Tafsir

Between Fir`awn and the Sorcerers

His threats against them resulted only in an increase in their faith and submission to Allah, for the veil of disbelief had been lifted from their hearts and the truth became clear to them because they knew something that their people did not: that what Musa had done could not have been done by any human being unless Allah helped him, making it proof and an evidence of the truth of what he had brought from his Lord.

Then Fir`awn said to them:ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ(You have believed in him before I give you leave.) meaning, `you should have asked my permission for what you did, and you did not consult with me; if I had given you permission you could have done it, and if I did not allow you, you should not have done it, for I am the ruler and the one to be obeyed.'إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ(Surely, he indeed is your chief, who has taught you magic!) This is stubborn talk, and anyone can see that it is nonsense, for they had never met Musa before that day, so how could he have been their chief who taught them how to do magic No rational person would say this. Then Fir`awn threatened to cut off their hands and feet, and crucify them. They said:لاَ ضَيْرَ(No harm!) meaning, `no problem, that will not harm us and we do not care.'إِنَّآ إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ(Surely, to our Lord we are to return.) means, `the return of us all is to Allah, may He be glorified, and He will never allow the reward of anyone who has done good to be lost.

What you have done to us is not hidden from Him, and He will reward us in full for that.' So they said:إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَـيَـنَآ(Verily, we really hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins,) `the sins we have committed and the magic you forced us to do.'أَن كُنَّآ أَوَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(as we are the first of the believers,) means, because we are the first of our people, the Egyptians, to believe. So he killed them all.

بِعِزَّةِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ (By the majesty of the Pharaoh - 26:44). This was an expression of pledge from the magicians, which was in vogue in the olden times. It is unfortunate that similar oaths have now become common among the Muslims as well, which are even more evil and vile, for instance, 'by the king,' 'by the head of yours,' 'by the beard of yours,' 'by the grave of your father' etc. It is not permitted to make an oath of this nature under the Islamic law (because swearing in the name of someone other than Allah is a sin). Rather, it will not be wrong to say that swearing a true oath in this way is as much sinful as swearing a false oath in the name of Allah. (Ruh)

قال فرعون للسحرة مستنكرًا: آمنتم لموسى بغير إذن مني، وقال موهمًا أنَّ فِعْل موسى سحر: إنه لكبيركم الذي علَّمكم السحر، فلسوف تعلمون ما ينزل بكم من عقاب: لأقطعنَّ أيديكم وأرجلكم من خلاف: بقطع اليد اليمنى والرجل اليسرى أو عكس ذلك، ولأصلبنَّكم أجمعين.

تهددهم فلم يقطع ذلك فيهم ، وتوعدهم فما زادهم إلا إيمانا وتسليما . وذلك أنه قد كشف عن قلوبهم حجاب الكفر ، وظهر لهم الحق بعلمهم ما جهل قومهم ، من أن هذا الذي جاء به موسى لا يصدر عن بشر ، إلا أن يكون الله قد أيده به ، وجعله له حجة ودلالة على صدق ما جاء به من ربه; ولهذا لما قال لهم فرعون : ( آمنتم له قبل أن آذن لكم ) ؟ أي : كان ينبغي أن تستأذنوني فيما فعلتم ، ولا تفتاتوا علي في ذلك ، فإن أذنت لكم فعلتم ، وإن منعتكم امتنعتم ، فإني أنا الحاكم المطاع; ( إنه لكبيركم الذي علمكم السحر ) . وهذه مكابرة يعلم كل أحد بطلانها ، فإنهم لم يجتمعوا بموسى قبل ذلك اليوم ، فكيف يكون كبيرهم الذي أفادهم صناعة السحر؟ هذا لا يقوله عاقل .