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
قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
[Allāh] said, "Depart from it [i.e., Paradise], reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together."
وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِم بِـَٔايَةٍ قَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا ٱجْتَبَيْتَهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ مِن رَّبِّى ۚ هَـٰذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
And when you, [O Muḥammad], do not bring them a sign [i.e., miracle], they say, "Why have you not contrived it?" Say, "I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This [Qur’ān] is enlightenment from your Lord and guidance and mercy for a people who believe."
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـٰلِحًا مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ
Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Ṣāliḥ is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."