يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَـٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ 112
Translations
Who will bring you every learned magician."
Transliteration
Ya'tūka bikulla sāḥirin 'alīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Pharaoh's command to bring together every skilled magician to confront Prophet Musa (Moses) and his miracle of the staff. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that 'alīm (learned/skilled) emphasizes these were the most accomplished magicians of Egypt, highlighting Pharaoh's desperation to counter the divine signs. The verse demonstrates how those who reject truth resort to deception and false knowledge rather than accepting clear evidence from Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa and Pharaoh (7:103-162), a central Meccan surah theme. It specifically describes Pharaoh's response after witnessing the miracle of the staff transforming into a serpent, showing his stubborn rejection of divine signs and his reliance on sorcery and false authority to maintain power over his people.
Related Hadiths
The general theme relates to Sahih Bukhari's accounts of the Prophet's encounters with magic and sorcery, where the Prophet warned against practicing magic. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without accountability, contrasting those who trust Allah versus those who rely on false means.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that those who reject clear truth will increasingly resort to deception and false means to defend their position, and that no amount of worldly power or accumulated false knowledge can ultimately stand against Allah's clear signs. For believers, it reinforces the importance of recognizing and trusting in divine guidance rather than being swayed by impressive but ultimately empty human endeavors.
Related Ayahs
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
لَوْ أَنَّ عِندَنَا ذِكْرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
"If we had a message from [those of] the former peoples,
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَـٰذَا فِىٓ ءَابَآئِنَا ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
But when Moses came to them with Our signs as clear evidences, they said, "This is not except invented magic, and we have not heard of this [religion] among our forefathers."