Al Shu‘arā’

قَالَ آمَنتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ لاَقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلاَفٍ وَلاُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

قَالُوا لاَ ضَيْرَ إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ

إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَايَانَا أَن كُنَّا أَوَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

49. “(Pharaoh) said: ‘You have believed in him before I give you leave. Verily, he is the chief of you who taught you the sorcery; so, soon shall you know! Certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and certainly I will crucify you all’.”
50. “They said: ‘No matter! Verily we unto our Lord shall Return’.”
51. “Verily we hope that our Lord will forgive us our faults, since we are the first of the believers’.”

When the wizards saw Moses’ (as) miracle, they fell on the ground and prostrated. At this time, Pharaoh embarked on an analysis to deceive common people. He said that it was a preplanned conspiracy. They are Moses’ students and they planned this puppet show to overthrow him. But those wizards were scattered and were gathered from all over the country and they could not meet Moses (as). Moreover they swore by Pharaoh dignity that they would defeat Moses (as).

Finally, on one hand, Pharaoh did not keep his end up and, on the other hand, he saw his all kingdom and entity exposed to danger. He knew especially what effect the wizards’ belief in Allah would have on people’s morale and it was possible that a great number of people, following the wizards, might prostrate. Therefore, he planned a new method and addressing the wizards, he said:

Not only did Pharaoh, who ruled people tyrannically for many years, expect people to take permission for every thing, but also he expected to have control over people’s mind, intellect and heart. He wanted people not to think and decide unless he allowed them. This is the custom and tradition of oppressors. This unrestrained conceited person did not even utter the name of Allah and Moses (as). He used only the pronoun /lahu/ (in him) which is here for scoffing.

However, Pharaoh did not get satisfied with this and said two other sentences in order to, according to his imagination, both stabilize his situation and to suppress people’s awakened consciences. He first accused the wizards that this was a conspiracy done from before with the help of Moses (as). A conspiracy which was against all people of Egypt. He said:

He accused them that they had planned such a program to deceive the great people of Egypt and to dominate them. He imputed them that they wanted to expel the real owners of that country and to put slaves in their places. He meant that he would not allow their conspiracy to be successful and he would nip it in the bud. He continued:

It means that not only would they be killed totally, but also their death would be along with torture and suffering, for cutting the right hand and the left leg or otherwise will prolong man’s death and suffering and torture will be doubled. Pharaoh would kill them in the presence of people and on the top of tall palm trees. This is the method and approach of the oppressors of any age, which first they usually accuse divine reforming men of conspiracy against people and then they use force and sword in order to weaken the position of those who seek the Truth and their public support and then they annihilate them.

However, Pharaoh did not understand the situation, for those who had been wizard a moment ago were now believers. Their heart was so lighted with the light of faith and was full of Allah’s love that they decisively answered Pharaoh’s threat in the presence of people and cooked his goose by nullifying his Satanic plan. The Qur’an informs:

Not only did not Pharaoh decrease them anything by his action, but also he would cause them to reach their real and true Beloved and Deity. The day when such threats had effect on them, they did not know themselves and Allah, they had lost the path of the Truth and were wandering in the desert of life, but now they found what they had lost. Therefore, he would do what he desired. They added implying that they had committed sins and in this scene they were the leader of struggle with Moses (as), Allah's righteous prophet, and they initiated fight with the Truth, but they hoped Allah's mercy.

The verse says:

They no longer feared anything, neither Pharaoh’s threats nor being in the bath of their blood. They feared only their former sins and they hoped that they would be forgiven under the auspices of faith and Allah’s mercy. What power is it that when it comes in the heart of man, the biggest powers will be nothing in his view and he resists the severest tortures and is generous in sacrificing himself? It is the power of faith. This is the light of the flame of love which makes martyr for the sake of Allah in man sweeter than honey, and reaching the Beloved the supreme aim.

This is the power from which the Prophet (S) gained help and support and with which he educated the first Muslims, whose history surprises the people of the world, and very quickly brought a back-held nation to pride of position. Anyway, this event cost Pharaoh and his government dear, although, according to some narrations, he materialized some of his threats and martyred the wizards, not only did not it suppress people’s feeling and their sentiments were initiated in favour of Moses (as), but also it exasperated them.

Everywhere people talked about the newly appeared prophet as well as the first faithful martyrs. In this way, some people, including the relatives of Pharaoh and even his wife, got believers. The question that rises here is how those faithful and repentant wizards called themselves the first believers! Was their purpose that they were the first believers in that event? Or were they the first believers from among the supporters of Pharaoh? Or were they the first believers who were martyred in that event?

All the above commentaries are likely while they are not inconsistent with each other. These commentaries are true when we believe that before them some of the Children of Israel or other than them had believed in Moses (as), but if we say that they were told to meet directly Pharaoh and to plant the first blow on him after being appointed to prophecy, it is likely that this group of believers were really the first believers and it needs no other commentary.