Al-A'raf 7:116
The Heights · Juz 9 · Page 164
قَالَ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ سَحَرُوٓاْ أَعۡيُنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱسۡتَرۡهَبُوهُمۡ وَجَآءُو بِسِحۡرٍ عَظِيمٖ ١١٦
He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.1
1 translator’s note
- Their staffs and ropes appeared as writhing snakes. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 7:116
Ibn Kathir has said that the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) behaved with them politely by inviting them to have their turn first. The effect of this behaviour was that they accepted the faith after their defeat. Here we are faced with a question. The sorcery is an impermissible act, especially when it is used to oppose a prophet sent by Allah it becomes an act of infidelity. How then the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) gave permission of magic to the sorcerers by saying 'you drop'? With a little thought we can find the answer. It was certain that the sorcerers will show their magic by all means. The point of conversation was to decide who should start the contest. The prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) allowed them to begin. Another advantage of this strategy was that the people could see their performance and the sorcerers had all the time to show their art and turn the staves into snakes. Then the staff of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) should turn into a serpent and eat up all the snakes, thus the open defeat of magic should be exhibited before the people. (Bayan- al- Qur'an)
فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ
So, when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and made them frightened, and came out with great sorcery. (116)
This verse indicates that this demonstration of their magic was just a bewitching of the eyes of the people which made them see the staffs and strings as snakes leaping on the ground, while the strings and the staffs did not change physically. It was a kind of mesmerism hypnotising the minds of the onlookers. This does not mean that sorcery is confined only in this kind and that it cannot change some-thing into another, as we do not have any proof against it. On the contrary, many forms and kinds of magic have been taken as being reality. The terms magic and sorcery are usually applied for all the acts that seem to be happening in unusual way. Sleight of hand, telepathic influences and mesmerism are sometimes called magic. Trans-formation of one thing into another through magic may be a possibility but we have no valid reason or proof for or against it.
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7:105
حَقِيقٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّآ أَقُولَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّۚ قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِبَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ فَأَرۡسِلۡ مَعِيَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ١٠٥
[Who is] obligated not to say about Allāh except the truth. I have come to you with clear evidence from your Lord, so send with me the Children of Israel."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., free them from oppression and allow them to emigrate. ↩
7:106
قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئۡتَ بِـَٔايَةٖ فَأۡتِ بِهَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ ١٠٦
[Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful."
7:107
فَأَلۡقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعۡبَانٞ مُّبِينٞ ١٠٧
So he [i.e., Moses] threw his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent, manifest.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., genuine and not imagined, as a miracle from Allāh. ↩
7:108
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُۥ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيۡضَآءُ لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ ١٠٨
And he drew out his hand; thereupon it was white [with radiance] for the observers.
7:109
قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٞ ١٠٩
Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician
7:110
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِكُمۡۖ فَمَاذَا تَأۡمُرُونَ ١١٠
Who wants to expel you from your land [through magic], so what do you instruct?"
7:111
قَالُوٓاْ أَرۡجِهۡ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرۡسِلۡ فِي ٱلۡمَدَآئِنِ حَٰشِرِينَ ١١١
They said,1 "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers
1 translator’s note
- After mutual consultation and agreement. ↩
7:112
يَأۡتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٖ ١١٢
Who will bring you every learned magician."
7:113
وَجَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجۡرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبِينَ ١١٣
And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."
7:114
قَالَ نَعَمۡ وَإِنَّكُمۡ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ ١١٤
He said, "Yes, and, [moreover], you will be among those made near [to me]."
7:115
قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلۡقِيَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُلۡقِينَ ١١٥
They said, "O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]."
7:116
قَالَ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ سَحَرُوٓاْ أَعۡيُنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱسۡتَرۡهَبُوهُمۡ وَجَآءُو بِسِحۡرٍ عَظِيمٖ ١١٦
He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.1
1 translator’s note
- Their staffs and ropes appeared as writhing snakes. ↩
7:117
۞ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَلۡقِ عَصَاكَۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا يَأۡفِكُونَ ١١٧
And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.
7:118
فَوَقَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١١٨
So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.
7:119
فَغُلِبُواْ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُواْ صَٰغِرِينَ ١١٩
And they [i.e., Pharaoh and his people] were overcome right there and became debased.
7:120
وَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ ١٢٠
And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allāh].