Sorcery

And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt. But they [i.e., the two angels] do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]."¹ And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allāh. And they [i.e., people] learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But they [i.e., the Children of Israel] certainly knew that whoever purchased it [i.e., magic] would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.

And if they had believed and feared Allāh, then the reward from Allāh would have been [far] better, if they only knew.

[The Day] when Allāh will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel] and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind [from birth] and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, "This is not but obvious magic."

And even if We had sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], a written scripture on a page and they touched it with their hands, the disbelievers would say, "This is not but obvious magic."

Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician

Who wants to expel you from your land [through magic], so what do you instruct?"

They said,¹ "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers

Who will bring you every learned magician."

And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."

He said, "Yes, and, [moreover], you will be among those made near [to me]."

They said, "O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]."

He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.¹

And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.

So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.

And they [i.e., Pharaoh and his people] were overcome right there and became debased.

And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allāh].

They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds,

The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him¹ before I gave you permission. Indeed, this is a conspiracy which you conspired in the city to expel therefrom its people. But you are going to know.

I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides; then I will surely crucify you all."

They said, "Indeed, to our Lord we will return.

And you do not resent us except because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience¹ and let us die as Muslims [in submission to You]."

Have the people been amazed that We revealed [revelation] to a man from among them, [saying], "Warn mankind and give good tidings to those who believe that they will have a [firm] precedence of honor¹ with their Lord"? [But] the disbelievers say, "Indeed, this is an obvious magician."

So when there came to them the truth from Us, they said, "Indeed, this is obvious magic."

Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed."

They said, "Have you come to us to turn us away from that upon which we found our fathers and so that you two may have grandeur in the land? And we are not believers in you."

And Pharaoh said, "Bring to me every learned magician."

So when the magicians came, Moses said to them, "Throw down whatever you will throw."

And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allāh will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allāh does not amend the work of corrupters.

And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne had been upon water - that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed. But if you say, "Indeed, you are resurrected after death," those who disbelieve will surely say, "This is not but obvious magic."

He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned."¹

[Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning."¹

So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came [to Moses].

Moses said to them [i.e., the magicians summoned by Pharaoh], "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allāh or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents [such falsehood]."

So they disputed over their affair among themselves and concealed their private conversation.

They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way [i.e., religion or tradition].

So resolve upon your plan and then come [forward] in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes."

They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."

He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].

And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses.

We [i.e., Allāh] said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior.

And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."

So the magicians fell down in prostration.¹ They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."

[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."

They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us.¹ So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.

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."¹

With their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, [saying], "Is this [Prophet] except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you are aware [of it]?"

[Pharaoh] said to the eminent ones around him, "Indeed, this is a learned magician.

He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic, so what do you advise?"

They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers

Who will bring you every learned, skilled magician."

So the magicians were assembled for the appointment of a well-known day.¹

And it was said to the people, "Will you congregate

That we might follow the magicians if they are the predominant?"

And when the magicians arrived, they said to Pharaoh, "Is there indeed for us a reward if we are the predominant?"

He said, "Yes, and indeed, you will then be of those near [to me]."

Moses said to them, "Throw whatever you will throw."

So they threw their ropes and their staffs and said, "By the might of Pharaoh, indeed it is we who are predominant."

Then Moses threw his staff, and at once it devoured what they falsified.

So the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allāh].

They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds,

The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e., Moses] before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic, but you are going to know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you all."

They said, "No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return.

Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers."

But when there came to them Our visible signs, they said, "This is obvious magic."

But when Moses came to them with Our signs as clear evidences, they said, "This is not except invented magic, and we have not heard of this [religion] among our forefathers."

But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why was he not given like that which was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Moses before? They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other,¹ and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."

And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic."

And say, "This is not but obvious magic.

And they wonder that there has come to them a warner [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, "This is a magician and a liar.

And We did certainly send Moses with Our signs and a clear authority¹

To Pharaoh, Hāmān and Qārūn, but they said, "[He is] a magician and a liar."

But when the truth came to them, they said, "This is magic, and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers."

And they said [to Moses], "O magician, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided."

And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is obvious magic."

But he turned away with his supporters and said, "A magician or a madman."

Similarly, there came not to those before them any messenger except that they said, "A magician or a madman."

Then is this magic, or do you not see?

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allāh to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad."¹ But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."²

And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others].