Ash-Shu'ara 26:51
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 369
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."
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 26:50–58
قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ ۖ إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ
They said, "There is no harm. We are to return to our Lord. (26:50)
When the Pharaoh threatened the magicians to kill them, and to cut their limbs and to crucify them, the magicians replied rather indifferently, the gist of their reply was, ` You do whatever you can. We shall lose nothing. Even if we are killed we will go back to our Lord, where there is nothing but comfort'.
It is worth noting here that the magicians who had involved all their lives practicing the sinful sorcery and who believed in the Pharaoh's claim to be a god, rather, used to worship him, pronounced faith in Allah before that tyrant and despotic king and the entire nation. This was in itself something most astonishing and courageous, but it was not just the pronouncement of faith in Allah, but a demonstration of such deep devotion as if they could see the Dooms Day and the Hereafter before their eyes. The blessings and bounties of the Hereafter were within their sight, for which they raised themselves over and above any punishment or torment of this world, and said فَاقْضِ مَا أَنتَ قَاضٍ that is ` You do whatever you are to do (20:72). We are not going back from our faith'. This in fact was also a miracle of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) which was no less than the miracle of the staff and the luminous hand. Many incidents of similar nature have also occurred with our Holy Prophet ﷺ . In one such incident a drastic change had occurred in a seventy years old infidel in that within a minute he not only converted to Islam, but was ready to lay down his life to become a martyr.
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.