In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Alla, The Most High, said:

قَالَ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِتُخۡرِجَنَا مِنۡ أَرۡضِنَا بِسِحۡرِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ

فَلَنَأۡتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحۡرٍ۬ مِّثۡلِهِۦ فَٱجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكَ مَوۡعِدً۬ا لَّا نُخۡلِفُهُ ۥ نَحۡنُ وَلَآ أَنتَ مَكَانً۬ا سُوً۬ى

قَالَ مَوۡعِدُكُمۡ يَوۡمُ ٱلزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحۡشَرَ ٱلنَّاسُ ضُحً۬ى

فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فَجَمَعَ ڪَيۡدَهُ ۥ ثُمَّ أَتَىٰ

قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ وَيۡلَكُمۡ لَا تَفۡتَرُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ڪَذِبً۬ا فَيُسۡحِتَكُم بِعَذَابٍ۬‌ۖ وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ

He [Fir’awn] said, “Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Musa? Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof, so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we, nor you shall fail to keep, in an open wide place where both shall have a just and equal chance (and beholders could witness the competition)”. [Musa] said, “Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon)”. So Fir’awn withdrew, devised his plot and then came back. Musa (Moses) said to them, “Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He should destroy you completely by a torment. And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably”. [Surah Taa Haa. 57-61]

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“He (Fir’awn) claimed that the signs Musa, peace be upon him, that showed him were nothing more than sorcery and illusions and that the aim behind them was to drive them from their land. Fir’awn’s statements were intended to influence his people because people are naturally attached to their homelands and it is difficult for them to abandon them. He told them that this was Musa’s goal so that they would hate and oppose him”. [1]

Allah said:

قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلۡقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ أَلۡقَىٰ (٦٥) قَالَ بَلۡ أَلۡقُواْ‌ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمۡ وَعِصِيُّهُمۡ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيۡهِ مِن سِحۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّہَا تَسۡعَىٰ (٦٦) فَأَوۡجَسَ فِى نَفۡسِهِۦ خِيفَةً۬ مُّوسَىٰ (٦٧) قُلۡنَا لَا تَخَفۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ (٦٨) وَأَلۡقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلۡقَفۡ مَا صَنَعُوٓاْ‌ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيۡدُ سَـٰحِرٍ۬‌ۖ وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ (٦٩) فَأُلۡقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدً۬ا قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَـٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ (٧٠) قَالَ ءَامَنتُمۡ لَهُ ۥ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحۡرَ‌ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَـٰفٍ۬ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخۡلِ وَلَتَعۡلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابً۬ا وَأَبۡقَىٰ (٧١) قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤۡثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنَا‌ۖ فَٱقۡضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ‌ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقۡضِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ (٧٢) إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغۡفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَا وَمَآ أَكۡرَهۡتَنَا عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحۡرِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ (٧٣)

They said: “O Musa (Moses)! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?” [Musa (Moses)] said: “Nay, throw you (first)!” Then behold, their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast. So Musa (Moses) conceived a fear in himself. We (Allah) said: “Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. “And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician’s trick, and the magician will never be successful, no matter whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.” So the magicians fell down prostrate. They said: “We believe in the Lord of Harun (Aaron) and Musa (Moses).” [Fir’aun (Pharaoh)] said: “Believe you in him [Musa (Moses)] before I give you permission? Verily! He is your chief who taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of date-palms, and you shall surely know which of us [I (Fir’aun – Pharaoh) or the Lord of Musa (Moses) (Allah)] can give the severe and more lasting torment.” They said: “We prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him (Allah) Who created us. So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the world. “Verily! We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allah is better as regards reward in comparison to your [Fir’aun’s] reward, and more lasting (as regards punishment in comparison to your punishment).” [Surah Taa Haa. Ayaat 65-73]

Allah informs us in Surah Al-A’raaf Ayaat 123-126 that when the sorcerers abandoned their misguidance and accepted Prophet Musa’s message, Fir’awn said to them:

ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُم

You have believed in him (Musa) before I give you permission].

Meaning, Fir’awn -the cruel and opinionated judge- considered himself the only one deserving of passing judgements on the statements of the people and in the assemblies. It was established and accepted by his people that he was the one to be followed and no one was allowed to oppose his judgements and statements. Thus, contradicting his judgements and statements is tantamount to bad behaviour and disrespect. [2]

Allah said:

وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ ذَرُونِىٓ أَقۡتُلۡ مُوسَىٰ وَلۡيَدۡعُ رَبَّهُ ۥۤ‌ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ أَن يُبَدِّلَ دِينَڪُمۡ أَوۡ أَن يُظۡهِرَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلۡفَسَادَ

Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said: “Leave me to kill Musa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!” [Ghaafir. 26]

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Allah, The Most High, said:

[وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ – Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said] – Meaning, with haughtiness and tyranny, while deluding his foolish people;

[ذَرُونِي أَقْتُلْ مُوسَىٰ وَلْيَدْعُ رَبَّهُ – Leave me to kill Musa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)!]

This was his claim that had it not been for his consideration of the wishes of his people, he would have killed Musa and that (Musa’s) supplication to his Lord would not have prevented him from that.

Fir’awn then mentioned what made him want to kill Musa and that he is a sincere adviser to his people, and that he wished to remove mischief from the land. Allah, The Most High, stated that Fir’awn said:

إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُبَدِّلَ دِينَكُمْ أَوْ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ

I fear that he (Musa) may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!

This is the most amazing the affair can be! The most evil one among the creation gives advice to the people against the best among the creation. This is (nothing but) disguised falsehood and propaganda, which cannot seize except the intellects of those (people) about whom Allaah stated:

فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ

Thus he Fir’aun (Pharaoh)] befooled and misled his people, and they obeyed him. Verily, they were ever a people who were Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah). [Az-Zukhruf. 54] [3]

Allah said:

وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ مَاذَآ أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمۡ‌ۚ قَالُواْ خَيۡرً۬ا‌ۗ لِّلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ۬‌ۚ وَلَدَارُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ خَيۡرٌ۬‌ۚ وَلَنِعۡمَ دَارُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ

جَنَّـٰتُ عَدۡنٍ۬ يَدۡخُلُونَہَا تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ‌ۖ لَهُمۡ فِيہَا مَا يَشَآءُونَ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ يَجۡزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ

ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ‌ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

And (when) it is said to those who are pious, “What is it that your Lord has sent down?” They say: “That which is good.” For those who do good in this world, there is good, and the home of the Hereafter will be better. And excellent indeed will be the home (i.e. Paradise) of the pious. Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity) which they will enter, under which rivers flow, they will have therein all that they wish. Thus Allah rewards the pious. Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a pious state, saying (to them): Salamun ‘Alaikum (peace be on you) enter you Paradise, because of (the good) which you used to do (in the world).” [An-Nahl. 30-32]

وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ مَاذَآ أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمۡ‌ۚ قَالُواْ خَيۡرً۬ا‌ۗ

And (when) it is said to those who are pious, “What is it that your Lord has sent down?” They say: “That which is good.”

Abu Salih narrated from Ibn Abbas who said: “The Quraish polytheists sent sixteen men to the main mountain roads during the days of hajj and dispersed four men on each road to hinder people from believing in Allah’s Messenger, saying, ‘Whoever comes to you asking about Muhammad, then some of you should say, he is a poet, and some of you should say, he is a Soothsayer, and some of you should say, he is a mad man, so it is better that neither you see him nor he sees you. And when the people come to us, we will agree with what you said to them on the roads’.

When this reached Allah’s Messenger, he also sent four believers on each main road – and amongst them were Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud – and commanded them to belie what the Quraish were saying. So, when the people would go past the polytheists, they said what they said about the Messenger, but the Muslims would say, “You have lied, rather he calls to the truth, commands good and forbids evil”. So they said, “What is the good he calls to?” They said:

لِّلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ۬‌ۚ وَلَدَارُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ خَيۡرٌ۬‌ۚ وَلَنِعۡمَ دَارُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ

For those who do good in this world]- Meaning, the good of “none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the best of deeds in reward and that which they are blessed with of its good and obedience to Allah; [وَلَدَارُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ خَيۡرٌ۬‌ۚ – and the home of the Hereafter will be better.

Meaning, nobility in the sight of Allah in the Hereafter and paradise. [4]

[1] An Excerpt from “Tafseer As-Sadi”

[2] An Excerpt from “Tafseer As-Sadi”

[3] An Excerpt from “Tafseer As-Sadi”

[4] Excerpt from “Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer” by Imaam Ibnul Jawzi