Chapter 9 :Pharaoh’s Enchanters Vanquished

“The chiefs at Fir’aun’s people said: Most surely this is an enchanter possessed of knowledge. He intends to turn you out of your land. Said Fir’aun: What counsel do you then give? They said: Put him off and his brother and send collectors into the cities that they bring to thee ever enchanter possessed of knowledge. And the enchanters came to Fir’aun and said: We must surely have a reward if we are the prevailing ones. He said: Yes, and ye shall be certainly of those who are near to me. They said: O Musa! Will you cast or shall we be the first to cast? He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people’s eyes and frightened them and they produced a mighty enchantment. And We revealed to Musa saying: Cast thy rod. Then lo! it devoured their lying wonders. So the truth was made strong and that which: they had wrought proved in vain. And they were vanquished on the spot and drew back humiliated. And the enchanters prostrated themselves adoring. They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Musa and Harun.⁵ Fir’aun said: Do you believe in him before I gave you permission? Surely this is a plot secretly devised in this city that you may turn out of it its people, but you shall know what shall happen. I shall certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then will I crucify you all together.” (7:109-124)

“They said: We do not prefer thee to what has come to us of clear arguments and to Him Who has made us. Therefore decide what thou art going to decide: thou canst decide only about this world’s life. Surely we have believed in our Lord that He may pardon us our sins and the sorcery to which thou hast forced us, for Allah is better and more abiding than thou. Whoever comes to his Lord being guilty, for him is surely hell; he shall not die therein nor shall he live. And whoever comes to Him a believer and he has done good deeds, indeed these it is who shall have the high ranks, the gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, and this is the reward of him who has purified himself.” (20:72-76)