Surah 26. Ash-Shu'ara

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-33 [2], 34-51 [3], 52-68 [4], 69-104 [5], 105-122 [6], 123-140 [7], 141-159 [8], 160-175 [9], 176-191 [10], 192-227 [11]

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Quran Text of Verse 34-51قَالَHe saidلِلْمَلَاِto the chiefsحَوْلَهٗۤaround himاِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisلَسٰحِرٌ(is) surely a magicianعَلِیْمٌۙlearned یُّرِیْدُHe wantsاَنْtoیُّخْرِجَكُمْdrive you outمِّنْfromاَرْضِكُمْyour landبِسِحْرِهٖ ۖۗby his magicفَمَا ذَاso whatتَاْمُرُوْنَ (do) you advise قَالُوْۤاThey saidاَرْجِهْPost pone himوَ اَخَاهُand his brotherوَ ابْعَثْand sendفِیinالْمَدَآىِٕنِthe citiesحٰشِرِیْنَۙgatherers یَاْتُوْكَThey (will) bring to youبِكُلِّeveryسَحَّارٍmagicianعَلِیْمٍ learned فَجُمِعَSo were assembledالسَّحَرَةُthe magiciansلِمِیْقَاتِfor (the) appointmentیَوْمٍ(on) a dayمَّعْلُوْمٍۙwell-known وَّ قِیْلَAnd it was saidلِلنَّاسِto the peopleهَلْWillاَنْتُمْyouمُّجْتَمِعُوْنَۙassemble 26. Ash-Shu'ara Page 369لَعَلَّنَاThat we mayنَتَّبِعُfollowالسَّحَرَةَthe magiciansاِنْifكَانُوْاthey areهُمُthey areالْغٰلِبِیْنَ the victorious فَلَمَّاSo whenجَآءَcameالسَّحَرَةُthe magiciansقَالُوْاthey saidلِفِرْعَوْنَto FiraunاَىِٕنَّIs thereلَنَاfor usلَاَجْرًاa rewardاِنْifكُنَّاwe areنَحْنُwe areالْغٰلِبِیْنَ the victorious قَالَHe saidنَعَمْYesوَ اِنَّكُمْand indeed youاِذًاthenلَّمِنَsurely (will be) ofالْمُقَرَّبِیْنَ the ones who are brought near قَالَSaidلَهُمْto themمُّوْسٰۤیMusaاَلْقُوْاThrowمَاۤwhatاَنْتُمْyouمُّلْقُوْنَ (are) going to throw فَاَلْقَوْاSo they threwحِبَالَهُمْtheir ropesوَ عِصِیَّهُمْand their staffsوَ قَالُوْاand saidبِعِزَّةِBy the mightفِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaunاِنَّاindeed weلَنَحْنُsurely weالْغٰلِبُوْنَ (are) the victorious فَاَلْقٰیThen threwمُوْسٰیMusaعَصَاهُhis staffفَاِذَاand behold!هِیَItتَلْقَفُswallowedمَاwhatیَاْفِكُوْنَۚۖthey falsified فَاُلْقِیَThen fell downالسَّحَرَةُthe magiciansسٰجِدِیْنَۙprostrate قَالُوْۤاThey saidاٰمَنَّاWe believeبِرَبِّin (the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَۙ(of) the worlds رَبِّLordمُوْسٰی(of) Musaوَ هٰرُوْنَ and Harun قَالَHe saidاٰمَنْتُمْYou believedلَهٗin himقَبْلَbeforeاَنْ[that]اٰذَنَI gave permissionلَكُمْ ۚto youاِنَّهٗIndeed heلَكَبِیْرُكُمُ(is) surely your chiefالَّذِیْwhoعَلَّمَكُمُhas taught youالسِّحْرَ ۚthe magicفَلَسَوْفَso surely soonتَعْلَمُوْنَ ؕ۬you will knowلَاُقَطِّعَنَّI will surely cut offاَیْدِیَكُمْyour handsوَ اَرْجُلَكُمْand your feetمِّنْofخِلَافٍopposite sidesوَّ لَاُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْand I will surely crucify youاَجْمَعِیْنَۚall قَالُوْاThey saidلَاNoضَیْرَ ؗharmاِنَّاۤIndeed weاِلٰیtoرَبِّنَاour Lordمُنْقَلِبُوْنَۚ(will) return اِنَّاIndeed weنَطْمَعُhopeاَنْthatیَّغْفِرَwill forgiveلَنَاusرَبُّنَاour Lordخَطٰیٰنَاۤour sinsاَنْbecauseكُنَّاۤwe areاَوَّلَ(the) firstالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَؕ۠(of) the believers

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Translation of Verse 34-51

34. Firaun said to the nobles around him: “Verily, this one is an expert magician”.

35. He seeks to drive you out of your land³⁶ by his magic; what is your counsel?”

36. They said: “Put off (him) and his brother, and send into the cities summoners.

37. To bring to you every skilled magician.

38. So the magicians were gathered at a set time on the appointed day.³⁷

39. And the people were asked: “Are you also gathering?”³⁸

40. (They replied):“(Yes), So that we may follow the magicians if they are victorious.”³⁹

41. And when the magicians came, they said to Firaun: “Will there surely be a reward for us if we are victorious.”

42. He answered: “Yes, and you will surely become my favoured friends.”

43. Moosa addressed them: “Throw down what you are going to throw.”

44. Then they threw down their ropes and sticks, and said: “By Firaun’s might⁴⁰, verily we will surely win.”

45. Then Moosa threw down his staff. It at once swallowed their false devices.⁴¹

46.Thereupon the magicians involuntarily prostrated themselves.⁴²

47. Saying: “We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,

48. The Lord of Moosa and Haroon.”⁴³

49. Firaun said: “How dare you believe in him before I give you leave to do so ⁴⁴: Verily he is your chief, who has taught you magic⁴⁵. So you will soon know! I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.”

50. They replied: “ No harm, for verily to our Lord we will surely return.⁴⁶

51. “Verily, we ardently hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, because we are the first of the believers.”⁴⁷

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Commentary

36. This was a false allegation, which Firaun levelled against Prophet Moosa, as he had not said anything of that sort. He only wanted to take away Bani Israil from Egypt. He had not made any plans for driving out Firaun’s community from the country, but Firaun levelled this political charge against him, so that he might provoke people against him.

37. This was a day of festivities and the time was forenoon, as is mentioned elsewhere in Qur’an.

38. In the form of a question the people have been persuaded to gather in large numbers.

39. The speakers were Firaun’s supporters. They did not say that they will obey those who would be victorious, or the truth that would emerge would be obeyed, but they said that they would follow the magicians if they would be winners. It shows that they were prejudiced, and by following the magicians meant following the ways of Firaun. Since at that time the competition, was between the two sets of competitorsthe magicians on the one side and Prophets Moosa and Haroon on the other, they mentioned one competitor, the magicians, otherwise their aim was following Firaun only.

40. In Arabic the meaning of the word ‘Izzat’ is Might and Power and also Honour. The magicians swore by Firaun’s ‘Izzat’ which speaks of their polytheistic mentality.

41. For Explanation, Please See Surah A’raf, Note No.168.

42. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf Note Nos. 171.

43. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf, Notes Nos. 172, 173.

By the magicians’ conversion to Islam, it has been confirmed that what Prophet Moosa presented was not magic, but a miracle manifested by the grace of Allah. The difference between magic and miracle is well understood by a magician and this evidence of theirs that the conversion of Moosa’s staff into a snake was not on account of magic but by the support of Allah, which was a thing which distinguished the truth from falsehood.

44. What a tyrannical government it must have been where to believe in Allah needed the permission of the government.

45. For explanation, please see Surah Taha, Note No.81.

46. Please see Surah Taha, Note No.83.

47. That is: On this critical occasion we are first ones to put our faith in Allah from among the people of Firaun.