قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ 125
Translations
They said, "Indeed, to our Lord we will return.
Transliteration
Qalū innā ilā Rabbinā munqalibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The magicians of Pharaoh declare their firm conviction that they will ultimately return to their Lord, affirming their belief in the afterlife and divine judgment despite Pharaoh's threats of torture and crucifixion. This statement reflects their sudden transformation from servants of Pharaoh to believers in Allah's oneness, prioritizing their eternal return to God over their worldly fears. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a powerful moment of faith overcoming worldly coercion, demonstrating the magicians' complete submission to Allah after witnessing the truth of Moses' miracles.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Meccan narrative of Surah Al-A'raf describing the confrontation between Prophet Moses and Pharaoh's magicians. After the magicians witnessed Moses' staff transform into a serpent and recognized it as a sign from Allah, they immediately believed and declared their faith, with this statement representing their acceptance of divine accountability despite Pharaoh's threats of severe punishment.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Surah As-Sajdah 32:15 contains related themes of believers' faith in the return to Allah. The story of the magicians' conversion is also referenced in various hadiths discussing examples of sincere faith (Imam At-Tabari's Tafsir).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true faith means prioritizing the eternal return to Allah over temporal worldly concerns and threats; it inspires courage in maintaining one's faith regardless of external pressure or consequences.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَآ ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ
And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware."
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
And remember when He made you successors after the ʿAad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allāh and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُمْ ۖ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ
Who wants to expel you from your land [through magic], so what do you instruct?"
قَالَ فِيهَا تَحْيَوْنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنْهَا تُخْرَجُونَ
He said, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth."