Tafseer of Taa-Haa · Taa-Haa · 20:73
Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (Verse 72)
(They said: "We will never prefer you over the clear proofs that have come to us and over the One Who created us. So decree whatever you wish to decree — you can only decree in this worldly life.")
Allah the Exalted says: The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, after he had threatened them with what he threatened them: لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ — we will not follow you nor prefer your favor and on your account deny Mūsā — عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ — that is: over the arguments and proofs for the truth of that to which Mūsā had called them. وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا — they say: we will not prefer you over the proofs that have come to us, nor over the One Who created us. By فَطَرَنَا He means: the One Who created us. The word "alladhī" in وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا is in the genitive, joined to مَا جَاءَنَا . It is also possible that وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا is in the genitive as an oath, so that the meaning of the words would be: we will never prefer you over the clear proofs that have come to us — by Allah — and His words فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ — He says: so decree whatever you wish to decree and deal with us as seems good to you. إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا — He says: you can only torment us in this worldly life, which is perishable. The word "al-ḥayāt al-dunyā" (the worldly life) is in the accusative as an adverb of time; "innamā" is here regarded as a single particle.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have spoken.
Those who said that are mentioned:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, saying: I was informed from Wahb ibn Munabbih, concerning لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا : that is: over Allah, over the arguments that have come to us together with the clear proof. فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ — that is: so do whatever seems good to you. إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا — that is: you have no authority except therein, and after it you have no authority anymore.
