فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ قَالُوا۟ لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَئِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ 41
Translations
And when the magicians arrived, they said to Pharaoh, "Is there indeed for us a reward if we are the predominant?"
Transliteration
Falamma ja'a as-saharatu qalu li-fir'awna a-inna lana la-ajran in kunna nahnu al-ghalibeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the magicians arrived at Pharaoh's court, they negotiated their compensation by asking Pharaoh if they would receive a reward should they be victorious over Moses. This reveals the materialistic motivation of these magicians and their confidence in their craft, though they were unaware they would soon witness a miracle that would lead many of them to faith. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari note this demonstrates how worldly incentives can drive people to commit to even futile causes, while Ibn Kathir emphasizes this as a turning point where the magicians' arrogance preceded their ultimate conversion.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Moses confronting Pharaoh in Egypt (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, verses 10-68). The context is Pharaoh's challenge to Moses to prove his message, leading him to summon the best magicians of Egypt to counter Moses's miracles. This entire passage was revealed in Mecca and reflects the struggle of the Prophet Muhammad against Meccan disbelievers who similarly rejected the signs of God.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this specific negotiation, Surah Al-A'raf 7:111-112 contains a parallel account of this same event where Pharaoh's officials similarly propose a reward. The theme relates to hadith warnings against pursuing worldly gain at the expense of truth, found in various collections emphasizing sincere intention (niyyah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that pursuing worldly rewards as our primary motivation can blind us to truth and lead us away from recognizing divine signs. It reminds believers that true victory comes not through negotiating material benefits, but through aligning with God's will—a principle relevant to anyone facing moral compromises for financial or social gain.