The following is a translation of an article titled Repentance and Faith of Pharaoh: From the Perspectives of Imam Khomeini and Ibn ‘Arabi.

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Introduction

Pharaoh, the arrogant ruler during the time of Prophet Musa, was one of the most tyrannical rulers in human history. God Almighty has repeatedly mentioned him in the Qur’an in various instances regarding his actions and treatment of the people of Israel. About him, the Qur’an states: “Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a group among them, slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.” ¹

After a long struggle with the believers among the Children of Israel, Pharaoh fell into a divine trap. As he pursued them across the Nile, which had been parted by God’s command, the river returned to its original state and drowned him and his followers. Verses of the Qur’an have been revealed about this matter. Some, like Ibn ‘Arabi, have concluded from these verses that the Pharaoh repented and became a believer, while others, like Imam Khomeini, have interpreted them as his repentance having been rejected and that he remained a disbeliever.

Repentance must be voluntary and made while the opportunity for committing sins and prohibited actions still exists. Forced repentance that is done out of desperation therefore holds no value. The prominent Shia theologian Khawaja Nasir al-Din al-Tusi explicitly states this principle: “Repentance is not accepted in the Hereafter because the necessary conditions are absent”².

His student, Allama al-Hilli, who was a commentator on al-Tusi’s influential work Tajrid al-I‘tiqad, elaborates on this statement as follows: “Repentance only removes punishment when it is done correctly, and that requires regret for the wrongness of the act itself. However, in the Hereafter, repentance arises from desperation and compulsion, not from regret for the inherent wrongness of the act.”³

Therefore, repentance in the Hereafter holds no meaning, and since the necessary conditions are also absent at the time of witnessing the signs of death, repentance at the moment of death is of no benefit. Almighty God also states in the Qur’an regarding this matter: “But repentance is not [accepted] from those who [continue to] do evil deeds until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I repent now,’ nor [from] those who die while they are disbelievers. For them, We have prepared a painful punishment.”⁴ Imam Sadiq when explaining this verse says: “That is when one witnesses the realities of the Hereafter”.⁵

In addition, other prominent Imami theologians such as Shaykh al-Mufid⁶, Fadil al-Miqdad⁷, and Ibn Maytham al-Bahrani⁸, also hold consider that a condition of repentance is that a person should also have a ‘firm resolve to abandon [sin] in the future.’ This can be traced back to a saying of Imam Ali where he describes the meaning of istighfar: “It is a term that encompasses six meanings: The first is regret for what has passed, and the second is a firm resolve never to return to it.”⁹.

Explaining why such a firm commitment to abandon sin is necessary, Shahid Mutahhari has explained:

“Repentance is not merely regret and turning back. If a person turns away from their wrongful path under any external factor, it cannot be considered true repentance. True repentance occurs when an inner revolution takes place within a person, when the sacred forces hidden within them rise against the base, carnal, and satanic inclinations and misdeeds. It happens when these sacred forces seize control of the dominion of the self”.¹⁰.

It is obvious that this transformation cannot occur at the moment of death or after it, which is why repentance at that time holds no benefit. As will be discussed, both Imam Khomeini¹¹ and Ibn ‘Arabi ¹² have pointed out the futility of repentance at the moment of death. Their difference lies in whether Pharaoh’s repentance occurred before he witnessed the signs of death or after it. Ibn ‘Arabi believes it was before, while Imam Khomeini considers it to have been after seeing the signs of death.

Accepting either view has its implications. For instance, if Ibn ‘Arabi’s opinion is accepted, it inspires hope in individuals, giving them confidence that the door to repentance and turning back to God remains open until the final moments of life. On the other hand, if Imam Khomeini’s perspective—shared by most scholars—is accepted, it instills a sense of fear, urging individuals not to delay repentance and turning to God, lest they miss the opportunity and face divine punishment. Of course, as is evident, both states of hope and fear are divine blessings in their proper contexts.

Ibn ‘Arabis View on Pharoah’s Repentance

Ibn ‘Arabi believes that Pharaoh repented and believed in God before his death, and that he passed away before committing any sin thereafter. Therefore, he argues that Pharaoh departed this world as a believer, purified and cleansed. Ibn ‘Arabi also holds that Prophet Musa was a source of spiritual enlightenment for both Lady Asiya and Pharaoh. For Lady Asiya, this was due to the perfection she attained through the blessings of Prophet Musa, and for Pharaoh, it was because of the faith God granted him at the moment of his drowning through the influence of Musa and his message. On this matter, Ibn ‘Arabi states:

When the family of Pharaoh found Prophet Musa by the tree in the river, Pharaoh named him “Musa.” In the Coptic language, “Mu” means water, and “Sa” means tree. He gave him this name because they found the chest by the tree in the river. Pharaoh intended to kill him…but his wife spoke on behalf of Musa, saying to Pharaoh, “He is a source of joy for me and you.” (28:9) Through Musa, Lady Asiya’s heart was illuminated due to the perfection she attained, as mentioned earlier. For Pharaoh, Musa was a source of enlightenment because of the faith God granted him at the moment of drowning. God took Pharaoh’s life in a state of purity and cleanliness, with no trace of filth in him. This is because Pharaoh died immediately after believing, before committing any sin. Pharaoh’s prior disbelief and sins were erased by the faith he embraced. God Almighty made this an example of His mercy for whomever He wills, so that no one would despair of His mercy. As the Qur’an states: “Indeed, none despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people.” (12:87)¹³

Ibn ‘Arabi, in his Futuhat al-Makkiyya, also emphasizes that Pharaoh died as a believer. He bases this on the verse: “Speak to him a gentle word, that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah].” (20:44). Ibn ‘Arabi argues that God accepted Pharaoh’s faith because the verse contains an expression of tarajji (hope) in relation to Almighty God. In his understanding, when tarajji is used concerning God, it does not imply the possibility of an event but rather its certainty. In this verse, God does not limit the hope of Pharaoh’s remembrance or fear to that specific meeting, nor does He restrict it to the Hereafter, where everyone will possess a natural sense of fear. Instead, the verb is expressed in the present tense (yadh-dhakkar or yakh-sha), which can refer to both the worldly present and the future Hereafter.

However, since the verb is not paired with future markers like “soon” (sawfa) or “will” (sin), it implies that the outcome occurred in this world. Thus, Ibn ‘Arabi concludes that God’s hope for Pharaoh’s remembrance and fear was realized, as the soft words of Musa and Harun influenced Pharaoh and he became mindful and humble during his lifetime. This, Ibn ‘Arabi states, indicates that Pharaoh’s faith was accepted, as his remembrance and humility occurred in the context of the prophetic invitation which took place during his worldly life.¹⁴

Imam Khomeini’s view on Pharoah’s Repentance

In contrast to Ibn ‘Arabi’s view, Imam Khomeini does not consider Pharaoh’s repentance to have been accepted, as it occurred at a point when repentance was no longer valid—at the time of death.Imam Khomeini states:

“After Pharaoh saw that he was now about to drown, he said: ‘I believe that there is no deity except the One in whom the Children of Israel have believed’ (10:90). The response to him was: ‘No, it is too late now.’ The matter had already been decided. You sinned until now, you rebelled, you enslaved the Children of Israel, and you committed oppression. Now that you see the punishment descending and you are in the process of drowning, you say, ‘I have sinned! I repent!’ This is like someone saying they repent after they have died and are witnessing the torment of Hell. Such repentance is not valid.”¹⁵

He further explains:

“After Pharaoh saw the punishment descending and realized he was drowning, he said, ‘I believe in what the Children of Israel believe.’ The response was, ‘Now? You believe now? Yet before this, you disobeyed and were among the corrupters’ (10:91).”¹⁶

Thus, Imam Khomeini considers Pharaoh’s repentance to be invalid. He also comments on the Qur’anic verse: “Speak to him a gentle word, that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah].” (20:44). In his lessons on Usul, Imam Khomeini provides explanations that conflict with Ibn ‘Arabi’s interpretation. Ibn ‘Arabi concluded from this verse that Pharaoh was indeed reminded, repented, and ultimately believed. In contrast, Imam Khomeini argues that despite God’s knowledge of Pharaoh’s disbelief, the command for Musa and Harun to speak gently to Pharaoh was meant to create the mindset of a potential change in Pharaoh within Musa and Harun for specific purposes.

Imam Khomeini also suggests another possibility: the invitation to Pharaoh was not aimed at him personally but at those around him. Delivering the divine message to Pharaoh’s entourage would not have been possible except in his presence¹⁷

Imam Khomeini, based on one possibility, explained the command to speak gently to Pharaoh as being for specific purposes. One such purpose, mentioned in narrations, is that God intended through this command to encourage and motivate Prophet Musa to approach Pharaoh, a proud and arrogant ruler, with clear determination. This was despite God’s knowledge that Pharaoh would neither be reminded nor fear—except at the moment of witnessing punishment.

Another possible purpose could be that if someone as arrogant as Pharaoh might potentially be influenced, then other people would, by even greater certainty, be open to influence. This understanding would strengthen the resolve and motivation of Musa and Harun in their mission of delivering the message.

In Adab al-Salat¹⁸, Khomeini provides another perspective on this verse. He sees it as a sign of the boundless mercy of God who desires guidance and salvation for all people. He also interprets the verse as teaching the method of enjoining good, forbidding evil, and guiding people like Pharaoh. Khomeini reflects on Pharaoh, whose rebellion reached such an extreme that he declared: “I am your most exalted lord” (79:24), and whose arrogance and corruption reached the extent described in the verse: “Slaughtering their sons and sparing their women” (28:4). Pharaoh, in his efforts to prevent the birth of Musa, after receiving news from fortunetellers and magicians, separated men from women, slaughtered innocent children, and committed unfathomable corruption.

Despite this, God Almighty, in His boundless mercy, sent His prophet, a spiritual and divinely nurtured guide, to direct and save a rebellious and tyrannical servant who had caused immense corruption on the earth. Despite Pharaoh’s crimes, God instructed Musa to speak to him with gentle words.

Analysis and Evaluation

It appears that Ibn ‘Arabi’s view regarding Pharaoh’s faith and repentance is unconvincing while Imam Khomeini’s perspective is far more plausible. This is because Ibn ‘Arabi’s interpretation contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur’anic verses. As previously mentioned, God Almighty explicitly states in the Qur’an regarding repentance: “But repentance is not [accepted] from those who [continue to] do evil deeds until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I repent now,’ nor [from] those who die while they are disbelievers. For them, We have prepared a painful punishment.” (4:18).

According to this verse, repentance is not accepted at the moment of death. It is evident that Pharaoh, too, repented at the moment of his death. Thus, based on the Qur’anic principle his repentance would not be accepted. This directly undermines Ibn ‘Arabi’s claim and supports Imam Khomeini’s stance that Pharaoh’s repentance was rejected.

Pharaoh’s repentance at the moment of death is also explicitly rejected in the Qur’an. In response to Pharaoh’s declaration of faith as he was drowning, God says: “Now? While you had disobeyed before and were among the corrupters?” (10:91). The apparent meaning of the verse supports the rejection of repentance at that moment. However, despite being aware of these verses, Ibn ‘Arabi still considers Pharaoh to have been saved and in his view, these verses do not apply to Pharaoh. Ibn ‘Arabi states:

“Pharaoh’s faith is not like that of someone who is dying, because such a person has absolute certainty that they are departing from this world. In contrast, this drowning man (Pharaoh) was not in the same state (as a dying person). This is because he saw the sea dry up for the believers and realized that this was due to their faith. Therefore, he wasn’t certain he would die, rather he assumed he would survive. For that reason, he said, ‘Indeed, I repent now,’ (4:18) … Furthermore, God said to him, ‘So today We will save your body so that you may be a sign for those after you’ (10:92), as was the case with the people of Yunus… ¹⁹

From Ibn ‘Arabi’s words, it appears that he believes Pharaoh, upon seeing the Nile split for the believers, realized that this extraordinary event was due to their faith. Therefore, he believed at that moment and assumed that he, too, could safely cross the river. In other words, he thought that by believing, he too would be able to cross the river like the Children of Israel and face no danger. Thus, he repented and believed in a normal state, before entering the river and before witnessing the signs of death. Consequently, his repentance and faith occurred prior to the onset of death, and therefore, it does not fall under the Qur’anic verse that rejects repentance at the time of death.

Ibn ‘Arabi also considers the reasoning based on verse 10:91 to be flawed. In rejecting its use as evidence for Pharaoh’s lack of salvation, he states:

“God confirmed Pharaoh’s faith with His words: ‘Now? While you had disobeyed before’ (10:91). This statement proves the sincerity of Pharaoh’s faith. If he had not been sincere, God would have addressed him as He did the Bedouins, who said, ‘We have believed,’ to whom God responded: ‘Say: You have not believed; but say, “We have submitted,” for faith has not yet entered your hearts’ (49:14). Thus, God bore witness to Pharaoh’s faith, and God does not testify to the sincerity of anyone’s monotheism unless He rewards them for that. Furthermore, Pharaoh committed no sins after his faith. Therefore, Almighty God accepted Pharaoh’s faith.”²⁰

Ibn ‘Arabi interprets this verse as God affirming Pharaoh’s faith, understanding the phrase “Now you have believed” as a declarative statement rather than a rhetorical question or a rebuke. As a result, he concludes that God confirmed Pharaoh’s faith. He further interprets the following statement, “While you had disobeyed before and were among the corrupters” (10:91), as emphasizing this point: it acknowledges that Pharaoh previously sinned through denial and opposition to God but implies that now, after his declaration of faith, he no longer disobeys.

It is also worth noting that Ibn ‘Arabi’s view on this matter appears to be his interpretive understanding of the Qur’anic verses rather than being directly influenced by his mystical perspectives, at least not explicitly. The first piece of evidence supporting this claim is the nature of his Qur’anic responses to critics. His two arguments—that Pharaoh’s repentance is not comparable to that of someone repenting at the moment of death—are, as is evident, derived directly from the apparent meaning of the verses.

Another piece of evidence is Ibn ‘Arabi’s understanding of the Qur’anic verses. For example, he interprets the phrase “Now you have believed” (10:91), which most exegetes have taken as a rhetorical question (indicating rejection), as a declarative statement (indicating affirmation). Such differing interpretations are purely exegetical and are common among commentators of the Qur’an. For instance, regarding the verse: “And none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firm in knowledge” (3:7), commentators have debated the meaning of the conjunction “and” (wa). Some, like Allama Tabatabai and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, interpret it as disjunctive (istināfiyya), while others, like Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi and al-Baydawi see it as conjunctive (‘ātifa). The significant difference in meaning resulting from these interpretations is self-evident. ²¹ On this basis it is hard to argue that Ibn ‘Arabi’s mystical approach led to his view on Pharaoh’s repentance and faith. Instead, his perspective should be understood as an interpretive conclusion based on his reading of the Qur’an.

Ibn ‘Arabi’s arguments for his interpretation of the verses are open to challenge. His claim that Pharaoh’s repentance occurred before entering the river—and thus falls outside the scope of the verse 4:18 requires evidence. This is because departing from the apparent meaning of the verse necessitates a contextual indication (qarīna), and no such indication exists. Furthermore, if Pharaoh had truly repented, why would he have continued to pursue the Children of Israel?

Additionally, Ibn ‘Arabi’s interpretation of the verse, “Now? While you had disobeyed before and were among the corrupters” (10:91), is also contrary to the apparent meaning and requires a contextual indication. The apparent meaning of the verse suggests that when Pharaoh expressed regret and repented while drowning, God responded, “Now? While you had disobeyed before,” which implies the rejection of his repentance.

If someone argues that the phrase allows for both possibilities (declarative statement vs rhetorical rejection) and therefore requires evidence to choose one interpretation over the other, the response is that there is no evidence supporting Ibn ‘Arabi’s interpretation. In contrast, evidence exists for Imam Khomeini’s view. For instance, the verse, “So today We will save your body so that you may be a sign for those after you” (10:92), indicates the rejection of Pharaoh’s faith and salvation. This is because, if his soul had been saved, it would not have mattered whether his body was preserved or perished. The emphasis on saving his body suggests that his true essence, his soul, was not saved.

Secondly, in addition to the apparent meaning of certain verses, there are narrations that explicitly indicate the rejection of Pharaoh’s repentance, which contradict Ibn ‘Arabi’s claim. One such narration is reported by Shaykh al-Saduq in Ma‘ani al-Akhbar.²²

Conclusion

From the discussion it can be concluded that if Pharaoh had believed before witnessing the signs of punishment and drowning, as Ibn ‘Arabi claims, his faith would have been accepted, and consequently, his deeds forgiven. However, this claim contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur’anic verses and the explicit statements in narrations.

On the other hand, if Pharaoh believed at the moment of witnessing the signs of punishment and drowning—as the apparent meaning of the Qur’anic verses, explicit narrations, and Imam Khomeini’s interpretation indicate—then his faith was rejected. Thus, in this matter, Imam Khomeini’s view appears to be correct and Ibn ‘Arabi’s perspective isn’t.

1. Qur’an, 28:4
2. al-Tusi, Tajrid al-I’tiqad, p. 308
3. Allama Hilli, Kashf al-Murad, p. 424
4. Qur’an, 4: 18
5. Saduq, al-Faqih, v. 1, p. 133
6. Mufid, Awa’il al-Maqalat, p. 85
7. Fadhil Miqdad, Irshad al-Talibin, p. 432
8. Maytham al-Bahrani, Qawai’d, p. 168
9. Nahj al-Balagha, wisdom 417
10. Shahid Mutahhari, Azadi-yeh ma’navi, p. 131
11. Khomeini, Sahifeh yeh-Imam, v.5, p. 84
12. Ibn ‘Arabi, Futuhat al-Makkiya, v.2 , p. 410
13. Ibn ‘Arabi, Fusus al-Hikam, p. 201
14. Ibn ‘Arabi, Futuhat al-Makkiya, v.2 , p. 411
15. Khomeini, Sahifeh yeh-Imam, v.5, p. 84
16. Khomeini, Sahifeh yeh-Imam, v.5, p. 83
17. Khomeini, Jawahir al-Usul, v.4, p. 123
18. Khomeini, Adab al-Salat, p. 237
19. Ibn ‘Arabi, Futuhat al-Makkiya, v.2 , p. 410
20. ibid
21. To explain this example a little further, a disjunctive reading of 3:7 would be “And none knows its interpretation except Allah. As for those firm in knowledge…” Whereas a conjunctive reading of it would be “And none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firm in knowledge”. The choice an exegete makes between a conjunctive or disjunctive interpretation depends on the foundational principles and assumptions underlying their hermeneutical framework (a topic beyond the scope of this paper).”
22. Saduq, Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p. 386