Ash-Shu'ara 26:44
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 369
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."
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 26:43–48
The magicians threw down their ropes and sticks, and the spectators felt as if these ropes and sticks had changed into snakes and were running along the ground. But this was not a real change. It was simply an optical illusion, whereas, the changing of Moses’s rod into a snake was a miracle of God. So when Moses’s rod became a snake and started moving along the ground, it instantly nullified the spell cast by the magicians. Thereafter, the magician’s ropes and sticks reverted to being the ropes and sticks that they actually were. Earlier, the magicians had considered Moses to be a magician like themselves. But, the aforesaid experience opened their eyes. They were well versed in the art of magic. So, they immediately understood that this was not magic but prophethood. However, it was possible that they could have refused to accept the Truth and, like Pharaoh, could have uttered some falsities in order to reject Moses. But, it is impossible for a man who is intellectually alive not to accept the Truth when it fully reveals itself before him. The magicians were persons who were alive in this manner. So, they immediately accepted Moses’s truthfulness.
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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.