Surah 20. Ta-Ha

And We certainly showed Pharaoh all of Our signs,¹ but he denied them and refused 'to believe'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 17:101.

And We showed Pharaoh all Our Signs but he did reject and refuse. ²⁵⁸⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is a sort of general introduction to the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh. The Signs are not only the countering of the fraudulent magic of Egypt with real miracles, but the subsequent Plagues (not mentioned here) and the Crossing of the Red Sea by Israel.

He said, 'Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: "Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic O Moses? ²⁵⁸¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Egyptians accused Moses of a design to deprive them of their land, and of exercising black magic. Both charges were palpably false. What Moses wanted to do was to free his people from bondage. The Egyptians had all the power in their possession. As to magic, the Egyptians judged Moses by themselves. They accused the Prophet of Allah of doing the same, though both his outlook and the source of his strength were altogether different.

We can surely meet you with similar magic. So set for us an appointment that neither of us will fail to keep, in a central place.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"But we can surely produce magic to match thine! So make a tryst between us and thee which we shall not fail to keep neither we nor thou in a place where both shall have even chances." ²⁵⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Suwan: literally, 'equal, even'. It has been construed to mean: (1) a place equally distant for both sides, a central place, or (2) equally convenient to both sides, or (3) an open level plain, where the people can collect with ease. All these are possible meanings, but the one I have adopted is more comprehensive, and includes the others, viz.: (4) a place where both sides shall have even chances. "a fair place," as Palmer loconically translates it.

Moses said, 'Your appointment is on the Day of the Festival, and let the people be gathered mid-morning.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Moses said: "Your tryst is the Day of the Festival and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up." ²⁵⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A great day of a Temple Festival, when the temples and streets were decorated, and people were on holiday, free from work. Moses makes this appointment in order to collect as large a number as possible, for his first duty is to preach the Truth. And he apparently did it with some effect with some Egyptians (xx. 70, 72-76), though the Pharaoh and his high and mighty officers rejected the Truth and afterwards paid the Penality.

Pharaoh then withdrew, orchestrated his scheme, then returned.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So Pharaoh withdrew: he concerted his plan and then came (back). ²⁵⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Pharaoh was apparently taken aback at Moses appointing a solemn day of public Festival, when there would be a large concourse and there would be sure to be some people not in the Court clique, who might be critical of Pharaoh's own sorcerers. But probably there was something more in their dark counsels, something unfair and wicked, to which Moses refers in his speech in the next verse.

Moses warned the magicians, 'Woe to you! Do not fabricate a lie against Allah,¹ or He will wipe you out with a torment. Whoever fabricates 'lies' is bound to fail.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 By saying that Moses’ miracle is pure magic.

Moses said to him: "Woe to you! forge not ye a lie against Allah lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration!" ²⁵⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Moses had some idea of their trickery and deceit. They would palm off their fraudulent magic as coming from Allah or from their gods! He warns them that their tricks will stand exposed, and their hopes will be defeated.

So the magicians disputed the matter among themselves, conversing privately.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So they disputed one with another over their affair but they kept their talk secret. ²⁵⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They knew that they had here to deal with no ordinary man, but a man with powers above what they could conceive of. But evil always thinks evil. Judging Moses and Aaron by their own standards, they thought that these two were also tricksters, with some tricks superior to their own. All they had to do was to stand together, and they must win. I construe xx. 63-64 to be private talk among themselves, followed by their open challenge to Moses in xx. 65.

They concluded, 'These two are only magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic, and do away with your most cherished traditions.

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: "These two are certainly (expert) magicians: their object is to drive you out from your land with their magic and to do away with your Most cherished institutions. ²⁵⁸⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xx. 104. 'Your most cherished institutions,' i.e.,'your ancestral and time-honoured religion and magic'. Muthla, feminine of Amthal, most distinguished, honoured, cherished. Tariqat=way of life, institutions, conduct.

So orchestrate your plan, then come forward in 'perfect' ranks. And whoever prevails today will certainly be successful.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Therefore concert your plan. And then assemble in (serried) ranks: he wins (all along) today who gains the upper hand." ²⁵⁸⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Presumably Pharaoh was in this secret conference, and he promises the most lavish rewards to the magicians if they overcome Moses. See vii. 114. That-but I think more than that-is implied. That day was to be the crisis: if they won then, they would win all along, and Moses and his people would be crushed.

They said, 'O Moses! Either you cast, or let us be the first to cast.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: "O Moses! whether wilt thou that thou throw (first) or that we be the first to throw?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Moses responded, 'No, you go first.' And suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him- by their magic- to be slithering.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said "Nay throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods so it seemed to him on account of their magic began to be in lively motion! ²⁵⁸⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their bag of tricks was so clever that it imposed upon all beholders. Their ropes and their rods were thrown, and seemed to move about like snakes. So realistic was the effect that even Moses felt the least bit of doubt in his own mind. He of course had no tricks, and he relied entirely on Allah.

So Moses concealed fear within himself.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. ²⁵⁹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The concerted attack of evil is sometimes so well contrived from all points that falsehood appears and is acclaimed as the truth. The believer of truth is isolated, and a sort of moral dizziness creeps over his mind. But by Allah's grace Faith asserts itself, gives him confidence, and points out the specific truths which will dissipate and destroy the teeming brood of falsehood.

We reassured 'him', 'Do not fear! It is certainly you who will prevail.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We said: "Fear not! for thou hast indeed the upper hand:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cast what is in your right hand, and it will swallow up what they have made, for what they have made is no more than a magic trick. And magicians can never succeed wherever they go.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Throw that which is in thy right hand: quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked. What they have faked is but a magician's trick: and the magician thrives not (no matter) where he goes." ²⁵⁹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The meaning may be either (1) that falsehood and trickery may have their day, but they cannot win everywhere, especially in the presence of Truth, or (2) that trickery and magic must come to an evil end.

So the magicians fell down in prostration, declaring, 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." ²⁵⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. this passage with vii. 120-126 and the notes thereon.