Verse Meaning

According to the classical scholar Ibn Kathir, Quran 10:79 captures the moment of Pharaoh's arrogant defiance. Having witnessed the divine signs of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), namely the staff turning into a serpent and his radiant hand, Pharaoh sought to counter this undeniable truth with the illusions of magic. As the Tafsir of Al-Wasit explains, this was not a call for any ordinary trickster; Pharaoh's demand for every 'sahirin 'alim' (knowledgeable magician) shows his intent to gather the most skilled and expert sorcerers in his kingdom. Al-Qurtubi notes that this command was a direct consequence of his disbelief, believing Musa's miracles were merely a form of powerful magic that could be matched. Pharaoh's plan was to create a public spectacle to discredit Musa, but as Ibn Kathir points out, this scheme would ultimately backfire, leading to the triumph of divine truth and the humiliation of falsehood.