SURAH AL-A RAAF (AYA 111 to 130)

قَالُوا أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرْسِلْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ {7:111}

[Q7:111] Qaalooo arjih wa akhaahu wa arsil filmadaaa'ini haashireen. 
[Q7:111] They said: Put him off and his brother, and send collectors into the cities:

[Q7:111] Mereka berkata: Tangguhkanlah dia dan saudaranya (daripada dijatuhkan sebarang hukuman) serta utuslah ke bandar-bandar (di merata-rata negeri Mesir untuk) mengumpulkan (ahli-ahli sihir);  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:111) Then they advised Pharaoh: 'Put off Moses and his brother for a while, and send forth heralds to your cities

يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَاحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ {7:112}

[Q7:112] Yaatooka bikulli saahirin 'aleem. 
[Q7:112] That they may bring to you every enchanter possessed of knowledge.

[Q7:112] Yang kelak akan membawa kepadamu segala ahli sihir yang mahir.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:112) to summon every skilful magician to your presence.' *89

*89. The plan of Pharaoh's courtiers clearly suggests that they knew the difference between mere sorcery and a miracle. They were well aware that miracles are effective and have the capacity to bring about actual transformation whereas sorcery results merely in optic illusion. Hence, they dubbed Moses a sorcerer so as to refute his claim to prophethood. They claimed instead that the transformation of the rod into a serpent was not a miracle; that it was rather a magical performance which could be undertaken by any sorcerer. Therefore, they asked all the sorcerers of the land to come together and display how rods could be magically transformed into serpents. They believed that such a magical show would remove the awesome effect created by Moses' miracles on the people, or at least sow doubts in their minds about those miracles. 

وَجَاءَ السَّحَرَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالُوا إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِنْ كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ {7:113}

[Q7:113] Wa jaaa'as saharatu Fir'awna qaaloo inna lanaa la ajjran in kunnaa nahnul ghaalibeen. 
[Q7:113] And the enchanters came to Firon (and) said: We must surely have a reward if we are the prevailing ones.

[Q7:113] Dan datanglah ahli-ahli sihir itu kepada Firaun lalu berkata: Sungguhkah kami akan beroleh upah, kalau kami dapat mengalahkannya?  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:113) And the magicians came to Pharaoh and said: 'Shall we have a reward if we win?'

قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ {7:114}

[Q7:114] Qaala na'am wa innakum laminal muqarrabeen. 
[Q7:114] He said: Yes, and you shall certainly be of those who are near (to me).

[Q7:114] Firaun menjawab: Benar, (kamu akan mendapat upah) dan kamu sesungguhnya (akan menjadi) dari orang-orang yang damping (denganku). 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:114) Pharaoh replied: 'Certainly, and you shall be among those who are near to me.'

قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ {7:115}

[Q7:115] Qaaloo yaa Moosaaa immaaa an tulqiya wa immaaa an nakoona nahnul mulqeen. 
[Q7:115] They said: O Musa! Will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast?

[Q7:115] Mereka berkata: Hai Musa! Engkaukah yang akan mencampakkan (tongkatmu lebih dahulu) atau kamikah yang akan mencampakkan (lebih dahulu)?  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:115) Then they said: '0 Moses, will you [first] throw your rod, or shall we throw?'

قَالَ أَلْقُوا ۖ فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ {7:116}

[Q7:116] Qaala alqoo falam maaa alqaw saharooo a'yunannaasi wastarhaboohum wa jaaa'oo bisihrin 'azeem.
[Q7:116] He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people's eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.

[Q7:116] Nabi Musa menjawab: Campakkanlah kamu (dahulu)! Maka apabila mereka mencampakkan (tongkat-tongkat dan tali masing-masing), mereka menyilap mata orang ramai dan menjadikan orang-orang itu merasa gerun, serta mereka melakukan sihir yang besar (keadaan dan caranya). 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:116) Moses said: 'You throw.' So when they threw [their rods], they enchanted the eyes of the people, and struck them with awe, and produced a mighty sorcery.

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ {7:117}

[Q7:117] Wa awhainaaa ilaa Moosaaa an alqi 'asaaka fa izaa hiya talqafu maa yaafikoon. 
[Q7:117] And We revealed to Musa, saying: Cast your rod; then lo! It devoured the lies they told.

[7:117] Dan Kami wahyukan kepada Nabi Musa: Campakkanlah tongkatmu! Maka tiba-tiba tongkat itu menelan apa yang mereka pura-pura adakan (dengan sihir mereka). 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:117) Then We directed Moses: 'Now you throw your rod.' And lo! it swallowed up all their false devices. *90

*90. It would be a mistake to believe that the rod of Moses swallowed up the rods and ropes cast by the other sorcerers and which had looked like serpents. The Qur'anic statement means that the rod of Moses swallowed up the falsehood faked by them. This clearly shows that wherever Moses' rod moved, it destroyed the magical effect which had caused the transformation of their ropes and rods. One blow of Moses' rod caused every other rod to revert to a rod, and every rope to revert to a rope. (For further elaboration see Tafhim al-Qur'an, Ta Ha 20, n. 42) 

فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ {7:118}

[Q7:118] Fawaqa'al haqqu wa batala maa kaanoo ya'maloon. 
[Q7:118] So the truth was established, and what they did became null.

[Q7:118] Maka sabitlah kebenaran (mukjizat Nabi Musa) dan batallah (sihir) yang mereka telah lakukan.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:118) Thus was the truth established, and their doings proved in vain.

فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ {7:119}

[Q7:119] Faghuliboo hunaalika wanqalaboo saaghireen. 
[Q7:119] Thus they were vanquished there, and they went back abased.

[Q7:119] Oleh itu, kalahlah Firaun dan Ketua-ketua kaumnya di situ dan kembalilah mereka dengan keadaan yang hina. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:119) Pharaoh and his men were defeated and put to shame,

وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ {7:120}

[Q7:120] Wa ulqiyas saharatu saajideen. 
[Q7:120] And the enchanters were thrown down, prostrating (themselves).

[Q7:120] Dan (kemenangan Nabi Musa menjadikan) ahli-ahli sihir itu dengan sendirinya merebahkan diri mereka sujud,  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:120) and the magicians flung themselves prostrate,

قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {7:121}

[Q7:121] Qaaloo aamannaa bi Rabbil 'aalameen. 
[Q7:121] They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,

[Q7:121] Sambil berkata: Kami beriman kepada Tuhan sekalian alam. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:121) saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the universe,

رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ {7:122}

[Q7:122] Rabbi Moosaa wa Haaroon. 
[Q7:122] The Lord of Musa and Haroun.

[Q7:122] (Iaitu) Tuhan bagi Nabi Musa dan Nabi Harun.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:122) the Lord of Moses and Aaron.' *91

*91. Thus God turned the tables on Pharaoh and his courtiers they arranged the magic show in the hope that it would convince the people that Moses was just a sorcerer, and thus make them sceptical about his claim to prophethood. But the actual outcome was quite the opposite. The sorcerers who had been assembled were defeated. Not only that, it was also unanimously acknowledged that the signs displayed by Moses in support of his claim were not feats of magic. Rather, his signs rather manifested the might of God, the Lord of the universe, and hence could not be overcome by magic. 

قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ آمَنْتُمْ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ {7:123}

[Q7:123] Qaala Fir'awnu aamantum bihee qabla an aazana lakum; inna haaza lamakrum makartumoohu filmadeenati litukhrijoo minhaaa ahlahaa fasawfa ta'almoon. 
[Q7:123] Firon said: Do you believe in Him before I have given you permission? Surely this is a plot which you have secretly devised in this city that you may turn out of it its people, but you shall know: 

[Q7:123] Firaun berkata: Patutkah kamu beriman kepadanya sebelum aku memberi izin kepada kamu? Sesungguhnya ini adalah perbuatan tipu daya yang kamu lakukan dalam bandar ini kerana kamu hendak mengeluarkan penduduknya dari padanya. Oleh itu, kamu akan mengetahui (akibatya).

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:123) Pharaoh said: 'What! Do you believe before you have my permission? Surely this is a plot you have contrived to drive out the rulers from the capital. So you shall see,

لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ {124}

[Q7:124] La uqatti'anna aidiyakum wa arjulakum min khilaafin summa la usallibannakum ajma'een. 

[Q7:124] I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then will I crucify you all together.
[Q7:124] Demi sesungguhnya, aku akan memotong tangan dan kaki kamu dengan bersilang, kemudian aku akan memalang kamu semuanya.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:124) I shall cut off your hands and feet on the opposite sides, and then crucify you all.'

قَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ {7:125}

[Q7:125] Qaaloo innaaa ilaa Rabbinaa munqaliboon. 
[Q7:125] They said: Surely to our Lord shall we go back:

[Q7:125] Mereka menjawab: Sesungguhnya kami (tidak gentar) kerana kepada Tuhan kamilah kembalinya kami (dan kepadaNyalah kami mengharapkan keampunan dan rahmatNya).  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:125) They replied: 'We shall surely return to our Lord.

وَمَا تَنْقِمُ مِنَّا إِلَّا أَنْ آمَنَّا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ {7:126}

[Q7:126] Wa maa tanqimu minnaaa illaaa an aamannaa bi Aayaati Rabbinaa lammaa jaaa'atnaa; Rabbanaaa afrigh 'alainaa sabranw wa tawaffanaa muslimeen. 
[Q7:126] And you do not take revenge on us except because we have believed in the communications of our Lord when they came to us! Our Lord: Pour out upon us patience and cause us to die in submission.

[Q7:126] Dan tidaklah engkau (hai Firaun) marah (dan bertindak menyeksa) kami melainkan kerana kami beriman kepada ayat-ayat Tuhan kami, ketika sampainya kepada kami. (Mereka berdoa): Wahai Tuhan kami, limpahkanlah kesabaran kepada kami dan matikanlah kami dalam keadaan Islam (berserah bulat-bulat kepadaMu). 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:126) Will you punish us just because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us? Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance and cause us to die as those who have submitted [to You].' *92

*92. Faced with utter failure Pharaoh finally resorted to branding the whole magic tournament as a conspiracy concocted by Moses and his accomplice sorcerers. Under threat of death and physical torture he asked the sorcerers to confess that they had acted in collusion with Moses. This last move by Pharaoh was ineffectual. For the sorcerers readily agreed to endure every torture, clearly proving thereby that their decision to accept Moses' message reflected their sincere conviction and that no conspiracy was involved. Pharaoh was hardly left with any choice. He, therefore, gave up all pretence to follow truth and justice, and brazenly resorted to persecution instead.
The tremendous and instantaneous change which took place in the characters of the sorcerers is also of significance. The sorcerers had come all the way from their homes with the purpose of vindicating their ancestral faith and receiving pecuniary reward from Pharaoh for overcoming Moses. However, the moment true faith illumined their hearts, they displayed such resoluteness of will and love for the truth that they contemptuously turned down Pharaoh's offer, and demonstrated their full readiness to endure even the worst punishments for the sake of the truth that had dawned upon them. 

SECTION 15

Persecution of the Israelites

The Israelites persecuted---Moses preaches patience---Promises delivery and the Heritage of the Hold of the Land.

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ {7:127}

[Q7:127] Wa qaalal mala-u min qawmi Fir'awna atazaru Moosaa wa qawmahoo liyufsidoo fil ardi wa yazaraka wa aalihatak; qaala sanuqattilu abnaaa 'ahum wa nastahyee nisaaa'ahum wa innaa fawqahum qaahiroon. 
[Q7:127] And the chiefs of Firon's people said: Do you leave Musa and his people to make mischief in the land and to forsake you and your gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, and surely we are masters over them.

[Q7:127] Dan berkatalah pula Ketua-ketua dari kaum Firaun: Adakah engkau (wahai Firaun) hendak membiarkan Musa dan kaumnya untuk melakukan kerosakan di bumi (Mesir) dan meninggalkanmu serta apa-apa yang dipuja olehmu? Firaun menjawab: Kita akan membunuh anak-anak lelaki mereka dan kita biarkan hidup anak-anak perempuan mereka dan kita tetap menguasai (menundukkan) mereka. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:127) The elders of Pharaoh's people said: 'Will you leave alone Moses and his people to spread mischief in the land, and forsake you and your gods?' Pharaoh replied: 'We will kill their male children and spare their female ones.  *93 For indeed we hold irresistible sway over them.'

*93. There were two periods of persecution. The first was during the reign of Rameses 11 and took place before Moses' birth, whereas the second period of persecution started after Moses' assumption to the office of prophethood. Common to both periods is the killing of the male issue of Israelites while the female was spared. It was a calculated design to rob the Israelites of their identity and to bring about their forcible assimilation. An inscription discovered during the archaeological excavations of 1896 probably belongs to this period. According to this inscription, Pharaoh Minpetah rounds off the narration of his achievements and victories in these words: 'The Israel have been exterminated, and no seed of them is left.' (For further explanation see al-Mu'min 40: 25) 

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا ۖ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ {128}

[Q7:128] Qaala Moosaa liqawmihis ta'eenoo billaahi wasbiroo innal arda lillaahi yoorisuhaa mai yashaaa'u min 'ibaadihee wal 'aaqibatu lilmuttaqeen. 
[Q7:128] Musa said to his people: Ask help from ALLAH (SWT) and be patient; surely the land is ALLAH (SWT)'s; He causes such of His servants to inherit it as He pleases, and the end is for those who guard (against evil).

[Q7:128] (Pengikut-pengikut Nabi Musa merayu, lalu) Musa berkata kepada kaumnya: Mintalah pertolongan kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan bersabarlah, sesungguhnya bumi ini kepunyaan ALLAH (SwT), diwariskannya kepada sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya dari hamba-hambaNya dan kesudahan yang baik adalah bagi orang-orang yang bertakwa.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:128) Moses said to his people: 'Seek help from Allah and be steadfast. The earth is Allah's, He bestows it on those of His servants He chooses. The end of things belongs to the God-fearing.'

قَالُوا أُوذِينَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا ۚ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ {7:129}

[Q7:129] Qaaloo oozeenaa min qabli an taatiyanaa wa mim ba'di maa ji'tanaa; qaala 'asaa Rabbukum ai yuhlika 'aduwwakum wa yastakhli fakum fil ardi fayanzura kaifa ta'maloon.
[Q7:129] They said: We have been persecuted before you came to us and since you have come to us. He said: It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land, then He will see how you act.

[Q7:129] Mereka berkata: Kami telah dianiaya dan diperhambakan (oleh Firaun) sebelum engkau datang kepada kami dan sesudah engkau datang kepada kami. Nabi Musa menjawab: Mudah-mudahan Tuhan kamu akan membinasakan musuh kamu dan menjadikan kamu khalifah di bumi, kemudian Dia akan memerhati bagaimana pula perbuatan kamu?  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:129) The people of Moses replied: 'We were oppressed before your coming to us and after it.' Moses said: 'Your Lord will soon destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land. Then He will see how you act.'

SECTION 16

The Delivery of the Israelites

The Israelites rescued---They were still after idol gods---Moses admonishes them to stick onlt to the True Godwho had rescued them and bestowed on them great favours.

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ {7:130}

[Q7:130] Wa laqad akhaznaaa Aala Fir'awna bis sineena wa naqsim minas samaraati la'allahum yazzakkaroon.
[Q7:130] And certainly We overtook Firon's people with droughts and diminution of fruits that they may be mindful.

[Q7:130] Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah menimpakan Firaun dan kaumnya dengan musim kemarau dan kekurangan buah-buahan, supaya mereka insaf mengambil pelajaran.  

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(7:130) We afflicted the people of Pharaoh with hard times and with poor harvest that they may heed.