قَالُوٓا۟ أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرْسِلْ فِى ٱلْمَدَآئِنِ حَـٰشِرِينَ 111
Translations
They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers
Transliteration
Qāloo arjih wa-akhāhu wa-arsil fī al-madāʾini ḥāshirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The magicians of Pharaoh's court respond to his command by requesting that Prophet Musa and his brother Harun be granted respite (postponement of the challenge), and that Pharaoh send summoners throughout the cities to gather people as witnesses. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the magicians sought delay to prepare themselves and gather the finest magicians from Egypt, believing they could overcome Musa's miraculous signs through their sorcery. This request reveals their arrogance and reliance on human skill rather than recognition of divine power.
Revelation Context
This verse occurs within the account of Musa's confrontation with Pharaoh in Surah Al-A'raf (Meccan period). The broader context depicts Pharaoh's escalating resistance to Musa's message despite witnessing clear signs; the magicians' request reflects the stubbornness of those who reject truth and place their confidence in worldly abilities and deception rather than submitting to divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this specific ayah, the broader theme relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against following sorcery and deceit, emphasizing that truth ultimately prevails over falsehood, as exemplified by Musa's staff overpowering the magicians' illusions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that those who reject divine guidance often resort to delaying tactics and gathering worldly support, yet these efforts are ultimately futile against the truth of Allah. Modern readers should recognize the futility of opposing divine will through human schemes and place their trust entirely in Allah's wisdom rather than in temporary, deceptive means.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَآ ءَابَآءَنَا وَٱللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And when they commit an immorality, they say, "We found our fathers doing it, and Allāh has ordered us to do it." Say, "Indeed, Allāh does not order immorality. Do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?"
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."
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ
And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.