Pharaoh Jumps Out of His Seat

What follows is that, according to several tafsīrs — that of al-Ṭabarī, and Ibn Kathīr — Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that when Pharaoh saw these two things — and they were beyond anything in their world; it was impossible for them to do such a thing, and though he had magicians, they could do nothing of the kind — he leapt from his seat. He leapt from his seat and was greatly afraid, for with him it was a question of power. He had much free slave labour and much power, and he feared now that the people of Mūsā (peace be upon him) would begin to follow him. For he knew that he had no real substance: much worldly power, but little substance. So he took mashwarah with his people. Qāla al-malaʾu min qawmi Firʿawn: he confers with his ministers, and they resolve that, this being magical — it seemed magical to them; to them it was not a miracle but magic, to turn a staff into a serpent — we have magicians; let us summon them all, appoint a day, and hold a contest, and that will put down Mūsā (peace be upon him), for he must plainly lose against all these magicians, our best magicians. And then none will follow him. It will discredit him.

So they did it. But as the account relates, when they came — and the magicians were eager as well, saying to Pharaoh: what will you give us if we win? And Pharaoh said: you shall then be among those closest to me. And at last, when they met, they said: Mūsā, either you cast first or we cast first. He said: cast first. And when they did, they produced an image merely. They gave a seeming. With them it was something done to the eyes, so that the small sticks and cords they cast down appeared as small serpents. And there they were, writhing everywhere. And Mūsā (peace be upon him):

Wa-awḥaynā ilā Mūsā: from Allah — Allah says, We inspired Mūsā (peace be upon him): alqi ʿaṣāk, cast down your staff. Fa-idhā hiya talqafu mā yaʾfikūn: and it began to swallow up everything they had set there. Fa-waqaʿa al-ḥaqq: the truth became clear. Now these are magicians. They know the compass of magic. They know what a man is able to do by magic; they have the experience of it. When they saw this they said: this is another thing. This is a higher magic. This is another thing. This is not magic; this belongs to a higher realm. Hence:

Fa-ghulibū hunālika wa-nqalabū ṣāghirīn. Wa-ulqiya al-saḥaratu sājidīn. Remarkable. All those magicians had been brought out to humiliate Mūsā (peace be upon him), and now they all fall prostrate. Qālū āmannā bi-rabbi al-ʿālamīn: we believe in the Lord of the worlds, rabbi Mūsā wa-Hārūn. Pharaoh is beside himself. He censures them, he warns them, he threatens them: he will cut off their hands from opposite sides, he will cut off their hands and feet, he will do this and that. But no. Nothing. Nothing made any difference to them. They had seen the reality. When a man sees the truth — may Allah let us see the truth, and grant us yaqīn — when he has yaqīn, nothing can shake him. Yaqīn: with yaqīn, nothing can shake a man. Then all the excuses people make — I cannot call myself by my own name, I must change it; I cannot dress as…; I cannot ask for a prayer space — once a man has yaqīn, all of that, all those excuses, go down the drain. It is a thing to be created within the heart, to be asked of Allah (swt). That is all one needs to develop. May Allah (swt) grant us it.

They are now troubled about Mūsā (peace be upon him) on account of their defeat. So Mūsā (peace be upon him) says to his people:

Istaʿīnū bi-llāhi wa-ṣbirū: seek help from Allah. That is the thing of first importance. People forget it. They go to ministers; they attempt all the other worldly means, which is well enough. But istaʿīnū bi-llāhi wa-ṣbirū — and be patient. Fa-inna al-arḍa li-llāh: the earth belongs to Allah. Yūrithuhā man yashāʾu min ʿibādih: and He makes whom He wills of His servants to inherit it. Wa-l-ʿāqibatu li-l-muttaqīn: and the good end, the final and consequent good end, is always for the righteous.