Surah ash-Shu`ara' (The Poets ) 26 : 29

Overview (Verses 29 - 35)

Brutal Threats versus Logical Arguments

Tyranny does not fear anything more than the reawakening of people’s hearts. It does not hate anyone more than an advocate of clear vision and right thinking. Its main opponent is the one who tries to awaken people’s consciences. When Moses touched people’s hearts with his description of God Almighty, Pharaoh was extremely angry. He ended the argument with a clear threat of force, which is the ultimate recourse of all tyrants, when they feel that any counter argument is too powerful. “[Pharaoh] said: If you ever serve a god other than me, I will most certainly have you imprisoned.” (Verse 29) Such is the argument and the evidence supporting it: a clear threat of imprisonment. The prison is available and the measure itself has been taken against others. It is a measure that exposes the weakness of falsehood when it faces the overwhelming power of the truth. Tyrants know no other way. 

Nevertheless, Moses did not lose his composure. How could he have when he is God’s messenger, enjoying the support God has promised him and his brother? Hence, he keeps the argument going, reopening the book Pharaoh wants to close, and delivering a new piece of evidence: “Said [Moses]: Even if I bring before you a clear proof?” (Verse 30) Here, he asks Pharaoh: will you still have me imprisoned if I provide irrefutable proof that all I am saying is true? This put Pharaoh on the spot in front of a large gathering. He realized that if he were to refuse this new proof outright, he would only demonstrate his own weakness in the face of Moses’ powerful argument: this despite his description of Moses as a madman. He felt that his only option was to demand such proof: Hence, “[Pharaoh] said: Produce it, then, if you are a man of truth.” (Verse 31) “If you area man of truth,” may be taken to mean ‘if you are truthful in what you claim to be’, or ‘if you truly have clear proof’. Thus we see Pharaoh continuing to raise doubts about Moses, fearing that his argument may be well received by those present.

At this point Moses produces his two physical miracles, having delayed their display until Pharaoh has thrown down his utmost challenge: “So he threw down his staff and behold, it was a serpent, plain for all to see. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to the onlookers.” (Verses 32-33) The way these two verses are phrased suggest that the staff was physically transformed into a real, living serpent. His hand, as he drew it out, was really a shining, brilliant white. There was no delusion or fantasy of the sort sorcerers employ when they deceive the senses without altering any element of reality.

The miracle of life starting from where no human being knows occurs at every moment without people paying much attention to it, because of their long familiarity with it, or perhaps because they do not look upon it as a challenge. In Pharaoh’s court, in front of his entire entourage, the production of these two miracles had the effect of nothing less than a violent earthquake. Pharaoh recognized that he was facing a powerful miracle, and he sensed the weakness of his own position. Hence he was quick to provide a damage-limitation exercise, trying to ensure the support of his people, raising their fear of Moses and his community: “[Pharaoh] said to the noble ones around him: This is indeed a sorcerer of great knowledge who wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery. What, then, do you advise?” (Verses 34-35) In Pharaoh’s statement we note three important elements: acknowledgement of the powerful miracle, even though he called it sorcery — he describes Moses as a “sorcerer of great knowledge”; (2) his fear that people might be so influenced by Moses and his argument that he says Moses “wants to drive you out of your land”; (3) his adoption of a humble attitude with the people whom he wanted to look upon him as their lord. He asks them for advice, although Pharaoh never sought such advice while they prostrated themselves before him.