Yunus: (78-82) They said, "Have you come to us to turn us away..."

Issues Discussed:

Know that the Almighty recounted that Pharaoh and his people did not accept the call of Moses (peace be upon him). They cited two reasons for their refusal:

1. Their statement: $\text{{ أجئتنا لتلفتنا عما وجدنا عليه ءابائنا }} (Have you come to us to turn us away from the way we found our forefathers upon?)
   • Al-Wāḥidī said: Lafṭ (turning away) in its original linguistic sense means to divert from a matter. Its root is layy (twisting); it is said, "He twisted his neck" (lafata 'unuqahu) if he bent it. From this, it is said, "He turned toward it" (iltafata ilayhi), meaning he inclined his face toward it.
   • Al-Azhari said: To twist or wrench something (lafatahu wa fatala-hu) is a reversal [of the usual meaning].
   • The essence of their speech is that they said: We will not abandon the religion we are upon because we found our forefathers upon it. Thus, they clung to imitation (Taqlīd) and rejected clear proof merely through insistence.

2. The second reason: \text{{ وتكون لكما الكبرياء فى الارض }} (And that sovereignty may belong to you two in the land.)
   • The commentators said: This means that kingship and glory may belong to you two in the land of Egypt. The address is to Moses and Aaron.
   • Al-Zajjāj said: Kingship is called Kibriyā’ (sovereignty/greatness) because it is the greatest worldly matter sought. Furthermore, when a people acknowledge the truthfulness of a Prophet, the reins of their community's affairs fall into his hands, making him the greatest among the people.

Know that the first reason points to adherence to imitation (Taqlīd), and the second reason points to eagerness for worldly gain and diligence in maintaining leadership. After mentioning these two reasons, the people stated their final judgment: \text{{ وما نحن لكما بمؤمنين }} (And we are not believers in you two).

After stating these points, the people attempted to counter Moses' miracle with various types of sorcery, intending to show the people that what Moses brought was merely magic. Pharaoh gathered the sorcerers and brought them forth. Moses then said to them: \text{{ ألقوا ما أنتم ملقون }} (Throw down what you are going to throw down).

Inquiry: How did he command them to throw down [their magic] when commanding disbelief/sorcery is disbelief?

Answer: He (peace be upon him) commanded them to throw down their ropes and staffs so that it would become apparent to the creation that what they brought was a false act and futile effort, not as if he commanded them to perform sorcery. When they threw down their ropes and staffs, Moses said to them: "What you have brought is false sorcery." The purpose was that since the people had claimed Moses' message was sorcery, Moses clarified that what they brought was the false sorcery and deception whose falsehood would become evident. Then he informed them that Allah Almighty would establish the truth and nullify falsehood. Allah has informed in other Surahs how He nullified that sorcery, specifically because that serpent swallowed all those ropes and staffs.

\text{{ ما جئتم به السحر }} (What you have brought is sorcery).

• The mā here is a relative pronoun meaning "that which," and it is in the nominative case due to being the subject (mubtada'). Its predicate (khabar) is al-siḥr.
• Al-Farrā’ said: He said \text{{ السحر }} with the definite article (Alif and Lām) because it is a response to a preceding statement. Do you not see that when Moses came to them, they said, "This is sorcery"? So Moses replied, "Rather, what you have brought is the sorcery." Therefore, the definite article was required because when an indefinite noun is referred back to, it becomes definite. For example, a man says to another, "I met a man," and the other asks, "Who is the man?" (man al-rajul?). If he had asked, "Who is a man?" (man rajulun?), it would not be understood that he was asking about the specific man mentioned.
• Abū 'Amr recited it as \text{{ ما جئتم به السحر }} with an interrogative tone. In this recitation, mā is an interrogative pronoun, in the nominative case due to being the subject, and \text{{ جئتم به }} is in the position of the predicate, as if saying: "What is that which you have brought?"
  • Then, he said, in a tone of reprimand and reproach: \text{{ السحر }} (Sorcery), similar to His saying: \text{{ قلت للناس اتخذونى }} (I said to the people: Take me...). In this case, al-siḥr is a substitute (badal) for the subject (mubtada'), and it must also carry the interrogative sense to match the original subject. It is like saying: "How much is your wealth? Twenty or thirty?" where "twenty" is substituted for "how much," and it must share the interrogative nature. There is no need to assume an omitted predicate for al-siḥr, because when it substitutes the subject, it takes its position, and what was the predicate of the original subject becomes the predicate of the substitute.

Then the Almighty said: \text{{ إن الله سيبطله }} (Indeed, Allah will nullify it), meaning He will destroy it and expose its perpetrator. \text{{ إن الله لا يصلح عمل المفسدين }} (Indeed, Allah does not make successful the work of the corrupters), meaning He does not strengthen or perfect it.

Then He said: \text{{ ويحق الله الحق }} (And Allah will establish the truth). The meaning of establishing the truth (iḥqāq al-ḥaqq) is making it manifest and strengthening it. His statement \text{{ بكلماته }} (by His words) means by His promise to Moses. It is also said it means by what preceded of His decree and predestination. There are profound, deep, and lofty discussions regarding the Words of Allah, which we have mentioned in other places in this book.

\text{{ فمآ ءامن لموسى إلا ذرية من قومه على خوف من فرعون وملئهم أن يفتنهم وإن فرعون لعال في الا رض وإنه لمن المسرفين }}$ (But none believed Moses except a few of his people, out of fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs that they might persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was lofty in the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.)