Verses 76 and 78 of Surah Al-Imran, like a clear mirror, reflect the historical and spiritual confrontation between divine truth and human deceit. These verses, which narrate the encounter of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh and his people, unveil the challenges of divine mission and display the opposition between faith and denial, humility and arrogance, as well as miracle and sorcery. In this discourse, with profound insight into these verses, an endeavour has been made to present the deep Quranic concepts in an eloquent language and organised structure, befitting researchers and seekers of truth. This text, by linking scholarly discussions and precise analyses, strives to convey the spirit and message of the verses clearly and effectively.
When the truth came to them from Us, they said: This is indeed a manifest sorcery.
They said: Have you come to divert us from that on which we found our forefathers and that you two might have greatness in the land? And we shall not believe in you two.
Verse 76 of Surah Al-Imran, like a light in darkness, unveils the approach of Pharaohs people towards divine truth. When the revelation and miracle, like a clear stream from God, flowed towards them, Pharaohs people called it sorcery:
فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
This accusation was not merely due to ignorance but stemmed from a deeply rooted prejudice in the traditions of their ancestors. In response, Moses (peace be upon him) firmly declared with divine authority:
أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ
(Do you say of the truth when it has come to you, This is sorcery? Yet sorcerers will never prosper.) This statement, like a sharp sword, exposed the falsehood of the sorcery accusation and emphasised the failure of the sorcerers before divine truth.
From an epistemological perspective, a miracle, as a divine sign, transcends natural laws and manifests for human guidance, whereas sorcery, as a human tool, serves solely to deceive and manipulate perception. The Quran in verse 116 of Surah Al-A'raf refers to the sorcerers of Pharaoh attempting to imitate the miracles of Moses (peace be upon him):
فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ
(Then their ropes and staffs appeared to him by their magic as though they were moving.) However, this deception collapsed like a bubble on water in the face of the divine miracle.
Verse 78 of Surah Al-Imran, like a mirror, reflects the arrogance and suspicion of Pharaohs people. They said to Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them):
أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
The term لِتَلْفِتَنَا, meaning to confuse or mislead, indicates the accusation Pharaoh and his people levelled at the divine prophets, as though their mission was an attempt to disrupt traditional order and seize power.
From a sociological viewpoint, this accusation was an effort to preserve the existing power structure. Pharaoh and his courtiers, who themselves desired الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ (greatness on earth), attributed their own ambitions to the prophets. Psychologically, this behaviour resembles the defence mechanism of projection, whereby one attributes ones own negative traits to others. The Quran emphasises the divine purpose of prophets in verse 84 of Surah Al-An'am:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ
(And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed.)
The Quran in verse 76 of Surah Al-Imran emphasises:
وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ
(And the sorcerers will never prosper.) This principle, like an eternal decree, proclaims the failure of every effort against divine truth. Sorcerers, who focus on superficial and material matters, are incapable of understanding exalted truths such as God, the Hereafter, and Resurrection.
Philosophically, sorcery is like a deceptive shadow powerless against the light of divine miracle. The Quran in verse 81 of Surah Taha states:
فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ
(So when they had thrown, Moses said, What you have brought is sorcery. Indeed, Allah will invalidate it.) This failure is rooted in the sorcerers disconnection from divine truth, leading to loss in this world and the Hereafter: خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ (verse 11, Surah Al-Hajj).
Pharaohs people were not merely incapable of understanding the miracle; they willfully resisted the truth. This ignorance, like a thick veil, prevented the light of truth from penetrating their hearts. The Quran in verse 6 of Surah Al-Baqarah refers to this willful denial:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
(Indeed, those who disbelieveit is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn themthey will not believe.)
Psychologically, this behaviour resembles cognitive dissonance, whereby individuals deny new truths to preserve prior beliefs. Their adherence to ancestral traditions (عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا) and arrogance kept Pharaohs people bound in the chains of misguidance. This notion aligns with verse 35 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which identifies arrogance as the cause of Ibliss expulsion from Gods presence:
فَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
(He was arrogant and became one of the disbelievers.)
One profound aspect of these verses is the reference to misguidance arising from knowledge and perfection devoid of faith. Pharaohs people, despite their knowledge of sorcery, due to arrogance and denial of truth, embarked on the path of error. The Quran considers knowledge a divine blessing:
يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ
(verse 11, Surah Al-Mujadalah: Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.) However, it stresses that knowledge without faith can become a double-edged sword leading to misguidance.
Pharaohs sorcerers, described as سَاحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ in verse 79 of Surah Al-Imran, utilised their knowledge to confront divine miracles, yet their efforts ended in failure. Philosophically, this aligns with epistemological views that intellect and knowledge, without spiritual guidance, may result in deviation.
Pharaoh commanded:
