Sura 7, al-Araf [the Heights], Mecca 39

[Moses and Pharaoh]

The Quranic text and Ali’s version

وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ ﴿١٢٠﴾

7:120. But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration.

قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِرِبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٢١﴾

7:121. Saying:

"We believe in the Lord of the worlds.

رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ ﴿١٢٢﴾

7:122. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ آمَنتُم بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن آذَنَ لَكُمْ...

7:123. Said Pharaoh:

"Believe ye in him before I give you permission?

...إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُواْ مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا...

Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people:

...فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٢٣﴾

but soon shall ye know (the consequences).

C1082. Pharaoh and his Court were doubly angry:

- first because they were made to look small when confronted by the power of Allah, and

- secondly, because their dupes and instruments were snatched away from them.

These men, the sorcerers, at once recognised the Sings of Allah, and in their case the mission of Moses, and Aaron was fulfilled. They turned back on their past life of false worship, and oppression of the weak, and confessed the One true God.

As usually happens, hardened sinners resent all the more the saving of any of their companions from sin and error. Judging other people's motives by their own, they accuse them of duplicity, and if they have the power, they take cruel revenge. Here the Pharaoh threatens the repentant sinners with the extreme punishment for treason and apostasy (cutting off of hands and feet, combined with an ignominious death on the cross, as in the case of the worst malefactors).

But they remained firm, and prayed to Allah for patience and constancy. Probably their influence spread quietly in the commonalty. Ultimately it appeared on the throne itself, in the person of Amenophis IV about five or six generations afterwards.

See Appendix V, on Egyptian Religion, printed at the end of this Surah.

لأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلاَفٍ ثُمَّ لأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٢٤﴾

7:124. "Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides,

and I will cause you all to die on the cross."

قَالُواْ إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ ﴿١٢٥﴾

7:125. They said:

"For us, we are but sent back unto our Lord.

Transliteration Qa_lu_ inna_ ila_ rabbina_ munqalibu_n(a).

Pickthall They said: Lo! We are about to return unto our Lord!