Pharaoh's Magicians

• About this film: the film tells the Quran's account of Musa and Pharaoh's magicians (Ta-Ha 20:56-76, Al-A'raf 7:103-126, Ash-Shu'ara 26:34-51 and Yunus 10:79-82) together with reports that Ibn Kathir records in his commentary on the Quran. Some details are the film's own telling, not found in these sources: Pharaoh trembling; the magicians preparing their magic in secret at night; Pharaoh on his high throne, looking out over everyone; Musa and Harun appearing alone; the serpent swallowing “rope after rope… staff after staff”; the whole square falling silent; Pharaoh jumping up, shouting; and the short lines the characters speak in English: Pharaoh's “Musa, you will be defeated in front of everyone!” and “TRAITORS!”, and the magicians' chief's “You will see, my lord… magic no eye has ever seen.”, “NOW!”, “This is not magic!” and “Do not be afraid. It is only an hour… and then we meet our Lord.” A few of these scenes are close to reports Ibn Kathir records (Pharaoh sitting on his throne, Musa coming forward with his brother Harun, the serpent going after the ropes and sticks one after another), but the scenes and words shown are the film's. Other parts are reports that Ibn Kathir records, and the film tells them as reports: the words of a young magician, “These are not the words of a magician!” (Ibn Kathir records only that, it has been said, one of them said so, without saying who); that in their prostration they saw their homes in Paradise; and the words of Ibn Abbas about that day. The film also shows the soldiers dragging them away in front of the people; Ibn Kathir says only: "So he killed them all." What is authentic is the verses of the Quran on this page and the reports that Ibn Kathir records, explained below.[1][6]
• Long ago in Egypt there ruled a tyrant king, Pharaoh (the title of the kings of Egypt). He kept the Children of Israel, the descendants of the prophet Yaqub, as slaves, and he even told his people: "I am your most exalted lord." (79:24). Allah sent Musa to him, together with his brother Harun. Musa told Pharaoh that he was a messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, and asked him to let the Children of Israel go with him (7:104-105). Ibn Kathir explains that this meant: "release them from your slavery and subjugation", so that they could worship Allah.[5][2][6]
• Pharaoh asked for a sign. Musa threw down his staff, and suddenly it was a huge serpent for everyone to see; then he drew out his hand, and it was shining white (7:106-108). Ibn Kathir says the hand "was shining like a piece of the moon", and that this was not because of any illness. But Pharaoh would not believe: the Quran says that Allah showed him all His signs, "but he denied and refused." (20:56).[2][1][6]
• The powerful men around Pharaoh agreed with him that Musa was only a skilled magician who wanted to drive them out of their land (7:109-110, 26:34-35). They advised him to hold off Musa and his brother, and to send men to all the cities to bring him every skilled magician (7:111-112, 26:36-37). Ibn Kathir explains that in those days "magic was the trade of the day and it was widespread and popular", and that they wrongly thought what Musa had brought was a kind of magic like theirs.[2][4][6]
• Pharaoh said he would answer Musa with magic just like his, and told him to set a time and a place to meet (20:57-58). Musa chose the day of their festival, when all the people gather in the middle of the morning (20:59). Ibn Kathir explains that it was a holiday, when people stopped work and came together in a large crowd, and that this day was chosen "so that all of the people could witness the power of Allah to do whatever He wills". Musa did not ask to meet at night, but in the bright light of day: "This is the way of the Prophets. Their work is always clear and apparent."[1][6]
• The magicians came from everywhere. Before the contest they asked Pharaoh if they would have a reward if they won. He said yes, and that they would also be among those closest to him (7:113-114, 26:41-42). Ibn Kathir explains his promise: "I will make you among those who are close to me, those who sit with me." The people were called to gather, and they said they would follow the magicians if the magicians won (26:39-40). Ibn Kathir notes that the people "were followers of the religion of their king".[2][4][6]
• On the festival day, Musa warned the magicians: do not make up lies against Allah, or He will destroy you with a punishment (20:61). Ibn Kathir explains that this means: "Do not make an illusion before the people of something that is not real". His words shook them, and they argued among themselves in secret (20:62). Ibn Kathir records that, it has been said, one of them said: "This is not the speech of a magician, but it is the speech of a Prophet." Another said that Musa was only a magician. In the end they told one another that Musa and Harun were two magicians who wanted to drive them out of their land, so they should bring all their tricks together and come forward in one line, because whoever came out on top that day would win (20:63-64).[1][6]
• Then they said to Musa: will you throw first, or shall we? He said: you throw (20:65-66, 7:115-116). Ibn Kathir explains that, it was said, Musa let them go first so that the people would see their magic first, and then the truth would come, "thus making the truth even more impressive to their hearts". They threw their ropes and their staffs, swearing by Pharaoh's power that they would win (26:44); they cast a spell on the people's eyes and filled them with fear (7:116). Ibn Kathir says they were so many that "the valley became full of snakes piled on top of each other". Even Musa felt fear in his heart: Ibn Kathir explains that he feared for the people, that they would be fooled by the magic before he could throw what was in his right hand. Allah told him: do not be afraid, you will win; throw what is in your right hand (20:67-69).[1][2][4][6]
• Musa threw his staff, and it swallowed up everything they had made (7:117, 20:69). Ibn Kathir records from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, an early historian: "It followed the ropes and sticks one after another, until nothing that the sorcerers threw remained." The Quran says that the truth was established and all they had done came to nothing, and that Pharaoh and his people were defeated right there (7:118-119).[2][1][6]
• Why did the magicians believe at once? Because they knew magic better than anyone, its tricks and its limits. Ibn Kathir explains that, "while they were knowledgeable of the various tricks and methods in the sciences of magic, they knew with conviction that what Musa had done was not magic or illusionary tricks." They knew that only Allah could do this. Ibn Ishaq records them saying: "Had Musa been a magician, he would not have prevailed over us."[6]
• So the magicians fell down in prostration, with their foreheads on the ground, and said that they believed in the Lord of Harun and Musa (20:70), the Lord of all the worlds (7:120-122). Pharaoh's own magicians bowed down to Allah, right in front of Pharaoh and all the people. It is narrated that in that prostration they were shown their places in Paradise: Ibn Kathir records from Sa'id ibn Jubayr, an early scholar: "They saw their places (in Paradise) made clear before them while they were in their prostration." He adds that Ikrima and al-Qasim ibn Abi Bazza said the same.[1][2][6]
• Pharaoh was furious. He said: you believed in him before I gave you permission! He is your master who taught you magic, and this is a plot you planned together (20:71, 7:123). Ibn Kathir calls this "stubborn talk": the magicians "had never met Musa before that day, so how could he have been their chief who taught them how to do magic". Then Pharaoh threatened them with a terrible punishment: to cut off their hands and feet on opposite sides, and to crucify them on the trunks of palm trees (20:71, 7:124).[1][2][6]
• But fear had left their hearts. They answered: we will never choose you over the clear proofs that came to us, nor over the One who created us; do whatever you want, you can only decide about this life on earth (20:72). Ibn Kathir explains their words: "You only have power in this world and it is a world that will come to an end." They also said: "No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return." (26:50), which Ibn Kathir explains as "that will not harm us and we do not care". They hoped that Allah would forgive them their sins and the magic Pharaoh had forced them to do (20:73, 26:51). Then they asked Allah to fill them with patience and to let them die as Muslims, people who give themselves to Allah (7:125-126).[1][4][2][6]
• Ibn Abbas, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), summed up that day. Ibn Kathir records that Ibn Abbas and other early scholars said: "They started the day as sorcerers and ended it as martyrs." In another place he gives the words of Ibn Abbas as: "At the beginning of the day they were magicians and at the end of the day they were outstanding witnesses of faith." A martyr is a person who dies for their faith. Ibn Kathir adds that what Pharaoh did to them "was a mercy from Allah for them", because they met Allah as believers.[6]
• The lesson of the story: hearts belong to Allah. In the morning these men stood against the truth, and by the evening they had died for it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to pray: «اللهم مصرف القلوب صرف قلوبنا على طاعتك», that is: O Allah, Turner of hearts, turn our hearts to obeying You. Abdullah ibn Amr heard him say it, and it is recorded in Sahih Muslim (no. 2654; Sunnah.com shows it as no. 2655), one of the most trusted collections of the Prophet's sayings. So never give up on anyone, or on yourself: the men who came that morning asking for Pharaoh's gold left asking only for Allah's forgiveness (26:51).[7][8][4][6]
• This world is short, and what is with Allah lasts. In the film the magicians' chief says “It is only an hour… and then we meet our Lord.”: those are the film's words; in the Quran the magicians tell Pharaoh that he can only decide about this life on earth, and that Allah is better and more lasting (20:72-73). And however strong falsehood looks, it does not last. The film ends with Musa's words in Surat Yunus: what you have brought is magic, and Allah will bring it to nothing; Allah does not let the work of the corrupt succeed, and He makes the truth win by His words, even if the criminals hate it (10:81-82). Ibn Kathir notes that Pharaoh wanted to impress the people with the magicians' tricks, but "The result was the exact opposite".[1][3][6]

• Hearts belong to Allah: the men who came in the morning to defeat Musa were believers by the evening, so never give up on anyone, or on yourself.[7][8][6]
• Real knowledge leads to the truth: the magicians knew magic so well that they saw at once that Musa's sign was not magic, and they were not too proud to accept it.[6][1]
• Pharaoh promised them a reward and a place at his side; they chose what is with Allah, which is better and lasts longer.[2][1]
• Faith gives courage: once they believed, they feared no one but Allah, even before a tyrant king.[1][4][6]
• Falsehood can look strong for a while, but Allah makes the truth win.[3][6]

These questions are written by Qabas Anime to help you reflect. They are not part of the Quran or its tafsir.

1. The magicians knew magic better than anyone, and that is exactly why they saw the truth. How can what you know help you to recognise what is true?
2. Pharaoh offered them a reward and a place close to him. What would you find hardest to give up for the truth?
3. Their hearts changed in a single moment. Is there someone you have given up on? Why should we never give up on anyone?
4. Why do you think the magicians were no longer afraid of Pharaoh once they believed?