7. Al-A'raaf

These verses narrate the remaining part of the story of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) . Seeing these wonders of staves turning into serpents and making his hand emitting strong white light, the Pharaoh should have been convinced and have believed in Musa (علیہ السلام) as the logic and sense demanded. But it is the common practice of the wrong-doers that they always seek false interpretations of the truth in order to conceal it, the Pharaoh and his people belied him instead, and said to the people that he was a great sorcerer and that he wanted to expel them from their homes and take over the rule of the country. The people of the Pharaoh suggested:

أَرْ‌جِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرْ‌سِلْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِ‌ينَ ﴿111﴾ يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَاحِرٍ‌ عَلِيمٍ ﴿112﴾

"leave him and his brother alone for a while, and send men to the cities to collect and bring to you every expert sorcerer-111, 112."

The people of the Pharaoh said that there were many expert sorcerers in their cities who were capable of defeating Musa (علیہ السلام) .

Some soldiers should be sent to collect and bring the sorcerers for this purpose. Sorcery and magic, being the custom of the day, the sorcerers enjoyed a high status among people. Allah sent Musa (علیہ السلام) with the miracles of the staff and white-lit hand so that people may clearly observe the misery of the sorcerers after entering into a contest with Musa (علیہ السلام) . It is the usual practice of Allah that He sends His prophets with miracles that are appropriate to the demand of the time. For instance, in the time of the prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) (the Jesus), Greek philosophy and medical sciences were at their zenith. He was, therefore, sent with the miraculous powers of restoring the sight of those who were born blind and cure the lepers instantly with a touch of his hand. In the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the Arabs were boastful of their oratory and linguistic capabilities. The Holy Qur'an was sent as the greatest of all miracles of the Holy prophet ﷺ .

Its diction and style so bewildered the Arabs that they instantly acknowledged a super human element in it. The sorcerers came to Pharaoh and said:

إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرً‌ا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ

"There must be a reward for us, if we are the victors." (113)

He said,

نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّ‌بِينَ

"Yes, and of course, you will be among the closer ones." (114)

The sorcerers were invited from all over the country. When they all came to Pharaoh they asked him of some reward if they gain victory over Musa (علیہ السلام) . He promised that in addition to their reward they shall be included among those close to him. The historical reports about the number of these sorcerers give us different information. These give us a number from nine hundred to three hundred thousand. The quantity of the staves and strings used in this contest is reported to be as great as was loaded on three hundred camels. (Qurtubi)

It may be noted that the first thing the sorcerers did, was to have an assurance about the reward they will get in return of their performance. It is because worldly people are always after worldly gains. They do nothing unless they are sure of their gains, while on the contrary, the prophets and their disciples always declare:

وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ‌ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِ‌يَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿109﴾

I do not ask you for a reward, as my reward is with the Lord of all the worlds.' (26:109)

That is, the prophets of Allah preach and convey the message of Allah only for the good and guidance of people and they seek no financial gain against it. They seek their reward from Allah alone. After this discourse with Pharaoh the sorcerers got the place and date fixed for the great encounter. An open land was chosen for the purpose and the time was fixed after the sunrise on their festival Day. It is also mentioned in a verse of the Holy Qur'an: Musa (علیہ السلام) said: قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحْشَرَ‌ النَّاسُ ضُحًى ﴿59﴾ ,, your appointed day is the day of 'zinah' so that people may be gathered after sunrise." (20:59)

Some reports say that the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) had a short conversation with the chief of the sorcerers and asked him if they would accept the faith in case he defeated them? He said that there was no question of their being defeated as they possessed such great magical powers that could not be overcome by any one. And in case 'you bring defeat to us we shall declare our faith openly in the presence of the Pharaoh'. (Mazhari and Qurtubi)

Its diction and style so bewildered the Arabs that they instantly acknowledged a super human element in it. The sorcerers came to Pharaoh and said:

إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرً‌ا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ

"There must be a reward for us, if we are the victors." (113)

He said,

نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّ‌بِينَ

"Yes, and of course, you will be among the closer ones." (114)

The sorcerers were invited from all over the country. When they all came to Pharaoh they asked him of some reward if they gain victory over Musa (علیہ السلام) . He promised that in addition to their reward they shall be included among those close to him. The historical reports about the number of these sorcerers give us different information. These give us a number from nine hundred to three hundred thousand. The quantity of the staves and strings used in this contest is reported to be as great as was loaded on three hundred camels. (Qurtubi)

It may be noted that the first thing the sorcerers did, was to have an assurance about the reward they will get in return of their performance. It is because worldly people are always after worldly gains. They do nothing unless they are sure of their gains, while on the contrary, the prophets and their disciples always declare:

وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ‌ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِ‌يَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿109﴾

I do not ask you for a reward, as my reward is with the Lord of all the worlds.' (26:109)

That is, the prophets of Allah preach and convey the message of Allah only for the good and guidance of people and they seek no financial gain against it. They seek their reward from Allah alone. After this discourse with Pharaoh the sorcerers got the place and date fixed for the great encounter. An open land was chosen for the purpose and the time was fixed after the sunrise on their festival Day. It is also mentioned in a verse of the Holy Qur'an: Musa (علیہ السلام) said: قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحْشَرَ‌ النَّاسُ ضُحًى ﴿59﴾ ,, your appointed day is the day of 'zinah' so that people may be gathered after sunrise." (20:59)

Some reports say that the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) had a short conversation with the chief of the sorcerers and asked him if they would accept the faith in case he defeated them? He said that there was no question of their being defeated as they possessed such great magical powers that could not be overcome by any one. And in case 'you bring defeat to us we shall declare our faith openly in the presence of the Pharaoh'. (Mazhari and Qurtubi)

They said,

قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِمَّا أَن تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ ﴿115﴾

"0 Musa either you throw (first) or shall we be the ones to throw."

The Arabic word:'' اِلقَا ‘ ء ! 'ilga' means to drop something down. On the day of encounter the sorcerers asked the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) if he would drop down his staff first or should they throw theirs first? This question of the sorcerers was perhaps to show their complacency about their art, though the mode of their sentence indicated that they wanted to start first, but for giving an impression of power to their opponent they put that question. Since-the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) had nothing to fear about, he invited them saying 'you drop.'

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.

The next verse 117 said, وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ﴿117﴾ "And We revealed to Musa 'Throw your staff.' Then, of a sudden it began to swallow all that they had concocted." We find it reported in history, when thousands of staffs and ropes were turned into snakes leaping all over the ground, Allah commanded Musa to drop down his staff on the ground. It turned into a great snake and instantly began to eat up the snakes of the sorcerers. The crowd stood bewildered and stunned at this sight. Within no time all the snakes were eaten up by the great snake of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) .

The next verse 117 said, وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ﴿117﴾ "And We revealed to Musa 'Throw your staff.' Then, of a sudden it began to swallow all that they had concocted." We find it reported in history, when thousands of staffs and ropes were turned into snakes leaping all over the ground, Allah commanded Musa to drop down his staff on the ground. It turned into a great snake and instantly began to eat up the snakes of the sorcerers. The crowd stood bewildered and stunned at this sight. Within no time all the snakes were eaten up by the great snake of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) .

The next verse 117 said, وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ﴿117﴾ "And We revealed to Musa 'Throw your staff.' Then, of a sudden it began to swallow all that they had concocted." We find it reported in history, when thousands of staffs and ropes were turned into snakes leaping all over the ground, Allah commanded Musa to drop down his staff on the ground. It turned into a great snake and instantly began to eat up the snakes of the sorcerers. The crowd stood bewildered and stunned at this sight. Within no time all the snakes were eaten up by the great snake of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) .

Next, the verse said:

فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿118﴾ فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِ‌ينَ ﴿119﴾ وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَ‌ةُ سَاجِدِينَ ﴿120﴾قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿121﴾ رَ‌بِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُ‌ونَ ﴿122﴾

"So, the truth prevailed and what they were doing became a nullity. So there they were overcome and turned humiliated. And the sorcerers were constrained to fall in prostration. They said, "We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Musa and Harun."

The sorcerers were so overawed by the miracle of the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) that they fell in prostration. This may also imply that Allah blessed them with favour and put them in prostration. They added the phrase, the Lord of Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام) after saying, the Lord of the worlds, to make it clear that the Lord worshipped by Musa (علیہ السلام) and Harun (علیہ السلام) is, in fact, the Lord of the Universe, and not the Pharaoh as he pretended to be.