وَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَ ٱلسَّاحِرُ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ 49
Translations
And they said [to Moses], "O magician, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided."
Transliteration
Wa qāloo yā ayyuha s-sāḥiru ud'u lanā rabbaka bimā `ahida `indak innā lamuhhtadūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the plea of Pharaoh's people to Moses (whom they mockingly called 'the magician'), asking him to invoke his Lord on their behalf based on the covenant Allah had established with him, promising they would then be guided. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this represents the desperate supplication of those who witnessed the plagues yet remained arrogant, seeking help only when faced with destruction rather than accepting guidance willingly. Their condition demonstrated that belief born from calamity alone, without sincere submission, was rejected by Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Moses and Pharaoh (Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:46-56), specifically during the period when the plagues were afflicting Egypt. The context shows Pharaoh's people appealing to Moses after witnessing the miraculous signs, yet their appeal was rooted in self-interest rather than genuine faith, illustrating the stubbornness of those who reject truth until faced with imminent destruction.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this verse, the theme relates to Sahih Muslim's narration where the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that on the Day of Judgment, those who rejected faith will wish to return to this life to believe, demonstrating that belief prompted by desperation alone cannot save one who has consistently rejected truth.
Themes
Key Lesson
True guidance cannot be obtained merely through desperate supplication during times of crisis; it requires sincere submission and acceptance of truth when it is presented. This ayah reminds us that postponing faith until faced with destruction demonstrates the hardness of the heart and may come too late for salvation.