-point) and the word “ قَدْ ” in “laqad ‘alimta” at the beginning. That is, “O Pharaoh!

You most certainly know and you have knowledge [ ‘ilm ] that no one has sent down these miracles except the Lord of the heavens and the earth.” Therefore, according to the text of the Qur’an, Pharaoh had knowledge of God and even knew that He had sent down these miracles.

Yet, he was an unbeliever, and his disbelief continued up to the last moment and only at the time of drowning and ascertaining that there is no way out that he had faith with the aim of escaping death and saving himself, which of course was not accepted.