Ash-Shu'ara 26:43
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 369
قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰٓ أَلۡقُواْ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلۡقُونَ ٤٣
Moses said to them, "Throw whatever you will throw."
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 26:43
Commentary.
أَلْقُوا مَا أَنتُم مُّلْقُونَ
Musa (علیہ السلام) said to them, "Throw you down what you are to throw." (26:43)
Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) said to the magicians ` You show the magic you wish to show'. With a cursory look one might be inclined to think that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ordered them to perform their magic. But with a little deep thinking it becomes clear that actually it was not an order from Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) to 'show magic, but the real intention was to demonstrate the fallacy of magic. This demonstration was not possible without the magic shown by them. Therefore, he asked them to show their tricks or magic. It is exactly like a zindiq (an extreme heretic) is asked to put forward his arguments, so that they may be countered. It is obvious that such an invitation cannot be treated as an acceptance of infidelity.
Page 369
26:40
لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ ٱلسَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبِينَ ٤٠
That we might follow the magicians if they are the predominant?"
26:41
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ قَالُواْ لِفِرۡعَوۡنَ أَئِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجۡرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبِينَ ٤١
And when the magicians arrived, they said to Pharaoh, "Is there indeed for us a reward if we are the predominant?"
26:42
قَالَ نَعَمۡ وَإِنَّكُمۡ إِذٗا لَّمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ ٤٢
He said, "Yes, and indeed, you will then be of those near [to me]."
26:43
قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰٓ أَلۡقُواْ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلۡقُونَ ٤٣
Moses said to them, "Throw whatever you will throw."
26:44
فَأَلۡقَوۡاْ حِبَالَهُمۡ وَعِصِيَّهُمۡ وَقَالُواْ بِعِزَّةِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ٤٤
So they threw their ropes and their staffs and said, "By the might of Pharaoh, indeed it is we who are predominant."
26:45
فَأَلۡقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا يَأۡفِكُونَ ٤٥
Then Moses threw his staff, and at once it devoured what they falsified.
26:46
فَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ ٤٦
So the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allāh].
26:47
قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٤٧
They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds,
26:48
رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٤٨
The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
26:49
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحۡرَ فَلَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَٰفٖ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٤٩
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e., Moses] before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic, but you are going to know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you all."
26:50
قَالُواْ لَا ضَيۡرَۖ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ ٥٠
They said, "No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return.
26:51
إِنَّا نَطۡمَعُ أَن يَغۡفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَٰيَٰنَآ أَن كُنَّآ أَوَّلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٥١
Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers."
26:52
۞ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِيٓ إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ ٥٢
And We inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants; indeed, you will be pursued."
26:53
فَأَرۡسَلَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فِي ٱلۡمَدَآئِنِ حَٰشِرِينَ ٥٣
Then Pharaoh sent among the cities gatherers1
1 translator’s note
- Recruiters of an army to prevent the emigration of the Children of Israel. ↩
26:54
إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَشِرۡذِمَةٞ قَلِيلُونَ ٥٤
[And said], "Indeed, those are but a small band,
26:55
وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَنَا لَغَآئِظُونَ ٥٥
And indeed, they are enraging us,
26:56
وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَٰذِرُونَ ٥٦
And indeed, we are a cautious society..."
26:57
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَٰهُم مِّن جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٖ ٥٧
So We removed them from gardens and springs
26:58
وَكُنُوزٖ وَمَقَامٖ كَرِيمٖ ٥٨
And treasures and honorable station1 -
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) caused them to abandon their wealth and property in pursuit of the Israelites. ↩
26:59
كَذَٰلِكَۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَٰهَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٥٩
Thus. And We caused to inherit it the Children of Israel.
26:60
فَأَتۡبَعُوهُم مُّشۡرِقِينَ ٦٠
So they pursued them at sunrise.