Verses 66–76

قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ﴿٦٦﴾

20:66He said, ‘No, you throw first.’ Thereupon, behold, their ropes and staffs appeared to him by their magic to wriggle swiftly.

فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِۦ خِيفَةًۭ مُّوسَىٰ﴿٦٧﴾

20:67Then Moses felt a fear within his heart.¹

قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ﴿٦٨﴾

20:68We said, ‘Do not be afraid. Indeed, you will have the upper hand.

وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا۟ كَيْدُ سَٰحِرٍۢ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ﴿٦٩﴾

20:69Throw down what is in your right hand, and it will swallow what they have conjured. What they have conjured is only a magician’s trick, and the magician does not fare well wherever he may show up.’²

فَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًۭا قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ﴿٧٠﴾

20:70Thereat the magicians fell down prostrating. They said, ‘We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses!’

قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًۭا وَأَبْقَىٰ﴿٧١﴾

20:71He said, ‘Did you believe in him before I should permit you? He is indeed your chief who has taught you magic! Surely, I will cut off your hands and feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will know which of us can inflict a severer and more lasting punishment.’³

قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنَا ۖ فَٱقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَآ﴿٧٢﴾

20:72They said, ‘We will never prefer you to the clear proofs which have come to us, and to Him who originated us. Decide whatever you want to decide. You can only decide about the life of this world.⁴

إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَٰيَٰنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحْرِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ﴿٧٣﴾

20:73We have indeed believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our offences and the magic you compelled us to perform. Allah is better and more lasting.’

إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَأْتِ رَبَّهُۥ مُجْرِمًۭا فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ﴿٧٤﴾

20:74Whoever comes to his Lord laden with guilt, for him shall be hell, where he will neither live nor die.⁵

وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًۭا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ﴿٧٥﴾

20:75But whoever comes to Him with faith and he has done righteous deeds, for such shall be the highest ranks

جَنَّٰتُ عَدْنٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ﴿٧٦﴾

20:76—the Gardens of Eden, with streams running in them, to abide in them [forever], and that is the reward of him who keeps pure.