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Internal contradiction Analysis · argument Historical Classical sources

Al-A‘rāf 7:117

By TheQuran.com research team (original site, 2020–21) · last edited 23 Feb 2021

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The verses

7:117
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ١١٧
And We inspired Moses (saying): Throw thy staff! And lo! it swallowed up their lying show. — Marmaduke Pickthall
7:118
فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ١١٨
Thus was the Truth vindicated and that which they were doing was made vain. — Marmaduke Pickthall
7:119
فَغُلِبُوا۟ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ صَٰغِرِينَ ١١٩
Thus were they there defeated and brought low. — Marmaduke Pickthall
7:120
وَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ ١٢٠
And the wizards fell down prostrate, — Marmaduke Pickthall
7:121
قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ١٢١
Crying: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, — Marmaduke Pickthall
7:122
رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ١٢٢
The Lord of Moses and Aaron. — Marmaduke Pickthall
10:83
فَمَآ ءَامَنَ لِمُوسَىٰٓ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ٨٣
But none trusted Moses, save some scions of his people, (and they were) in fear of Pharaoh and their chiefs, that he would persecute them. Lo! Pharaoh was verily a tyrant in the land, and lo! he verily was of the wanton. — Marmaduke Pickthall

The issue

This story recounts a competition arranged by Pharaoh between Moses and a band

of sorcerers that ends in Moses’ victory. As a result, the sorcerers declare their belief in

“the Lord of Moses and Aaron” (Q 7.117-122; Q 20.69-73; Q 26.45-48).

This competition is also mentioned in Q 10.83, but the text in this passage states a

different result: “But none believed in Moses, save a race of his own people [meaning the people of Israel]”.

Therefore, did the sorcerers believe or disbelieve after Moses won the competition?

Arabic text of this item

تقول الرواية إن فرعون نظّم مبارزةً بين موسى ومجموعة من السحرة، انتهت بانتصار موسى، فأعلن السحرة إيمانهم (الأعراف 7: 117 -122؛ طه 20: 69 -73؛ الشعراء 26: 45 -48).

وورد ذكر المبارزة في مكان آخر، حيث يقول النص:

إنه ما آمن <إِلاَّ ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ>، أي بني إسرائيل (يونس 10: 83).

فهل آمن السحرة أم لم يؤمنوا بعد المبارزة؟

Sources cited

Sources added in review (the original item cited none)

  1. al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ al-bayān, on Q 10:83 · link checked 2026-10-12

This item merges 7 entries of the original site that carried the same text across the passage (old ids 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 234; the old ids redirect here).