قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَـٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ 109
Translations
Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician
Transliteration
Qala al-mala'u min qawmi fir'awna inna hadha la-sahirun 'alim
Tafsir (Explanation)
The chiefs and nobles of Pharaoh's people responded to Moses and Aaron's miracles by dismissing them as mere sorcery performed by a skilled magician. This reaction reflects the stubborn rejection of the oppressive elite who refused to acknowledge the divine signs out of pride and fear of losing their power and influence. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this represents the archetypal response of those who reject truth: resorting to accusations and denial rather than accepting clear evidence.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Moses's confrontation with Pharaoh in Egypt, which is a central theme throughout Surah Al-A'raf and the Quran. The context is Pharaoh's court after Moses and Aaron performed the miracle of the staff transforming into a serpent. The elite's dismissal of the signs as sorcery demonstrates how those invested in falsehood attempt to rationalize away divine miracles.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sorcery is eloquence (al-sawlah)' (Ad-Daylami). Additionally, there are hadiths warning against the deception of the powerful and the elite turning people away from truth, as seen in various narrations in Sahih Bukhari regarding the arrogance of Pharaoh's court.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that those who cling to worldly power and prestige will resort to denial and false accusations when confronted with truth, demonstrating that rejecting divine guidance often stems from spiritual blindness rather than intellectual inability. Modern readers should reflect on how vested interests and ego can prevent us from accepting truth, and maintain humility to recognize signs of wisdom regardless of their source.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allāh] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first [among my people] of the believers."
فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ يَأْخُذُوهُ ۚ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَـٰقُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ ۗ وَٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, "It will be forgiven for us." And if an offer like it comes to them, they will [again] take it. Was not the covenant of the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] taken from them that they would not say about Allāh except the truth, and they studied what was in it? And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allāh, so will you not use reason?
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
But those who deny Our signs - We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ عَنْهَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
But the ones who deny Our verses and are arrogant toward them - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.