وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ ءَايَـٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَـٰتٍ ۖ فَسْـَٔلْ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُۥ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا 101
Translations
And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs, so ask the Children of Israel [about] when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, "Indeed I think, O Moses, that you are affected by magic."
Transliteration
Wa-laqad ātaynā Mūsā tis'a āyātin bayyinātin, fa-sal banī Isrāʾīl idhā jāʾahum, faqāla lahu Firʿawn, innī la-aẓunnuka yā Mūsā masḥūrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah granted Prophet Musa (Moses) nine clear signs and miracles as proof of his prophethood when he came to Pharaoh's people. The Qur'an instructs the reader to ask the Children of Israel about these miracles, which served as undeniable evidence of Allah's power and Musa's divine mission. Despite witnessing these clear proofs, Pharaoh arrogantly dismissed them, attributing Musa's miraculous abilities to sorcery rather than acknowledging the truth—a rejection rooted in pride and disbelief.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra, a Meccan surah revealed during the Meccan period. The context addresses the Meccan polytheists who, like Pharaoh of old, were rejecting the clear signs brought by Prophet Muhammad. By referencing the nine miracles given to Musa, Allah reminds the Meccans of historical precedent: those who reject clear signs face destruction, while drawing a parallel between Pharaoh's arrogance and the obstinacy of the Meccan disbelievers.
Related Hadiths
Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the nine signs/miracles of Musa in various contexts. Additionally, Surah Ta-Ha (20:42-56) provides detailed descriptions of these nine signs. A related hadith in Sahih Bukhari discusses how Pharaoh called Musa a sorcerer (sāḥir), illustrating the theme of rejection despite clear evidence.
Themes
Key Lesson
Even the most manifest signs and miracles cannot compel belief in those whose hearts are hardened by arrogance and denial; true guidance requires both external evidence and an open, receptive heart willing to submit to Allah's truth.
Related Ayahs
رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ
The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْكَهْفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا۟ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا عَجَبًا
Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder?
يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا
The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allāh outright," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority.
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰٓ
Near it is the Garden of Refuge [i.e., Paradise] -