The Magicians Were Thrown Down

[26:37] “Let them summon every experienced magician.” [26:38] The magicians were gathered at the appointed time, on the appointed day. [26:39] The people were told: “Come one and all; let us gather together here. [26:40] “Maybe we will follow the magicians, if they are the winners.” [26:41] When the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, “Do we get paid, if we are the winners?” [26:42] He said, “Yes indeed; you will even be close to me.” [26:43] Moses said to them, “Throw what you are going to throw.” [26:44] They threw their ropes and sticks, and said, “By Pharaoh’s majesty, we will be the victors.” [26:45] Moses threw his staff, whereupon it swallowed what they fabricated. [26:46] The magicians fell prostrate. [26:47] They said, “We believe in the Lord of the universe. [26:48] “The Lord of Moses and Aaron.” [26:49] He said, “Did you believe with him before I give you permission? He must be your teacher, who taught you magic. You will surely find out. I will cut your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you all.” [26:50] They said, “This will not change our decision; to our Lord we will return. [26:51] “We hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, especially that we are the first believers.”

When the magicians, that Pharaoh summoned to challenge Moses, saw the miracle that Moses produced by God’s leave they immediately became believers. This is because they knew that what they just witnessed was not the mere sleight of hand, but as experts in their field they instantly realized what they saw with their own eyes was nothing short of an absolute miracle. And this impact caused them to immediately fall prostrate and reach a level of conviction that they were willing to give their lives over.

In Classical Arabic if the word is written in the past tense adding the oo sound over the first root letter implies that the sbuject noun is the one which the act is being carried over. So for instance, أَنْزَلَ (anzala) would be translated as “he sent” while أُنْزِلَ (unzila) would be translated as “he was sent” such that something was sent to him.

What is interesting is that the Arabic word used in the verses about the magicians falling prostrate is أُلْقِيَ (ul’qiya) as opposed to أَلْقَىٰ (alqaw). This would mean that the magicians were thrown down, as opposed to they fell down prostrating.

[26:44] They threw their ropes and sticks, and said, “By Pharaoh’s majesty, we will be the victors.”

(٤٤) فَأَلْقَوْا حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَالِبُونَ

[26:45] Moses threw his staff, whereupon it swallowed what they fabricated.

(٤٥) فَأَلْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ

[26:46] The magicians fell prostrate.

(٤٦) فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ

In all three instances in the Quran where this event is described it always uses the word of أُلْقِيَ (ul’qiya)

[7:120] The magicians fell prostrate.

(١٢٠) وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ

[20:70] The magicians fell prostrate, saying, “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.”

(٧٠) فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ

For some time I wondered why this phrase was used and think I finally understand the reason and it is directly related to the conviction that the magicians had once they saw the truth. To help explain this ask yourself do you truly believe in God? If so, then you must believe that God is right next to you at this very moment and for every moment of your entire life.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

(١٨٦) وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

But not only that, but that God is closer to you than your jugular vein.

[50:16] We created the human, and we know what he whispers to himself. We are closer to him than his jugular vein.

(١٦) وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

That He is between you and your heart.

[8:24] O you who believe, you shall respond to GOD and to the messenger when he invites you to what gives you life. You should know that GOD is closer to you than your heart, and that before Him you will be summoned.

(٢٤) يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

If we truly believed in this how would that impact us? If you want to know what this would be like consider what happend when God attempted to manifest Himself to a mountain.

[7:143] When Moses came at our appointed time, and his Lord spoke with him, he said, “My Lord, let me look and see You.” He said, “You cannot see Me. Look at that mountain; if it stays in its place, then you can see Me.” Then, his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, and this caused it to crumble. Moses fell unconscious. When he came to, he said, “Be You glorified. I repent to You, and I am the most convinced believer.”

 وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَنْ تَرَانِي وَلَٰكِنِ انْظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

The Quran is the word of a God and a sign and miracle from Him, and God informs us that even if this was revealed to a mountain what would happen.

[59:21] If we revealed this Quran to a mountain, you would see it trembling, crumbling, out of reverence for GOD. We cite these examples for the people, that they may reflect.

(٢١) لَوْ أَنْزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُتَصَدِّعًا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Now consider again the magicians who at a moment saw with absolute certainty the proof of God fully presented to them, and realize that they had no choice but to be thrown down prostrating at a such a miraculous event. Yet the laymen who saw the same thing had no value to what they just witnessed.