Tafseer of The Heights · Al-A'raaf · 7:132
And they said, "No matter what sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you."
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.
The statement concerning the interpretation of His word: وَقَالُوا مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ("And they said: Whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us thereby, we will not believe in you") (7:132).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says: And the people of Pharaoh said to Mūsā: O Mūsā, whatever sign or proof you bring us = "to bewitch us," He says: to turn us thereby away from that upon which we stand, namely the religion of Pharaoh = "we will not believe in you," He says: we will not hold you to be truthful therein, that you would be in the right with that to which you call us.
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And we have already demonstrated earlier the meaning of "al-siḥr" (sorcery) in a manner that makes it unnecessary to repeat this.
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Ibn Zayd used to say concerning the meaning of "whatever sign you bring us" what follows here:
14988 - Yūnus related to me, he said: [Ibn Wahb informed us], he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: "whatever sign you bring us (mahmā taʾtinā bihi min āyatin)," he said: it means: whatever sign you bring us (in mā taʾtinā bihi min āyatin) = and herein "mā" is an added (redundant) particle.
