Taha 20:69
Ta-Ha · Juz 16 · Page 316
وَأَلۡقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلۡقَفۡ مَا صَنَعُوٓاْۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيۡدُ سَٰحِرٖۖ وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ ٦٩
And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 20:69–70
وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ (And throw what is in your right hand - 20:69). Allah commanded Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) by means of a revelation (وحی) to cast down what he held in his right hand, and when he threw down his staff it turned into a huge snake and ate up all the imaginary snakes which the Egyptian magicians had produced by their magic.
Conversion to Islam and bowing in prostration by the Pharaoh's magicians
The Egyptian magicians who were masters of their art realized at once that what they had just witnessed was not magic but a miracle brought about by a Supreme Power. Consequently they fell in prostration and declared openly their faith in Allah - the God of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) . According to some traditions these magicians did not raise their heads until they had seen a glimpse of heaven and hell. (رواہ عبد بن حمید و ابن ابی حاتم وابن ال؛منذر عن عکرمہ - روح)
Page 316
20:65
قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلۡقِيَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ أَلۡقَىٰ ٦٥
They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."
20:66
قَالَ بَلۡ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمۡ وَعِصِيُّهُمۡ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيۡهِ مِن سِحۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّهَا تَسۡعَىٰ ٦٦
He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].
20:67
فَأَوۡجَسَ فِي نَفۡسِهِۦ خِيفَةٗ مُّوسَىٰ ٦٧
And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses.
20:68
قُلۡنَا لَا تَخَفۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ٦٨
We [i.e., Allāh] said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior.
20:69
وَأَلۡقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلۡقَفۡ مَا صَنَعُوٓاْۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيۡدُ سَٰحِرٖۖ وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ ٦٩
And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
20:70
فَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدٗا قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ ٧٠
So the magicians fell down in prostration.1 They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."
1 translator’s note
- After they had seen the miracles which Allāh had given Moses and that they were realities and not merely impressions of magic. ↩
20:71
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحۡرَۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَٰفٖ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ فِي جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخۡلِ وَلَتَعۡلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابٗا وَأَبۡقَىٰ ٧١
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e., Moses] before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."
20:72
قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤۡثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِي فَطَرَنَاۖ فَٱقۡضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍۖ إِنَّمَا تَقۡضِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ ٧٢
They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us.1 So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.
1 translator’s note
- This phrase has also been interpreted as an oath, i.e., "...by Him who created us." ↩
20:73
إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغۡفِرَ لَنَا خَطَٰيَٰنَا وَمَآ أَكۡرَهۡتَنَا عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحۡرِۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ ٧٣
Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allāh is better and more enduring."1
1 translator’s note
- In reward and in punishment. ↩
20:74
إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَأۡتِ رَبَّهُۥ مُجۡرِمٗا فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحۡيَىٰ ٧٤
Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live.
20:75
وَمَن يَأۡتِهِۦ مُؤۡمِنٗا قَدۡ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَٰتُ ٱلۡعُلَىٰ ٧٥
But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]:
20:76
جَنَّٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ ٧٦
Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.1
1 translator’s note
- From all uncleanliness, the greatest of which is worship and obedience to other than Allāh. ↩