Transliteration:( Qaalooo arjih wa akhaahu wa arsil filmadaaa'ini haashireen )
They said: "Delay him and his brother, and send into the cities gatherers" (247).
Instead of accepting the truth, the chiefs of Pharaoh’s court proposed a tactical delay. They advised Pharaoh to postpone any action against Musa and Harun (peace be upon them) and send messengers across the cities to gather expert magicians. Their goal was not to seek truth, but to stage a grand confrontation, hoping to defeat Musa through public spectacle. This verse highlights how arrogant leaders often rely on strategy and numbers, instead of sincerity, when faced with divine truth.
111. They said: “Put him and his brother off (for a time), and send callers to the cities to collect” 112. “That they bring to you all well-versed sorcerers.”) Ibn `Abbas commented,
(“Put him off”), means, “delay him (for a time).”
(“and send to the cities”), areas and provinces of your kingdom — O Fir`awn,
(“to collect”) to gather magicians from various lands. At this time, magic was the trade of the day and it was widespread and popular. They had the idea that what Musa brought was a type of magic similar to the magic that the sorcerers of their time practiced. Because of this incorrect assumption, they brought all the magicians in order to defeat the miracles that he showed them. Allah said about Fir`awn,
(Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we nor you shall fail to keep, in an open place where both shall have a just and equal chance.” ﴿Musa﴾ said: “Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon).” So Fir`awn withdrew, devised his plot and then came back.) ﴿20:58-60﴾. Allah said,
(7:111) Then they advised Pharaoh: ‘Put off Moses and his brother for a while, and send forth heralds to your cities
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
[393]- After mutual consultation and agreement.
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