Ash-Shu'ara 26:29
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 368
قَالَ لَئِنِ ٱتَّخَذۡتَ إِلَٰهًا غَيۡرِي لَأَجۡعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجُونِينَ ٢٩
[Pharaoh] said, "If you take a god other than me, I will surely place you among those imprisoned."
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 26:29–37
After the Rational Proof, Fir`awn resorts to Force
When proof had been established against Fir`awn, clearly and rationally, he resorted to using force against Musa, thinking that after this there would no further room for discussion. So he said:
لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَهَاً غَيْرِى لأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ
(If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.) To this, Musa responded:
أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَىءٍ مُّبِينٍ
(Even if I bring you something manifest) meaning, clear and definitive proof.
قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّدِقِينَ - فَأَلْقَى عَصَهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ
(Fir`awn said: "Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!" So he threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest.) meanig, it was very clear and obvious, with a huge body and a big mouth, terrifying in appearance.
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ
(And he drew out his hand,) meaning, from his sleeve,
فَإِذَا هِىَ بَيْضَآءُ لِلنَّظِرِينَ
(and behold, it was white to all beholders!) It was shining like a piece of the moon. Since Fir`awn was already doomed, he hastened to stubborn denial, and said to the chiefs around him:
إِنَّ هَذَا لَسَحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
(Verily, this is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.) One who knows a great deal of magic or witchcraft. Fir`awn was trying to convince them that this was sorcery, not a miracle. Then he provoked them against Musa, trying to make them oppose him and disbelieve in him, and said:
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُمْ مِّنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِ
(He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery...) meaning, `he wants to capture the people's hearts and win them over by doing this, so that they will support him, and help him and follow him, and he will defeat you in your own land and take the land from you. So advise me, what should I do with him'
قَالُواْ أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِى الْمَدَآئِنِ حَشِرِينَ - يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ
(They said: "Put him off and his brother, and send callers to the cities; to bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer.") meaning, `delay him and his brother until you gather together all the sorcerers from every city and region of your kingdom so that they may confront him and produce something like he produces, then you will defeat him and have the victory.' So Fir`awn did as they suggested, which is what Allah decreed would happen to them, so that all the people would gather in one place and the signs and proof of Allah would be made manifest before them all in one day.
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26:20
قَالَ فَعَلۡتُهَآ إِذٗا وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ٢٠
[Moses] said, "I did it, then, while I was of those astray [i.e., ignorant].
26:21
فَفَرَرۡتُ مِنكُمۡ لَمَّا خِفۡتُكُمۡ فَوَهَبَ لِي رَبِّي حُكۡمٗا وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٢١
So I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Lord granted me judgement [i.e., wisdom and prophethood] and appointed me [as one] of the messengers.
26:22
وَتِلۡكَ نِعۡمَةٞ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنۡ عَبَّدتَّ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٢٢
And is this a favor of which you remind me - that you have enslaved the Children of Israel?"
26:23
قَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَمَا رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٣
Said Pharaoh, "And what is the Lord of the worlds?"
26:24
قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ ٢٤
[Moses] said, "The Lord of the heavens and earth and that between them, if you should be convinced."
26:25
قَالَ لِمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُۥٓ أَلَا تَسۡتَمِعُونَ ٢٥
[Pharaoh] said to those around him, "Do you not hear?"
26:26
قَالَ رَبُّكُمۡ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٢٦
[Moses] said, "Your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers."
26:27
قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُرۡسِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ لَمَجۡنُونٞ ٢٧
[Pharaoh] said,1 "Indeed, your 'messenger' who has been sent to you is mad."
1 translator’s note
- Angrily addressing those present. ↩
26:28
قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآۖ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٢٨
[Moses] said, "Lord of the east and the west and that between them, if you were to reason."
26:29
قَالَ لَئِنِ ٱتَّخَذۡتَ إِلَٰهًا غَيۡرِي لَأَجۡعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجُونِينَ ٢٩
[Pharaoh] said, "If you take a god other than me, I will surely place you among those imprisoned."
26:30
قَالَ أَوَلَوۡ جِئۡتُكَ بِشَيۡءٖ مُّبِينٖ ٣٠
[Moses] said, "Even if I brought you something [i.e., proof] manifest?"
26:31
قَالَ فَأۡتِ بِهِۦٓ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ ٣١
[Pharaoh] said, "Then bring it, if you should be of the truthful."
26:32
فَأَلۡقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعۡبَانٞ مُّبِينٞ ٣٢
So [Moses] threw his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent manifest.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., clearly genuine. ↩
26:33
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُۥ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيۡضَآءُ لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ ٣٣
And he drew out his hand; thereupon it was white for the observers.
26:34
قَالَ لِلۡمَلَإِ حَوۡلَهُۥٓ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٞ ٣٤
[Pharaoh] said to the eminent ones around him, "Indeed, this is a learned magician.
26:35
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِكُم بِسِحۡرِهِۦ فَمَاذَا تَأۡمُرُونَ ٣٥
He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic, so what do you advise?"
26:36
قَالُوٓاْ أَرۡجِهۡ وَأَخَاهُ وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِي ٱلۡمَدَآئِنِ حَٰشِرِينَ ٣٦
They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers
26:37
يَأۡتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٖ ٣٧
Who will bring you every learned, skilled magician."
26:38
فَجُمِعَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَٰتِ يَوۡمٖ مَّعۡلُومٖ ٣٨
So the magicians were assembled for the appointment of a well-known day.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the morning of the day of festival. See 20:58-59. ↩
26:39
وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلۡ أَنتُم مُّجۡتَمِعُونَ ٣٩
And it was said to the people, "Will you congregate
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy