سُوْرَةُ الشُّعَرَآءِ
Surah Ash-Shu'araa (26) — Ayah 40
لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ ٱلسَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُوا۟ هُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"That we may follow the sorcerers [who were on Fir‘aun’s (Pharaoh) religion of disbelief] if they are the winners."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَعَلَّنَا
laʿallanā
That we may
نَتَّبِعُ
nattabiʿu
follow
ٱلسَّحَرَةَ
l-saḥarata
the magicians
إِن
in
if
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they are
هُمُ
humu
they are
ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ
l-ghālibīna
the victorious
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
If these magicians prevail, perhaps we will have to follow their way [31]."
[31]
Pharaoh’s Declaration to Support the Victorious Party:
Pharaoh gave a general invitation to the people to attend this gathering with the hope that such a large number of top magicians would assemble, and the dignitaries of the kingdom would also be present there, so that their awe and grandeur would overawe Musa as well. Demonstrating this expectation, he said that the strong hope is that our magicians will prevail. In that case, we must support our magicians so that Musa’s defeat and subjugation become fully clear and evident to everyone. In other words, he wanted to give people the impression that when our side outweighs the other in the contest, one result will be that our religion is proven correct and there can be no reason to deviate from it. And in this decision, our self-interest will have no part; rather, justice demands that the victorious party should be supported. And some have said that by ﴿السحرة﴾ is meant Hazrat Musa ؑ and Hazrat Harun ؑ; that is, Pharaoh announced in the full court that it is possible that in this contest, Hazrat Musa and his brother may succeed. In that case, we will follow their path. Even in this case, Pharaoh’s intention was that after the contest, we will adopt the path of justice in which our self-interest will have no part. Whichever party prevails, we must support it.
[31]
Pharaoh’s Declaration to Support the Victorious Party:
Pharaoh gave a general invitation to the people to attend this gathering with the hope that such a large number of top magicians would assemble, and the dignitaries of the kingdom would also be present there, so that their awe and grandeur would overawe Musa as well. Demonstrating this expectation, he said that the strong hope is that our magicians will prevail. In that case, we must support our magicians so that Musa’s defeat and subjugation become fully clear and evident to everyone. In other words, he wanted to give people the impression that when our side outweighs the other in the contest, one result will be that our religion is proven correct and there can be no reason to deviate from it. And in this decision, our self-interest will have no part; rather, justice demands that the victorious party should be supported. And some have said that by ﴿السحرة﴾ is meant Hazrat Musa ؑ and Hazrat Harun ؑ; that is, Pharaoh announced in the full court that it is possible that in this contest, Hazrat Musa and his brother may succeed. In that case, we will follow their path. Even in this case, Pharaoh’s intention was that after the contest, we will adopt the path of justice in which our self-interest will have no part. Whichever party prevails, we must support it.
