of Nokounam, (Session 1500)
The verses of Surahs Al-Imran and Ta-Ha, like a clear mirror, depict a scene of the struggle between truth and falsehood; a place where the Divine miracle confronts human sorcery and distinguishes reality from deception. These verses narrate the encounter of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh and his magicians, in which the divine power triumphs over enchantment and trickery. The present discourse, with a profound examination of these verses, elaborates on the concepts of sorcery, magic, and miracles, employing allegories and allusions to convey the Qur'anic messages in a lucid and coherent manner for readers. This work, structured systematically and content of the lectures, explores the philosophical, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of this confrontation.
The Holy Qur'an, in Surah Al-Imran, verses 76 and 78, refers to the accusation made by the people of Pharaoh against Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), who described his miracle as manifest sorcery. These verses unveil the arrogance and denial of the Pharaohs people, who equated divine truth with human enchantment.
فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
"Then, when the truth came to them from Us, they said: Indeed, this is manifest sorcery."
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 that upon which we found our forefathers, and that you may be the dominant ones in the land? And we will never believe you."
This accusation roots in the resistance of Pharaohs people against the truth. They equated the miracle, a divine sign for humanitys guidance, with sorcery, a tool for deception and manipulation of perception. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), in response, emphatically and logically stressed the falsehood of sorcery and warned of the magicians failure before divine truth:
أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ
"Do you say about the truth when it has come to you, 'This is sorcery'? But sorcerers will not succeed."
The miracle, like a blazing torch, transcends natural laws and, with the purpose of guiding humanity, manifests a sign of divine power. Sorcery, however, remains a deceptive shadow within the scope of human capabilities, employed to delude minds. This distinction is clearly articulated in the Qur'anic verses, especially in Surah Al-A'raf (Verse 116):
فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ
"Then their ropes and staffs were made to appear to move by their magic."
From an epistemological perspective, the miracle represents the transcendent truth, whereas sorcery is limited to superficial deception. Moses' response strikes at the heart of denial, revealing his spiritual acumen in confronting Pharaohs peoples resistance.
The Holy Qur'an in Surah Al-Imran (Verse 79) mentions Pharaoh's command to gather skilled magicians:
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِي بِكُلِّ سَاحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ
"Pharaoh said: Bring me every knowledgeable sorcerer."
These magicians, known as knowledgeable, possessed advanced skills and knowledge and, unlike counterfeit magicians, did not require deceit or fraud.
The knowledgeable sorcerer, akin to a masterful expert, employed sophisticated visual and psychological techniques and held a distinguished position within his community. This distinction, highlighted in the lectures, is drawn by comparing proficient magicians in advanced societies with counterfeit ones in others. Non-knowledgeable sorcerers exploit public ignorance for fraud and deception, whereas the knowledgeable sorcerer, relying on skill and expertise, does not need such tactics.
From a sociological viewpoint, the difference between knowledgeable and non-knowledgeable sorcerers corresponds to the level of religious and media literacy within societies. In societies with lower religious and scientific awareness, non-knowledgeable magicians exploit spiritual and emotional needs through deception. Nevertheless, even the knowledgeable sorcerer, despite all skills, fails against the divine miracle, as stated in the Qur'an:
وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ
"And the sorcerer will not succeed wherever he comes." (Ta-Ha: 69)
This failure, like a champion's defeat before a superior force, signifies the supremacy of divine truth over human skills.
The lectures liken the confrontation between sorcery and miracle to a wrestling match where the miracle, as an undefeated champion, nullifies sorcery. The Qur'an in Surah Ta-Ha (Verse 69) describes this confrontation:
وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ
"And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. Indeed, what they have crafted is but the trick of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer will not succeed wherever he is."
Moses (peace be upon him), by casting his staff, caused the ropes and staffs of the magicians to be swallowed, nullifying their sorcery. This scene symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and the revelation of divine truth over human deception.
Philosophically, this confrontation can be analysed within Hegelian dialectics: Sorcery (thesis), miracle (antithesis), and the triumph of divine truth (synthesis). This process is gradual and reflects divine patience in manifesting truth. The lectures emphasise that the invalidation of sorcery often occurs progressively, like a wrestler whose every move is met with a stronger counteraction. This gradualism presents an opportunity for guidance, as some magicians, in the face of the miracle, prostrated and believed:
فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ
"Then the magicians fell down in prostration, saying: We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." (Ta-Ha: 70)
The lectures describe sorcery as associated with incantations, recitations
