فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ 118
Translations
So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.
Transliteration
Fawaqaʿa al-ḥaqqu wa-baṭala mā kānū yaʿmalūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the moment when truth (al-ḥaqq) prevailed and the falsehood that the sorcerers were working with was nullified. This occurs in the context of Prophet Musa's confrontation with Pharaoh's magicians, where Allah caused Musa's staff to swallow the ropes and staffs they had thrown (7:117). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this represents the decisive victory of divine truth over human deception and sorcery, demonstrating that no magic or cunning can overcome Allah's signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Meccan surah Al-A'raf and falls within the narrative of Prophet Musa confronting Pharaoh's magicians. The context illustrates how Allah supported Musa against the magicians' tricks, serving as a lesson to the Meccan disbelievers about the ultimate triumph of truth. This narrative was revealed to strengthen Prophet Muhammad's resolve and assure the believers that divine truth will ultimately prevail against opposition.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly quotes this ayah, the theme relates to numerous hadiths on the superiority of Allah's signs over magic. See Sahih Bukhari's chapters on magic (kitab as-sihr) which discuss how the Prophet warned against sorcery as a major sin, reinforcing that only truth from Allah endures.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that ultimate truth always prevails against deception and falsehood, no matter how impressive human tricks may appear on the surface. It encourages steadfastness in faith, knowing that Allah's truth will ultimately triumph over all forms of misguidance and deception.