Mentioned in the second verse (88), there is a curse which Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) invoked after having lost all hopes of reforming the people of the Pharaoh. At its beginning, he submitted before his Lord that He had given the Pharaoh and his group glamour and riches in their worldly life (mines of gold, silver and precious stones in Egypt and Ethiopia - al-Qurtubi). As a result, they misled people from His way. Because, common-people, when they looked at their bulging affluence, they started doubting - had they been in error, why would they have been so blessed? Again, because common-people were unable to see through the reality that material affluence without good deeds cannot be the sign of a person being right and true. It was only after having been disappointed with his efforts to correct the people of the Pharaoh, and having realized the danger it posed for other people who were being misled by the glamour and wealth of the Pharaoh's group that he invoked the curse: رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (Our Lord, obliterate their riches).

According to the statement of Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ ، such was the effect of this invocation that all gold, precious coins, stones, land produce belonging to Pharaoh's people were transformed into bland rocks. In a bag found during the period of the pious Khalifah Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) ، there were things dating back to the time of the Pharaoh. Seen in it, there were eggs and almonds of solid rock. Leading commentators say that Allah Ta` ala had turned all fruits, vegetables and grains they had into rocks. This is among the nine ayat (signs or miracles) mentioned in the Qur'an as in: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (and We gave Musa [ Moses ] nine clear signs - 17:101).

The second curse invoked by Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام for them appears in the words: وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَ‌وُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ (and harden their hearts, so that [ they are deprived of the very ability to receive any good and ] they may not come to believe until they witness the painful punishment - 88).

The invocation of this curse obviously appears to be something far out as coming through the speech of an apostle or prophet, because the sole mission of a prophet's life is nothing but to invite people to believe and act right and make efforts towards that end.

But, in terms of the hard facts of the situation here, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has already made whatever efforts he could. He was to-tally disappointed. Now he wanted that they better learn through the punishment for their deeds. In doing so, it was probable that these people, once they see the punishment coming, may make a confession and declare that they now believed, whereby the punishment could stand warded off. Therefore, what became the cause of this invocation from him was his hatred for kufr (disbelief, infidelity). This is similar to what happened to the Pharaoh. When he started to announce his belief at the time he was drowning, the angel, Jibra'il shut his mouth lest Divine mercy turns to him and he stands delivered from the punishment.