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 Surah Al-A'raf 7:109-126 [14/24]
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
قَالَSaid
ٱلْمَلَأُthe chiefs
مِنof
قَوْمِ(the) people
فِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaun,
إِنَّ`Indeed,
هَـٰذَاthis
لَسَـٰحِرٌ(is) surely a magician -
عَلِيمٌlearned.
﴿١٠٩﴾
يُرِيدُHe wants
أَنto
يُخْرِجَكُمdrive you out
مِّنْfrom
أَرْضِكُمْ‌ۖyour land,
فَمَاذَاso what
تَأْمُرُونَ(do) you instruct?`
﴿١١٠﴾
قَالُوٓاْThey said,
أَرْجِهْ`Postpone him
وَأَخَاهُand his brother,
وَأَرْسِلْand send
فِىin
ٱلْمَدَآئِنِthe cities
حَـٰشِرِينَgatherers.
﴿١١١﴾
يَأْتُوكَThey (will) bring to you
بِكُلِّ[with] every
سَـٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٍlearned magician.`
﴿١١٢﴾
وَجَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُSo the magicians came
فِرْعَوْنَ(to) Firaun.
قَالُوٓاْThey said,
إِنَّ`Indeed,
لَنَاfor us
لَأَجْرًاsurely (will be) a reward
إِنif
كُنَّا نَحْنُwe are
ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَthe victors.`
﴿١١٣﴾
قَالَHe said,
نَعَمْ`Yes,
وَإِنَّكُمْand indeed you
لَمِنَsurely (will be) of
ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَthe ones who are near.`
﴿١١٤﴾
قَالُواْThey said,
يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ`O Musa!
إِمَّآWhether
أَن[that]
تُلْقِىَyou throw
وَإِمَّآor
أَن[that]
نَّكُونَ نَحْنُwe will be
ٱلْمُلْقِينَthe ones to throw?`
﴿١١٥﴾
قَالَHe said,
أَلْقُواْ‌ۖ`Throw.`
فَلَمَّآThen when
أَلْقَوْاْthey threw,
سَحَرُوٓاْthey bewitched
أَعْيُنَ(the) eyes
ٱلنَّاسِ(of) the people,
وَٱسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْand terrified them
وَجَآءُوand came (up)
بِسِحْرٍwith a magic
عَظِيمٍgreat.
﴿١١٦﴾
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآAnd We inspired
إِلَىٰto
مُوسَىٰٓMusa
أَنْthat,
أَلْقِ`Throw
عَصَاكَ‌ۖyour staff,`
فَإِذَاand suddenly
هِىَit
تَلْقَفُswallow(ed)
مَاwhat
يَأْفِكُونَthey (were) falsifying.
﴿١١٧﴾
فَوَقَعَSo was established
ٱلْحَقُّthe truth,
وَبَطَلَand became futile
مَاwhat
كَانُواْthey used to
يَعْمَلُونَdo.
﴿١١٨﴾
فَغُلِبُواْSo they were defeated
هُنَالِكَthere
وَٱنقَلَبُواْand returned
صَـٰغِرِينَhumiliated.
﴿١١٩﴾
وَأُلْقِىَAnd fell down
ٱلسَّحَرَةُthe magicians
سَـٰجِدِينَprostrate.
﴿١٢٠﴾
قَالُوٓاْThey said,
ءَامَنَّا`We believe
بِرَبِّin (the) Lord
ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ(of) the worlds
﴿١٢١﴾
رَبِّLord
مُوسَىٰ(of) Musa
وَهَـٰرُونَand Harun.`
﴿١٢٢﴾
قَالَSaid
فِرْعَوْنُFiraun,
ءَامَنتُم`You believed
بِهِۦin him
قَبْلَbefore
أَنْ[that]
ءَاذَنَI give permission
لَكُمْ‌ۖto you.
إِنَّIndeed,
هَـٰذَاthis
لَمَكْرٌ(is) surely a plot
مَّكَرْتُمُوهُyou have plotted it
فِىin
ٱلْمَدِينَةِthe city
لِتُخْرِجُواْso that you may drive out
مِنْهَآfrom it
أَهْلَهَا‌ۖits people.
فَسَوْفَBut soon
تَعْلَمُونَyou will know.
﴿١٢٣﴾
لَأُقَطِّعَنَّI will surely cut off
أَيْدِيَكُمْyour hands
وَأَرْجُلَكُمand your feet
مِّنْof
خِلَـٰفٍopposite (sides).
ثُمَّThen
لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْI will surely crucify you
أَجْمَعِينَall.`
﴿١٢٤﴾
قَالُوٓاْThey said,
إِنَّآ`Indeed, we
إِلَىٰto
رَبِّنَاour Lord
مُنقَلِبُونَ(will) return.
﴿١٢٥﴾
وَمَاAnd not
تَنقِمُyou take revenge
مِنَّآfrom us
إِلَّآexcept
أَنْthat
ءَامَنَّاwe believed
بِـَٔـايَـٰتِin (the) Signs
رَبِّنَا(of) our Lord
لَمَّاwhen
جَآءَتْنَا‌ۚthey came to us.
رَبَّنَآOur Lord!
أَفْرِغْPour
عَلَيْنَاupon us
صَبْرًاpatience
وَتَوَفَّنَاand cause us to die
مُسْلِمِينَ(as) Muslims.`
﴿١٢٦﴾


قَالَ الۡمَلَاُ مِنۡ قَوۡمِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَسٰحِرٌ عَلِيۡمٌ ۙ‏  يُّرِيۡدُ اَنۡ يُّخۡرِجَكُمۡ مِّنۡ اَرۡضِكُمۡ​ ۚ فَمَاذَا تَاۡمُرُوۡنَ‏  قَالُوْۤا اَرْجِهْ وَاخَاہُ وَاَرْسِلْ فِی الْمَدَآئِنِ حٰشِرِیْنَ ۙ‏  يَاۡتُوۡكَ بِكُلِّ سٰحِرٍ عَلِيۡمٍ‏  وَجَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّ لَـنَا لَاَجۡرًا اِنۡ كُنَّا نَحۡنُ الۡغٰلِبِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ نَـعَمۡ وَاِنَّكُمۡ لَمِنَ الۡمُقَرَّبِيۡنَ‏  قَالُوۡا يٰمُوۡسٰٓى اِمَّاۤ اَنۡ تُلۡقِىَ وَاِمَّاۤ اَنۡ نَّكُوۡنَ نَحۡنُ الۡمُلۡقِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ اَلۡقُوۡا​ ۚ فَلَمَّاۤ اَلۡقَوۡا سَحَرُوۡۤا اَعۡيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسۡتَرۡهَبُوۡهُمۡ وَجَآءُوۡ بِسِحۡرٍ عَظِيۡمٍ‏  وَاَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰى مُوۡسٰٓى اَنۡ اَلۡقِ عَصَاكَ​ ۚ فَاِذَا هِىَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا يَاۡفِكُوۡنَ ​ۚ‏  فَوَقَعَ الۡحَـقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ​ۚ‏  فَغُلِبُوۡا هُنَالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوۡا صٰغِرِيۡنَ​ۚ‏  وَ اُلۡقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سٰجِدِيۡنَ ۙ‏  قَالُوۡۤا اٰمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ ۙ‏  رَبِّ مُوۡسٰى وَهٰرُوۡنَ‏  قَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ اٰمَنۡتُمۡ بِهٖ قَبۡلَ اَنۡ اٰذَنَ لَـكُمۡ​ۚ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَمَكۡرٌ مَّكَرۡتُمُوۡهُ فِى الۡمَدِيۡنَةِ لِتُخۡرِجُوۡا مِنۡهَاۤ اَهۡلَهَا​ ۚ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  لَاُقَطِّعَنَّ اَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَاَرۡجُلَكُمۡ مِّنۡ خِلَافٍ ثُمَّ لَاُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ اَجۡمَعِيۡنَ‏  قَالُـوۡۤا اِنَّاۤ اِلٰى رَبِّنَا مُنۡقَلِبُوۡنَ​ۚ‏  وَمَا تَـنۡقِمُ مِنَّاۤ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ اٰمَنَّا بِاٰيٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَآءَتۡنَا​ ؕ رَبَّنَاۤ اَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرًا وَّتَوَفَّنَا مُسۡلِمِيۡنَ‏ 

Translation
(7:109) The elders of Pharaoh's people said: 'Surely this man is a skilful magician (7:110) who seeks to drive you out from your land.88 What would you have us do?' (7:111) Then they advised Pharaoh: 'Put off Moses and his brother for a while, and send forth heralds to your cities (7:112) to summon every skilful magician to your presence.'89 (7:113) And the magicians came to Pharaoh and said: 'Shall we have a reward if we win?' (7:114) Pharaoh replied: 'Certainly, and you shall be among those who are near to me.' (7:115) Then they said: '0 Moses, will you [first] throw your rod, or shall we throw?' (7:116) Moses said: 'You throw.' So when they threw [their rods], they enchanted the eyes of the people, and struck them with awe, and produced a mighty sorcery. (7:117) Then We directed Moses: 'Now you throw your rod.' And lo! it swallowed up all their false devices.90 (7:118) Thus was the truth established, and their doings proved in vain. (7:119) Pharaoh and his men were defeated and put to shame, (7:120) and the magicians flung themselves prostrate, (7:121) saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the universe, (7:122) the Lord of Moses and Aaron.'91 (7:123) Pharaoh said: 'What! Do you believe before you have my permission? Surely this is a plot you have contrived to drive out the rulers from the capital. So you shall see, (7:124) I shall cut off your hands and feet on the opposite sides, and then crucify you all.' (7:125) They replied: 'We shall surely return to our Lord. (7:126) Will you punish us just because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us? Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance and cause us to die as those who have submitted [to You].'92

Commentary

88. The above account raises the question as to how a destitute member of the slave Israeli nation could pose such a serious threat to an emperor as mighty as Pharaoh. This is especially so when one considers that Pharaoh was not only an absolute ruler over territory which stretched in one direction from Syria to Libya and in the other from the Mediterranean coast to Ethiopia, but was even considered a deity deserving of worship,

One might also wonder how the transformation of Moses' rod into a serpent could he considered an event of such magnitude as to give rise to the fear that Moses would overthrow the entrenched empire and unseat the royal family as well as the entire ruling class. It might further seem strange that the mere declaration of prophethood and the demand to liberate the people of Israel caused such a furore even though no other political question had been touched upon.

The answer here lies in the fact that Moses' claim to prophethood implied the call to total change, obviously, including political change. For if a person lays claim to be God's Messenger, it implies that people obey him unreservedly. For God's Messengers are not sent to the world to obey other human beings and live in subordination to them; they rather ask others to accept them as their leaders and rulers. It is this which explains why Pharaoh and his coteric felt threatened by an all-out revolution -political, economic and social - when Moses came forth with his call.

There remains the question as to why the claim to prophethood was considered such a potential threat when Moses enjoyed the support of none except his brother, Aaron, and his claim was reinforced by only two miracles - those of the shining hand and the rod which turned into a serpent. This can be explained by two things. First, that Pharaoh and his courtiers knew very well about Moses. All were aware of his extraordinary abilities and his inherent calibre as a leader of men. Also, according to the traditions of the Talmud and Josephus - provided they are authentic -Moses had also learnt the martial arts and other skills which were available only exclusively to royalty and which were required in connection with their political and military leadership. Moreover, he had proved his mettle as a good general during the expedition to Ethiopia. Furthermore, during the course of his eight years of life in Midian - rigorous years in the desert working as a shepherd - he had purged himself of all his weaknesses because of his association with the Pharaonic svstern. Hence. when the Pharaonic court was confronted by a mature, serene and pious man who came forth with the claim of prophethood, it was obviously impossible for them to give short shrift to his claim. Second, the miracles of the rod and the shining hand overawed Pharaoh and his courtiers to such an extent they were almost convinced that Moses did indeed enjoy the support of some supernatural power. That they were unnerved by the very first proof of his prophethood is borne out by the contradictions in their charges against Moses. On the one hand they dubbed Moses a sorcerer, and on the other hand they accused him of plotting to banish them from their own land. It is clear that had they taken Moses for a mere sorcerer, they would not have expressed fears of political upheaval. For sorcery has never brought about any political change in the world.

89. The plan of Pharaoh's courtiers clearly suggests that they knew the difference between mere sorcery and a miracle. They were well aware that miracles are effective and have the capacity to bring about actual transformation whereas sorcery results merely in optic illusion. Hence, they dubbed Moses a sorcerer so as to refute his claim to prophethood. They claimed instead that the transformation of the rod into a serpent was not a miracle; that it was rather a magical performance which could be undertaken by any sorcerer. Therefore, they asked all the sorcerers of the land to come together and display how rods could be magically transformed into serpents. They believed that such a magical show would remove the awesome effect created by Moses' miracles on the people, or at least sow doubts in their minds about those miracles.

90. It would be a mistake to believe that the rod of Moses swallowed up the rods and ropes cast by the other sorcerers and which had looked like serpents. The Qur'anic statement means that the rod of Moses swallowed up the falsehood faked by them. This clearly shows that wherever Moses' rod moved, it destroyed the magical effect which had caused the transformation of their ropes and rods. One blow of Moses' rod caused every other rod to revert to a rod, and every rope to revert to a rope. (For further elaboration see Tafhim al-Qur'an, (Ta Ha 20, n. 42)

91. Thus God turned the tables on Pharaoh and his courtiers they arranged the magic show in the hope that it would convince the people that Moses was just a sorcerer, and thus make them sceptical about his claim to prophethood. But the actual outcome was quite the opposite. The sorcerers who had been assembled were defeated. Not only that, it was also unanimously acknowledged that the signs displayed by Moses in support of his claim were not feats of magic. Rather, his signs rather manifested the might of God, the Lord of the universe, and hence could not be overcome by magic.

92. Faced with utter failure Pharaoh finally resorted to branding the whole magic tournament as a conspiracy concocted by Moses and his accomplice sorcerers. Under threat of death and physical torture he asked the sorcerers to confess that they had acted in collusion with Moses. This last move by Pharaoh was ineffectual. For the sorcerers readily agreed to endure every torture, clearly proving thereby that their decision to accept Moses' message reflected their sincere conviction and that no conspiracy was involved. Pharaoh was hardly left with any choice. He, therefore, gave up all pretence to follow truth and justice, and brazenly resorted to persecution instead.

The tremendous and instantaneous change which took place in the characters of the sorcerers is also of significance. The sorcerers had come all the way from their homes with the purpose of vindicating their ancestral faith and receiving pecuniary reward from Pharaoh for overcoming Moses. However, the moment true faith illumined their hearts, they displayed such resoluteness of will and love for the truth that they contemptuously turned down Pharaoh's offer, and demonstrated their full readiness to endure even the worst punishments for the sake of the truth that had dawned upon them.