Al-A'raf Verse 116

Moses said, “You first.” So when they did, they deceived the eyes of the people, stunned them, and made a great display of magic.

He said, “You throw first.” So when they threw, they enchanted the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and produced a powerful magic.

He said, 'You cast.' And when they cast they put a Spell upon the people's eyes, and called forth fear of them, and produced a mighty sorcery.

He said, ‘You throw,’ and they did, casting a spell on people’s eyes, striking fear into them, and bringing about great sorcery.

He said: cast ye. Then when they cast clown, they enchanted the eyes of the people, and terrified them and brought mighty magic to bear.

Said Moses; "Throw ye (first)." So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them; for they showed a great (feat of) magic.

Moses said: 'You throw.' So when they threw [their rods], they enchanted the eyes of the people, and struck them with awe, and produced a mighty sorcery.

"You cast it first," answered Moses. When they cast their spell, they bewitched the eyes of the people and petrified them by conjuring up a great charm.

He said, “You throw”; when they threw, they cast a magic spell upon the people’s eyes and terrified them, and they brought a great magic.

He said, ‘Throw [yours].’ So when they threw, they bewitched the people’s eyes and overawed them, producing a tremendous magic.

He answered: "Throw!" And when they threw (whatever they held in their hands to make spells) they cast a spell upon the people’s eyes (i.e. overawed and deluded them), and produced a mighty sorcery.

(Moses) said, `You may present (first, what you have).´ And when they presented (their devices) they cast a spell on the peoples´ eyes and sought to strike awe into them and they came out with a mighty enchantment.

He said: "Throw/throw away." So when they threw/threw away, they bewitched/enchanted the people`s eyes/sights and they terrorized/terrified them, and they came with great magic/sorcery. (IF GOD REFEREED TO THE MAGIC AS "GREAT" THEN IT MUST REALLY HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY BY ANY STANDARD)

He said, "You throw"; when they threw, they cast a magic spell upon the people’s eyes and terrified them, and they brought a great magic.

Said he, "Throw first". And when they threw down their rods, they bewitched (hypnotized) the people´s eyes, and struck terror into them, for they did a mighty magic.

He [Musa (Moses)] said: "Throw you (first)." So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic.

They said: O Moses, wilt thou cast, or shall we (be the first to) cast?

He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people's eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.

He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a mighty spell.

He replied, "Throw yours first." Their great magic bewitched people's eyes and terrified them.

'Throw' he replied. And when they threw, they bewitched the people's eyes and terrified them, and produced great sorcery.

He [Musa] said: "Throw you (first)." So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great trick.

He said, "You throw [first]!" When they made their cast, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck them with awe, for they showed a great [feat of] magic.

He said, “You throw!” And when they threw, they beguiled the eyes of the people, and intimidated them, and produced a mighty magic.

He said, `Cast!', this is a command permitting them to cast first, as a means to manifesting the truth. And when they cast, their ropes and staffs, they put a spell upon the people's eyes, misleading them from perceiving the real state of these [ropes and staffs], and overawed them, scared them, by making them appear to be slithering snakes, and produced a mighty sorcery.

قَالَ أَلْقُوْاْ

He (Musa) said;"Throw you (first)."

Musa said to them, you throw first.

It was said that the wisdom behind asking them to throw first, is that - Allah knows best - the people might witness the magicians' sorcery first. When the magicians had cast their spell and captured the eyes, the clear and unequivocal truth came, at a time when they all anticipated and waited for it to come, thus making the truth even more impressive to their hearts. This is what happened.

Allah said,

فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْاْ سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ

So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them,

meaning, they deceived the eyes and made them think that that trick was real, when it was only an illusion, just as Allah said,

فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى

قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاٌّعْلَى

وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى

So Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said;"Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain." (20;67-69)

Ibn Abbas commented that the magicians threw,

"Thick ropes and long sticks, and they appeared to be crawling, an illusion that they created with their magic."

وَجَاءوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ



and they displayed a great trick