قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُلْقِينَ 115
Translations
They said, "O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]."
Transliteration
Qaalū yā Mūsā immā an tulqī wa immā an nakūna naḥnu al-mulqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The magicians of Pharaoh propose to Moses (peace be upon him) that either he should cast down his staff first, or they will be the ones to cast down their ropes and staffs. This statement reflects their confidence in their sorcery and their challenge to the miraculous power of Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the magicians were attempting to assert control over the contest, but Allah would ultimately expose the falsity of their magic when Moses's staff consumed their fabrications, demonstrating the superiority of divine truth over human deception.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Moses's confrontation with Pharaoh and his court magicians. The context describes the miraculous contest where Pharaoh gathered the best magicians of Egypt to challenge Moses's signs. This passage is part of the broader Meccan period account meant to strengthen the Prophet Muhammad and believers against opposition, by illustrating how Allah's truth triumphed over falsehood in previous nations.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this ayah, the theme of truth overcoming falsehood relates to: 'The truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is ever bound to vanish' (Quran 17:81). Thematically related is the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the Prophet's reliance on Allah's support against his adversaries.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that confidence in human abilities and deceptions is ultimately futile against the truth of Allah; those who rely on falsehood, however confident they appear, will be exposed and humiliated, while truth prevails through divine wisdom.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُنظَرِينَ
[Allāh] said, "Indeed, you are of those reprieved."
أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَـٰلَـٰتِ رَبِّى وَأَنَا۠ لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ
I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser.
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۭ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْخَلْقُ وَٱلْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
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?