Allah mentioned the story of the magicians and Musa in Surat Al-A`raf (there
is a commentary on it in that Surah), this Surah,Surat Ta Ha, and in Surat
Ash-Shu`ara'. Fir`awn, may Allah's curse be upon him, wanted to deceive the
people and impress them with the tricks of the magicians in direct opposition to
the plain truth that Musa brought. The result was the exact opposite and he
therefore didn't attain his goal. The signs of the Lord prevailed in that public
festival.
[وَأُلْقِىَ
السَّحَرَةُ سَـجِدِينَ - قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - رَبِّ مُوسَى
وَهَـرُونَ ]
(And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of
all that exists -- the Lord of Musa and Harun.'')(7:120-122) Fir`awn thought
that he would achieve victory through the magicians over the Messenger sent by
Allah, the All-Knower of all hidden things. But he failed, lost Paradise and was
deserving of the Hellfire.
[وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ
ائْتُونِى بِكُلِّ سَـحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ - فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُمْ
مُّوسَى أَلْقُواْ مَآ أَنتُمْ مُّلْقُونَ ]
(And Fir`awn said: "Bring me every well-versed sorcerer.'' And when the
sorcerers came, Musa said to them: "Cast down what you want to cast!'') They
stood in line after they received the promise of Fir`awn to become closer to him
and obtain a generous reward. Musa wanted them to begin. He wanted the people to
see what the magicians had made, then he would come with the truth after that to
triumph over their falsehood.
[قَالُواْ يمُوسَى
إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى قَالَ بَلْ
أَلْقُواْ]
(They said: "O Musa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw''
[Musa] said: "Nay, throw you (first)!'') When the magicians cast their spells
they bewitched the eyes of the people through their display of mighty sorcery.
At that time,
[فَأَوْجَسَ فِى
نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى - قُلْنَا لاَ تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاٌّعْلَى -
وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ
سَاحِرٍ وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى ]
(Musa conceived 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, to whatever amount (of skill)
he may attain.'') (20:67-69) Upon that, Musa said:
[فَلَمَّآ أَلْقُواْ
قَالَ مُوسَى مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ
اللَّهَ لاَ يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ - وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ
بِكَلِمَـتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ]
(What you have brought is sorcery, Allah will surely make it of no effect.
Verily, Allah does not set right the work of the evildoers. And Allah will
establish and make apparent the truth by His Words, however much the criminals
may hate (it). )
[فَمَآ ءامَنَ
لِمُوسَى إِلاَّ ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ عَلَى خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ
وَمَلَئِهِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ وَإِنَّهُ
لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ ]
(83. But none believed in Musa except the offspring of his people, because of
the fear of Fir`awn and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them; and verily,
Fir`awn was an arrogant tyrant on the earth, he was indeed one of the
transgressors.)