of Nokounam, (Session 1499)
Verses 76 and 78 of Surah Al-Imran, like a clear mirror, portray the confrontation between divine truth and the deception of sorcery alongside human arrogance. These verses, addressing 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 human resistance thereto. In this treatise, through a profound and coherent perspective, the concepts within these verses are elucidated employing an eloquent language and structured composition, aiming to vividly and comprehensively convey the spirit and message of these verses to the readership. This work, preserving all details and insights from the lectures and associated analyses, explores the theological, psychological, and sociological dimensions of these verses, revealing their depth and richness through semantic interconnections.
Verse Text and Translation
فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
"Then when the truth came to them from Us, they said, 'Indeed, this is clear sorcery.'"
This verse from the Holy Qur'an clearly recounts the accusation of Pharaoh's people against the divine miracles. When confronted with the revelatory truth, instead of accepting it, they labelled these divine signs as sorcery. This accusation did not stem from mere ignorance, but rather from a conscious deliberate denial of the truth. Pharaohs people, due to their adherence to ancestral traditions and inability to comprehend the exalted truth, equated miracles with sorcery. In response, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) declared:
قَالَ مُوسَىٰ أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ
"Moses said, 'Do you say [this] to the truth when it has come to you, "Is it sorcery?" While the sorcerers will not succeed.'"
Moses words, like a sharp sword, expose the falsehood of the sorcery accusation and emphasize the failure of sorcerers before divine truth. A miracle, akin to a pure spring originating from the divine source, transcends natural laws and aims solely at guiding humanity, whereas sorcery, like a deceptive mirage, serves only to mislead.
The accusation of sorcery against miracles has cast a dark shadow over divine truth throughout the history of prophetic missions. The Qur'an, in verse 116 of Surah Al-A'raf, refers to Pharaohs magicians 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."
This verse illustrates that sorcery employs visual and psychological tools to deceive perception, yet it is unstable like straw before the wind in comparison with divine miracles. Philosophically, a miracle is a divine sign that transcends natural laws, whereas sorcery is a deceptive veil that only glosses over superficial appearances. The inability of Pharaohs people to discern this distinction is rooted in their bias and perceptual limitations, bound as they are to ancestral traditions.
Verse Text and Translation
قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
"They said, 'Have you come to turn us away from what we found our forefathers upon, so that you two might be rulers in the land? And we will never believe you.'"
This verse recounts the accusation of Pharaoh and his people towards Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them), alleging that by bringing miracles, they intend to divert the people from their ancestral traditions and claim earthly dominion. This accusation, like a poisoned arrow, reveals suspicion towards the prophets motives and a desire to preserve the existing power structure.
The term litalfatna (to divert or confuse) unveils the accusation Pharaoh and his nobles made against the divine prophets. They assumed Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them) sought to disrupt the traditional and social order of the people by their miracles. This accusation mirrors Pharaohs own arrogance and ambition for power, projected onto the prophets. The Qur'an, in verse 84 of Surah Al-An'am, clarifies the mission of the prophets as guidance and reform:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ
"And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]."
This verse, like a blazing torch, exposes the falsehood of Pharaohs accusations and emphasises the contrast between the divine objectives of the prophets and the material motives of their opponents. Sociologically, Pharaohs behaviour represents an effort to preserve the existing power structure, resisting religious innovation.
The Qur'an, in verse 76 of Surah Al-Imran, with the phrase and the sorcerers will not succeed, alerts to the failure of sorcerers before divine truth. This failure stems from their cognitive limitations, as they focus solely on superficial and material matters, incapable of grasping the exalted truth.
Sorcery, like a deceptive mirage, glides only over superficial appearances and lacks intrinsic truth. In contrast, a miracle, like a pure spring, originates from the divine source and serves solely for guidance. The Qur'an, in verse 81 of Surah Taha, emphasises the failure of sorcery against divine truth:
فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ
"Then when they had thrown, Moses said, 'What you have brought is sorcery. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness.'"
This verse,
