al-Aʿrāf 7:109-116

Qāla'l-malaʾu min qawmi Firʿawna inna hādhā la-sāḥirun ʿalīm · Yurīdu an yukhrijakum min arḍikum, fa-mādhā taʾmurūn · Qālū arjih wa akhāhu wa arsil fi'l-madāʾini ḥāshirīn · Yaʾtūka bi-kulli sāḥirin ʿalīm · Wa jāʾa's-saḥaratu Firʿawna qālū inna lanā la-ajran in kunnā naḥnu'l-ghālibīn · Qāla naʿam wa innakum la-mina'l-muqarrabīn · Qālū yā Mūsā immā an tulqiya wa immā an nakūna naḥnu'l-mulqīn · Qāla alqū, fa-lammā alqaw saḥarū aʿyuna'n-nāsi wa'starhabūhum wa jāʾū bi-siḥrin ʿaẓīm

"The notables of Pharaoh's people said: 'This is a sorcerer of knowledge; he wants to drive you out of your land. What then do you command?' · They said: 'Hold him and his brother back, and send gatherers into the cities · to bring you every sorcerer of knowledge.' · The sorcerers came to Pharaoh. They said: 'There is surely a reward for us if we are the victors?' · He said: 'Yes, and you shall certainly be among those brought near.' · They said: 'O Moses! Either you cast, or we shall be the ones who cast.' · He said: 'You cast.' And when they cast, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck fear into them, and produced a mighty sorcery."

It was recorded at 26/35 in al-Shuʿarāʾ, and I rely on it: this sentence is word for word identical in two places in the Qurʾān — al-Aʿrāf 7/110 and al-Shuʿarāʾ 26/35. This is a datum that can be verified from the text.

And there is a difference of word order between the two sūras, and it must be recorded:

In the classical commentaries it is explained that the sentence in al-Aʿrāf may belong to Pharaoh too, the words of the notables ending in the first half of verse 110. Both readings are transmitted; I do not impose a preference.

But in both sūras the same fact is recorded, and it is beyond dispute: the decision is not taken alone, a body is consulted. And this accords with the malaʾ backbone of the sūra (tabulated in the section on the structure).

And this sentence is an accusation repeated in the sūra. It is a countable datum:

In the first two of the four occurrences the messenger is driven out; in the last two it is claimed that the messenger will drive out the people. That is, the accusation changes direction.

I record this as my own reading and it is not binding; its ground is the subjects and objects of the four verses: the sūra uses the same verb both as a threat and as an accusation; and in the second case what one wants to do oneself is ascribed to the other side. This is an explanation, not a ruling.

A point of word order must be recorded: the first words of the sorcerers are a demand for a fee.

And this can be compared with the sūra's sequence of prophets. It was recorded in al-Shuʿarāʾ Table 3: in al-Shuʿarāʾ the third item of the shared threefold entry of five prophets was wa mā asʾalukum ʿalayhi min ajrin ("I ask you no fee for this"). I rely on that treatment.

The same word, the reverse direction. I record this as an observation, and its ground is the word in the two texts.

And what the reward is must be recorded: wa innakum la-mina'l-muqarrabīn — "you shall be among those brought near". What is given is not goods but standing.

This sentence carries a description that must be recorded, and it is important in respect of word order:

Saḥarū aʿyuna'n-nās — "they bewitched the eyes of the people"

The object is not the things cast but the eyes of the beholders.

I record this as an observation about word order, and its ground is the object of the sentence: the verse does not say that a change took place in an object; it says that the effect was upon the beholder.

And at 20/66 in Ṭāhā the same event occurs in the form yukhayyalu ilayhi min siḥrihim annahā tasʿā ("through their sorcery it seemed to him that they were moving"). The two sūras look the same way: al-Aʿrāf names the eye, Ṭāhā the appearance. This is an overlap that can be verified from the two texts.

وَٱسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ — the root ر-ه-ب: fear, dread. Form X here states "to frighten, to strike fear". And the same root will return in verse 154: lilladhīna hum li-rabbihim yarhabūn. The same root, one the frightening of people, the other awe before their Lord.

A point of word order must be recorded: the two halves of the offer are not equal.

The second half is built more heavily than the first. The lexicographers explain such weighting as a statement of emphasis and of claim.

I record this as an observation about word order, and its ground is the difference of pattern between the two halves: in the offer there is a formal courtesy, but the weight has been placed on their own side.

And Moses's answer is a single word: alqū — "you cast". The same scene is given in three sūras in three different patterns, and this is a countable datum:

In all three the messenger leaves the first move to the other side. The difference is in the addition: Ṭāhā has bal (rather), al-Shuʿarāʾ lengthens the sentence, al-Aʿrāf has a single word.