إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحْرِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ 73
Translations
Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allāh is better and more enduring."
Transliteration
Inna āmannā bi-rabbinā li-yaghfira lanā khatāyānā wa-mā akrahtanā 'alayhi min as-siḥri wa-allāhu khayrun wa-abqā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the declaration of faith by Pharaoh's magicians after witnessing Moses's miracles, wherein they proclaim belief in Allah and seek forgiveness for their past sins and the magic they were forced to perform. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, their statement reflects sincere repentance and recognition of Allah's supremacy, acknowledging that even coerced sins require seeking divine forgiveness. The concluding phrase 'Allah is better and more lasting' emphasizes that monotheistic faith and obedience to Allah surpass all worldly powers and temporal authority.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the narrative of Surah Taha describing the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh. The magicians, after witnessing the staff of Moses transform into a serpent and swallow their magical ropes and staffs, immediately recognized the divine miracle and rejected Pharaoh's authority, making this a pivotal moment of faith in the surah's Meccan context addressing polytheism and false powers.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim (2703) regarding repentance from major sins relates thematically to seeking forgiveness. Additionally, traditions about the magicians of Pharaoh appear in Tafsir al-Tabari and other classical exegeses, though no single canonical hadith directly parallels this specific ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
True faith involves immediately abandoning falsehood upon recognizing truth, regardless of worldly consequences, and seeking Allah's forgiveness for past errors—even those committed under compulsion. This ayah teaches that sincere repentance and submission to Allah's will are the path to lasting dignity and divine mercy, far superior to maintaining temporal power or worldly status.