۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ 117
Translations
And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.
Transliteration
Wa awhayna ila Musa an alqi 'asaka fa-iza hiya talqafu ma ya'fikun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commanded Prophet Musa to cast down his staff, and immediately it transformed into a serpent that swallowed up the false magic displayed by Pharaoh's sorcerers. This miraculous sign demonstrated the superiority of Allah's truth over the deceptions of those who turned away from it (afikun - those who deviate/turn away). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this event occurred during Musa's confrontation with Pharaoh, where the staff became a clear sign of divine power that even the sorcerers themselves recognized as genuine miracles rather than mere magic.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Musa's encounter with Pharaoh in Surah Al-A'raf, which recounts key moments from Islamic history. The context is Musa's challenge to Pharaoh's court, where the sorcerers were assembled to counter Musa's miraculous staff—an event also detailed in Surah Taha and Surah ash-Shu'ara. This passage emphasizes how divine signs triumph over human deception.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet Muhammad mentioned the miracles of the prophets, including Musa's staff turning into a serpent. Additionally, various hadith collections reference the story of Musa and the sorcerers as evidence of Allah's power overcoming falsehood.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that truth, however simple or unexpected, ultimately overcomes deception and falsehood; believers should trust in Allah's signs and not be intimidated by the worldly power or cunning of those who reject faith. For modern readers, it reminds us that authentic guidance from Allah will always manifest its truth, and we should not fear the opposition of those who rely on falsehood.