Pharaoh’s Sorcerers: A Personal Reflection

By Quran and Bible Blog Contributor petercunliffe

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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْم

            The ayahs about the reversion and martyrdom of Pharaoh’s sorcerers hit me so hard when I read them today. The greatest heroes of the story of the Exodus were not only Moses (peace be upon him), Aaron (peace be upon him), the Israelites, and the wife of the Pharaoh, all of whom submitted to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), but also the sorcerers.

            They were sorcerers, literally worshipping devils and engaging in the dark arts. Their prestige came from helping an evil man convince everyone around him of his supposed divinity. Their entire lives were spent amassing riches by serving Shaitan, the furthest people one could imagine from any possible salvation. Yet when they were defeated during the contest with Moses (peace be upon him), Allah’s prophet, instead…