This book, relying on the radiant verses of Surah Aal Imran, particularly verses 76 and 77, explores one of the most significant Qur'anic themes: the confrontation between divine miracle and human sorcery. With a profound look at the encounter of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh and his courtiers, this work endeavours to elucidate the theological, philosophical, psychological, and sociological dimensions of these verses using eloquent language and a coherent structure. The objective of this writing is not merely to accurately reflect the content of the delivered lectures but also to expand and deepen it through semantic connections and supplementary explanations, inviting the reader to contemplate the reality of miracles and the limitations of sorcery. Inspired by the noble verses and the words of religious scholars, this work is composed to preserve the spiritual essence of the Holy Qur'an while assisting in a deeper understanding of these concepts with a clear and dignified style.
Verses 76 and 77 of Surah Aal Imran depict a clear image of the encounter of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh and his assembly. These verses, as part of the Qur'anic narrative, address the challenges faced by the Prophets against tyrannical powers and the unjust accusations of their adversaries. In these verses, Pharaoh and his followers label divine miracles as sorcery and, with arrogance and denial, stand against the divine truth.
So when the truth came to them from Us, they said, 'Indeed, this is clear sorcery.' (Qur'an 3:76)
Then We sent after them Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his establishment with Our signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people. (Qur'an 3:77)
These verses, like a mirror, reflect the confrontation of truth and falsehood. Pharaoh, symbolising earthly power, reacted to the divine signs presented by Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him) by accusing them of sorcery and displaying arrogance. This reaction not only signifies ignorance of the miracle's truth but also stems from selfishness and the preservation of material and political interests.
The accusation of sorcery against divine miracles has historically been a strategy to undermine the credibility of the Prophets. This allegation roots in the inability of opponents to comprehend divine truth and their desire to maintain power and material benefits.
One of the central themes of the discussed verses is the distinction between divine miracle and human sorcery. A miracle is a sign sent by Almighty God to guide humanity and transcends natural laws. In contrast, sorcery is a human tool that seeks to influence the audience through deception and manipulation of perception. In the Holy Qur'an, this distinction is clearly manifest in the story of Moses (peace be upon him). When Pharaohs magicians appeared with their ropes and staffs, the miracle of Moses (peace be upon him) overcame their sorcery:
So their ropes and their staffs appeared to him by their magic to be moving. (Qur'an 7:117)
This verse clearly demonstrates that sorcery operates only at the level of illusion and deception, whereas a miracle is a truth supported by divine power. In response to the accusation of sorcery, Moses (peace be upon him) asserts decisively:
Do you say to the truth when it has come to you, 'This is magic,' but magic will not succeed? (Qur'an 20:69)
This response not only refutes the accusation of sorcery but also emphasises the failure of magicians before the divine truth. A miracle is like the sun that dispels the darkness of deception and reveals the truth.
The phrase and the magicians will not succeed in the Holy Qur'an expresses a general principle that every attempt to oppose divine truth ends in failure. This principle is observable not only in the story of Moses (peace be upon him) but also in other prophetic narratives, such as Abrahams (peace be upon him) confrontation with Nimrod. Although sorcery may seem convincing momentarily, it is like foam on water that quickly vanishes in the face of divine truth.
Sorcery, as a human tool based on deception, is powerless against divine miracles, which are truths beyond natural laws. This failure signals the supremacy of divine truth over human falsehood.
This section demonstrated that miracles, as divine signs, are distinct from and superior to sorcery. Moses (peace be upon him) response to the accusation of sorcery reveals his spiritual insight and determination in defending the truth. This confrontation offers a profound lesson on the difference between truth and deception, inviting every seeker of knowledge to contemplation.
Pharaoh and his followers, in response to the invitation of Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him), raised accusations rooted in material motives and a thirst for power:
They said, 'Have you come to divert us from what we found our forefathers upon, and to be rulers over us? And we will never believe you.' (Qur'an 7:127)
These accusations reveal Pharaoh and his assemblys suspicion towards the motives of Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him). By projection, they attributed their own material and power-seeking goals to the divine Prophets. In social psychology, this behaviour is known as the defence mechanism of projection, whereby an individual attributes his own negative traits to others to justify his conduct.
Pharaoh and his followers resisted the divine invitation due to their attachment to the existing power structure. This resistance stemmed from arrogance and self-exaltation. The Holy Qur'an introduces arrogance as one of the main characteristics of the sinful people: but they were arrogant and were a criminal people. This arrogance hindered acceptance of the truth and led them to deny miracles and accuse of sorcery.
The accusations of Pharaoh and his assembly against Moses (peace be upon him) and Aaron (peace be upon him) exemplify projection rooted in arrogance and the desire to maintain power. This behaviour prevents acceptance of divine truth and guidance.
This section showed that material motives and Pharaohs arrogance were the main obstacles to accepting divine truth. Pharaoh and his courtiers sought to justify their resistance by attributing material goals to the Prophets. This behaviour serves as a cautionary lesson for anyone who resists truth due to prejudice or personal interests.
One of the salient points in the lectures is the influence of the educational environment and illicit earnings on individuals behaviour and character. Moses (peace be upon him), though raised in Pharaohs courta setting filled with arrogance and power-seekingwas preserved from deviation by divine guidance.
From a psychological perspective, the educational environment plays a significant role in shaping individuals values and behaviours. Social learning theories, such as Banduras, indicate that people internalise behaviours through
