The Ocean of the Quran

A verse by verse explanation of The Ultimate Scripture

Al-Zukhruf – Verse 49

وَقالوا يا أَيُّهَ السّاحِرُ ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ بِما عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنا لَمُهتَدونَ

They would say: ‘O magician! Invoke your Lord for us by the covenant He has made with you. We will indeed be guided.’

EXPOSITION

This verse captures their response to the plagues mentioned in the preceding verse, revealing a striking paradox in their attitude. On one hand, they denigrate Prophet Moses (a) by calling him a magician, yet on the other, they urgently plead with him to supplicate to his Lord for relief. Furthermore, they promise to finally accept his message if the affliction is lifted.

The internal inconsistency is glaring; by labelling Prophet Moses (a) a magician, they imply that the ongoing punishment is merely an act of sorcery. If that were the case, logic would dictate that they seek out their own magicians to counteract it with equal magic. Conversely, if they genuinely recognised the calamity as a supernatural, divine intervention – hence their plea to Prophet Moses (a) rather than their own sorcerers – then their refusal to accept him as a prophet and their continued use of the epithet magician becomes intellectually dishonest.‎[1]

Due to the seemingly contradictory implications embedded in this single verse, exegetes have differed in their interpretations, seeking to resolve the tension between the people’s insult, their plea, and their hollow promise. However, the contradiction lies not in the Quranic expression itself, but in the inherently self-defeating attitude of Pharaoh’s clan. The following are some of their suggestions:

  1. Some have interpreted the term magician in this context to mean ‘scholar’, as magicians were highly esteemed in that era, particularly in Egypt. They were regarded with the same reverence as scholars. This view has been attributed to Kalbī and Jubbāʾī.‎[2] However, even if one were to accept that magicians were highly esteemed in that context, describing someone who claims to have a divine message as a scholar, poet, genius, intelligent person, or any other such attribute, which are in themselves beautiful descriptions, is nothing but a denial of their message.‎[3]
  2. Others have suggested that the term ‘magic’ here implies the performance of something extraordinary, akin to how we might say in everyday conversation: ‘So-and-so is incredibly skilled in their work, almost as if they are performing magic!’
  3. It has also been proposed that the term denotes someone who is perceived as a magician by certain people. Zajjāj opined that this was just a habit of theirs.‎[4]
  4. Others, such as Hasan al-Baṣrī, stick to the apparent meaning of the verse, conceding it to be a taunt,‎[5] and argue that those familiar with the mindset and speech patterns of the ignorant who are self-impressed, arrogant, and deluded by their own grandeur – such as tyrants and oppressors – know that such individuals often employ contradictory expressions (see 21:5 and 17:48). It is not surprising, therefore, that they would first label Prophet Moses (a) a sorcerer, then turn to him for relief from their afflictions, and finally promise to follow the right path.‎[6]

In any case, the style of the verse suggests that they made false promises to Prophet Moses (a) even while they were in desperate need of his help. Even in their state of helplessness and dire need, they did not abandon their arrogance. This is evident in the way they addressed Prophet Moses (a), saying your Lord and by the covenant He has made with you rather than saying ‘our Lord’ or ‘by the covenant He has made with us’. This is despite the fact that Prophet Moses (a) had clearly told them, I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds (verse 46) and not merely ‘a messenger of my Lord’.

Invoke your Lord for us by the covenant He has made with you: this covenant could be an indication towards a divine promise of lifting the punishment if they accepted the message of Prophet Moses (a),‎[7] a view attributed to Mujāhid.‎[8] Others suggest that it could also be a reference to his prophethood,‎[9] or to the assurance that God would accept his supplication should he pray for their relief.‎[10]

We will indeed be guided: some suggest that this is actually a declarative statement, i.e. they were claiming ‘due to the severity of this punishment, we have indeed accepted guidance’.‎[11]

Others suggest that this was only an apparent promise which went against their true intentions.‎[12]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have suggested that they did not address Prophet Moses (a) as O magician, but rather as ‘O Moses’ (see 7:134), but God in this verse depicted their real beliefs – in that they saw Prophet Moses (a) as merely a magician – as a form of censuring them and consoling Prophet Muhammad (s).‎[13]

Some exegetes suggest that perhaps labelling him a sorcerer was a form of mockery, directed at his claim of being a messenger connected to the great Creator, whom they neither recognised nor comprehended. They might have imagined this Creator to be nothing more than a figment of Moses’ imagination – an idea he used to elevate his sorcery to the level of absolute power, linking it to the heavens. This, in their view, distinguished him from other great figures and positioned him as a rival to Pharaoh’s unparalleled status. For this reason, they attempted to humour him in what they considered his grand illusion, hoping he would remove the effects of his so-called sorcery from them.‎[14]

Scholars who interpret the covenant as a reference to prophethood have offered several explanations for why this station is described in such terms. Some suggest that Allah made a covenant with His Prophet, honouring him with prophethood in exchange for his commitment to bear its immense responsibilities. Others view prophethood itself as entailing a heavy burden of duties and obligations, accompanied by a unique connection between Allah and the Prophet – a relationship akin to a formal agreement between two parties. Alternatively, it has been proposed that prophethood carries inherent rights and responsibilities that must be safeguarded, much like the terms of a covenant. Yet another perspective draws an analogy to the decrees appointing governors and leaders, suggesting that prophethood functions as a divine decree, commissioning the one honoured with it to fulfil a sacred and defined role.‎[15]

Yet, one might argue that none of these theological justifications are strictly necessary, given that this is an expression used by Pharaoh and his clan, not a divine designation from God. Their choice of words reflects their own understanding – or manipulation – of Prophet Moses’ (a) station, rather than a precise theological definition of prophethood.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

  1. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”‎[16]
  2. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD isrighteous, and my people and I are Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”‎[17] 
[1] Furqan, 26/338.
[2] Tabrisi, 9/77; Thaalabi, 5/184; Tabari, 20/609; Maraghi, 25/98.
[3] Hadi, 3/230.
[4] Tibyan, 9/205; Amthal, 16/68.
[5] Tabrisi, 9/77.
[6] Amthal, 16/68; Mizan, 18/110.
[7] Mizan, 18/110; Mubin, p. 652; Rahnama, 17/71.
[8] Suyuti, 6/19.
[9] Daqaiq, 12/75; Tabrisi.J, 4/71.
[10] Mizan, 18/110; Tabrisi.J, 4/71.
[11] Rahnama, 17/71.
[12] Tabrisi.J, 4/71; Zamakhshari, 4/257.
[13] Alusi, 13/88.
[14] Fadlallah, 17/45.
[15] Alusi, 13/88.
[16] Exodus 8:8.
[17] Exodus 9:27-28.