Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Musa and Fira`wn Allah said: ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا (Then after them We sent ) meaning ofter these Messengers, مُّوسَى وَهَـرُونَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ (Musa and Harun to Fir`awn and his chiefs,) meaning his people بِـَايَـتِنَآ (with Our Ayat.) meaning; `Our proofs and evidences.' فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً مُّجْرِمِينَ (But they behaved arrogantly, and were a people who were criminals.) meaning they were too arrogant to follow the truth and submit to it, and they were criminals. فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (So, when came to them the truth from us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic.") They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie. As Allah said: وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً (And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof. )(27:14) Musa criticized them saying: أَتقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُونَقَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا ("Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you Is this magic But the magicians will never be successful." They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away...) عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءابَاءَنَا (from that we found our fathers following) their religion. وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا (and that you two may have...) الْكِبْرِيَآءُ (greatness) means grandeur and leadership فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (...in the land, We are not going to believe you two!")

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Musa and Fira`wn Allah said: ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا (Then after them We sent ) meaning ofter these Messengers, مُّوسَى وَهَـرُونَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ (Musa and Harun to Fir`awn and his chiefs,) meaning his people بِـَايَـتِنَآ (with Our Ayat.) meaning; `Our proofs and evidences.' فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً مُّجْرِمِينَ (But they behaved arrogantly, and were a people who were criminals.) meaning they were too arrogant to follow the truth and submit to it, and they were criminals. فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (So, when came to them the truth from us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic.") They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie. As Allah said: وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً (And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof. )(27:14) Musa criticized them saying: أَتقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُونَقَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا ("Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you Is this magic But the magicians will never be successful." They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away...) عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءابَاءَنَا (from that we found our fathers following) their religion. وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا (and that you two may have...) الْكِبْرِيَآءُ (greatness) means grandeur and leadership فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (...in the land, We are not going to believe you two!")

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Musa and Fira`wn Allah said: ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا (Then after them We sent ) meaning ofter these Messengers, مُّوسَى وَهَـرُونَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ (Musa and Harun to Fir`awn and his chiefs,) meaning his people بِـَايَـتِنَآ (with Our Ayat.) meaning; `Our proofs and evidences.' فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً مُّجْرِمِينَ (But they behaved arrogantly, and were a people who were criminals.) meaning they were too arrogant to follow the truth and submit to it, and they were criminals. فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (So, when came to them the truth from us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic.") They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie. As Allah said: وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً (And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof. )(27:14) Musa criticized them saying: أَتقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُونَقَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا ("Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you Is this magic But the magicians will never be successful." They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away...) عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءابَاءَنَا (from that we found our fathers following) their religion. وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا (and that you two may have...) الْكِبْرِيَآءُ (greatness) means grandeur and leadership فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (...in the land, We are not going to believe you two!")

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Between Musa and the Magicians Allah mentioned the story of the magicians and Musa in Surat Al-A`raf (there is a commentary on it in that Surah), this Surah,Surat Ta Ha, and in Surat Ash-Shu`ara'. Fir`awn, may Allah's curse be upon him, wanted to deceive the people and impress them with the tricks of the magicians in direct opposition to the plain truth that Musa brought. The result was the exact opposite and he therefore didn't attain his goal. The signs of the Lord prevailed in that public festival. وَأُلْقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سَـجِدِينَ - قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَـرُونَ (And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of all that exists -- the Lord of Musa and Harun.")(7:120-122) Fir`awn thought that he would achieve victory through the magicians over the Messenger sent by Allah, the All-Knower of all hidden things. But he failed, lost Paradise and was deserving of the Hellfire. وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِى بِكُلِّ سَـحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ - فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُمْ مُّوسَى أَلْقُواْ مَآ أَنتُمْ مُّلْقُونَ (And Fir`awn said: "Bring me every well-versed sorcerer." And when the sorcerers came, Musa said to them: "Cast down what you want to cast!") They stood in line after they received the promise of Fir`awn to become closer to him and obtain a generous reward. Musa wanted them to begin. He wanted the people to see what the magicians had made, then he would come with the truth after that to triumph over their falsehood. قَالُواْ يمُوسَى إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُواْ (They said: "O Musa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw" Musa said: "Nay, throw you (first)!") When the magicians cast their spells they bewitched the eyes of the people through their display of mighty sorcery. At that time, فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى - قُلْنَا لاَ تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاٌّعْلَى - وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى (Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.") (20:67-69) Upon that, Musa said: فَلَمَّآ أَلْقُواْ قَالَ مُوسَى مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ - وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ (What you have brought is sorcery, Allah will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allah does not set right the work of the evildoers. And Allah will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words, however much the criminals may hate (it). )

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Between Musa and the Magicians Allah mentioned the story of the magicians and Musa in Surat Al-A`raf (there is a commentary on it in that Surah), this Surah,Surat Ta Ha, and in Surat Ash-Shu`ara'. Fir`awn, may Allah's curse be upon him, wanted to deceive the people and impress them with the tricks of the magicians in direct opposition to the plain truth that Musa brought. The result was the exact opposite and he therefore didn't attain his goal. The signs of the Lord prevailed in that public festival. وَأُلْقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سَـجِدِينَ - قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَـرُونَ (And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of all that exists -- the Lord of Musa and Harun.")(7:120-122) Fir`awn thought that he would achieve victory through the magicians over the Messenger sent by Allah, the All-Knower of all hidden things. But he failed, lost Paradise and was deserving of the Hellfire. وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِى بِكُلِّ سَـحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ - فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُمْ مُّوسَى أَلْقُواْ مَآ أَنتُمْ مُّلْقُونَ (And Fir`awn said: "Bring me every well-versed sorcerer." And when the sorcerers came, Musa said to them: "Cast down what you want to cast!") They stood in line after they received the promise of Fir`awn to become closer to him and obtain a generous reward. Musa wanted them to begin. He wanted the people to see what the magicians had made, then he would come with the truth after that to triumph over their falsehood. قَالُواْ يمُوسَى إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُواْ (They said: "O Musa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw" Musa said: "Nay, throw you (first)!") When the magicians cast their spells they bewitched the eyes of the people through their display of mighty sorcery. At that time, فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى - قُلْنَا لاَ تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاٌّعْلَى - وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى (Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.") (20:67-69) Upon that, Musa said: فَلَمَّآ أَلْقُواْ قَالَ مُوسَى مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ - وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ (What you have brought is sorcery, Allah will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allah does not set right the work of the evildoers. And Allah will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words, however much the criminals may hate (it). )