قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ 65
Translations
They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."
Transliteration
Qālū yā mūsā immā an tulqī wa immā an nakūna awwala man alqā
Tafsir (Explanation)
The magicians of Pharaoh respond to Prophet Musa's challenge with confidence, saying they will either cast first or give him the choice to cast first. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates their arrogance and false certainty in their magical abilities, not realizing they were about to witness a divine miracle that would expose the falsehood of their craft. This moment precedes their humbling defeat when Musa's staff becomes a serpent and swallows their magical ropes and staffs.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's confrontation with Pharaoh and his magicians (20:57-76). The magicians had been summoned to counter Musa's miraculous signs, and this exchange represents their arrogant response before the decisive miracle that would convert them to faith in Allah.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly quotes this ayah, the broader narrative of Musa's miracle is referenced in various hadith collections discussing the signs of prophethood and Allah's protection of His messengers. See Surah Taha 20:65-71 for the complete narrative of the magicians' conversion.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that human arrogance and reliance on worldly skills blind people to divine truth; the magicians' confidence in their abilities prevented them from recognizing the supremacy of Allah's signs until they witnessed the miracle directly.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلَا بِرَأْسِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى
[Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.'"
لِنُرِيَكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا ٱلْكُبْرَى
That We may show you [some] of Our greater signs.
وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا
And remember You much.
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَـٰفٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e., Moses] before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."