Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 123

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Pharaoh said, “You have believed in him before my permission. Undoubtedly, this is a plot you have designed in the city, so that you may expel its people from it. Now you shall know (its end).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Pharaoh threatened, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? This must be a conspiracy you devised in the city to drive out its people, but soon you will see.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Pharaoh said, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission! This is indeed a plot that you devised in the city to drive out its people, but you will soon come to know.

A. J. Arberry

Said Pharaoh, 'You have believed in Him before I gave you leave. Surely this is a device you have devised in the city that you may expel its people from it. Now you shall know!

Abdul Haleem

but Pharaoh said, ‘How dare you believe in Him before I have given you permission? This is a plot you have hatched to drive the people out of this city! Soon you will see:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Fir'awn said:? believed ye in him ere I have given you leave? Verily this is a plot ye have plotted in the city that ye may drive forth the people thereof So presently ye shall know.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Said Pharaoh; "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people; but soon shall ye know (the consequences).

Abul Ala Maududi

Pharaoh said: 'What! Do you believe before you have my permission? Surely this is a plot you have contrived to drive out the rulers from the capital. So you shall see,

Ahmed Ali

But Pharaoh said: "You have come to accept belief in Him without my permission! This surely is a plot you have hatched to expel the people from the land. You will soon come to know.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Said Firaun, “You have accepted faith in Him before I gave you permission! This is indeed a grand conspiracy you have plotted in the city, in order to expel its people from it; so now you will come to know!”

Ali Quli Qarai

Pharaoh said, ‘Do you profess faith in Him before I may permit you? It is indeed a plot you have devised in the city to expel its people from it. Soon you will know [the consequences]!

Ali Ünal

The Pharaoh said: "What! Do you believe in Him before I give you permission? This is indeed a plot you have contrived in the city that you may drive out its (native) people from it. But you shall come to know!

Amatul Rahman Omar

Pharaoh said, `Dared you believe in Him before I gave you permission? Surely, this is some secret device which you have devised in this (central) city that you may expel from it its inhabitants. You shall come to know then (the consequence of your doings) very soon.

English Literal

Pharaoh said: "You believed with Him, before that I permit for you? That, that (is) cheatery/deceit (E) you schemed/cheated/deceived it in the city/town to bring out from it its people , so you will/shall know."

Faridul Haque

Said Firaun, "You have accepted faith in Him before I gave you permission! This is indeed a grand conspiracy you have plotted in the city, in order to expel its people from it; so now you will come to know!"

Hamid S. Aziz

Said Pharaoh, "Do you believe in him ere I give you permission? This is a plot which you have devised in the land, to drive its people hence. But soon shall you know (the consequences)!

Hilali & Khan

Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "You have believed in him [Musa (Moses)] before I give you permission. Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city to drive out its people, but you shall come to know.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

The Lord of Moses and Aaron.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Firon said: Do you believe in Him before I have given you permission? Surely this is a plot which you have secretly devised in this city, that you may turn out of it its people, but you shall know:

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Pharaoh said: Ye believe in Him before I give you leave! Lo! this is the plot that ye have plotted in the city that ye may drive its people hence. But ye shall come to know!

Muhammad Sarwar

The Pharaoh said to the magicians, "You declared your belief in him (Moses) without my permission. This is a plot to throw my people out of their city. But you will soon know.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Pharaoh said: 'Do you believe in Him before I permit? This is a plot that you have contrived in the city in order to expel its people from it. Now you shall know!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Fir`awn said: "You have believed in him [Musa] before I gave you permission. Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city to drive out its people, but you shall come to know."

Wahiduddin Khan

Pharaoh said, "You dare believe in Him before I have given you permission? Behold, this is indeed a plot which you have devised in this city in order to drive its people out. But you shall soon know the consequences,

Talal Itani

Pharaoh said, “Did you believe in Him before I have given you permission? This is surely a conspiracy you schemed in the city, in order to expel its people from it. You will surely know.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Pharaoh said, `Have you believed (a-mantum, read pronouncing both hamzas, and replacing the second one with an alif) in him, in Moses, before I gave you leave? Surely this, that you have done, is a plot you have plotted in the city that you may expel its people from it. But you shall come to know, what I will do to you!

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Fir`awn threatens the Magicians after They believed in Musa and Their Response to Him

Allah tells,

قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ امَنتُم بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن اذَنَ لَكُمْ

Fir`awn said;"You have believed in him (Musa) before I gave you permission.

Allah mentions the threats that the Fir`awn - may Allah curse him - made to the magicians after they believed Musa, peace be upon him, and the deceit and cunning that Fir`awn showed the people.

Fir`awn said,

إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُواْ مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا

Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city to drive out its people,

meaning Fir`awn proclaimed, `Musa's defeating you today was because you plotted with him and agreed to that.'

Fir`awn also said,

إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ

He (Musa) is your chief who has taught you magic. (20;71)

However, Fir`awn and all those who had any sense of reason knew for sure that what Fir`awn said was utterly false. As soon as Musa came from Madyan, he called Fir`awn to Allah and demonstrated tremendous miracles and clear proofs for the Truth that he brought. Fir`awn then sent emissaries to various cities of his kingdom and collected magicians who were scattered throughout Egypt. Fir`awn and his people chose from them, summoned them, and Fir`awn promised them great rewards. These magicians were very eager to prevail over Musa in front of Fir`awn, so that they might become closer to him. Musa neither knew any of them nor saw or met them before. Fir`awn knew that, but he claimed otherwise to deceive the ignorant masses of his kingdom, just as Allah described them,
فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ
(Thus he (Fir`awn) fooled his people, and they obeyed him. (43;54) Certainly, a people who believed Fir`awn in his statement,
أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الاَْعْلَى
(I am your lord, most high). (79;24), are among the most ignorant and misguided creatures of Allah.

In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Abbas, and several other Companions, commented,
إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ
(Surely, this is a plot which you have plotted in the city...),

"Musa met the leader of the magicians and said to him, `If I defeat you, will you believe in me and bear witness that what I brought is the truth.'

The magician said, `Tomorrow, I will produce a type of magic that cannot be defeated by another magic. By Allah! If you defeat me, I will believe in you and testify to your truth.'

Fir`awn was watching them, and this is why he said what he said."

His statement,
لِتُخْرِجُواْ مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا
(to drive out its people),

means, so that you all cooperate to gain influence and power, replacing the chiefs and masters of this land. In this case, power in the state will be yours,

فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ



"but you shall come to know,"

what I will do to you.

He then explained his threat