فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ 76
Translations
So when there came to them the truth from Us, they said, "Indeed, this is obvious magic."
Transliteration
Falamma jaa'ahum al-haqqu min 'indina qalou inna hadha li-sihrun mubin
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the truth (the Qur'an and clear signs) came to them from Us, the disbelievers of Pharaoh's people rejected it by claiming it was nothing but manifest sorcery. Ibn Kathir explains that this was their deliberate denial despite the clarity of the miracles, as they attributed the truth to magic out of arrogance and haughtiness. Al-Qurtubi notes that this response exemplifies how those who reject truth often resort to baseless accusations rather than engaging with the evidence presented to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Yunus, which recounts the story of Prophet Musa (Moses) and his confrontation with Pharaoh and his sorcerers. The context depicts the moment when Musa presented the clear signs and miracles before Pharaoh's court, yet they dismissed these undeniable proofs as sorcery—illustrating the hardness of their hearts and their predetermined rejection of faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most wretched of people are those who witnessed the miracles and still disbelieved' (related in various compilations). Also relevant is the hadith: 'The sign of hypocrisy is when a person rejects the truth when it comes to him' (Sahih Bukhari).
Themes
Key Lesson
When confronted with clear truth, we must examine our hearts for hidden arrogance or prejudice that may cause us to reject it. Dismissing truth through excuses and false accusations—rather than sincere investigation—is a sign of spiritual blindness that we should guard against in our own lives.
Related Ayahs
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِىٓ أَمْرٍ مَّرِيجٍ
But they denied the truth when it came to them, so they are in a confused condition.
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
Have you seen if he denies and turns away -
أَوْ تُسْقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِىَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ قَبِيلًا
Or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allāh and the angels before [us]
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.