Quran Universe
7:118

فَوَقَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

FawaqaAAa alhaqqu wabatala ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.

Word by word
  1. فَوَقَعَSo was established
  2. ٱلۡحَقُّthe truth
  3. وَبَطَلَand became futile
  4. مَاwhat
  5. كَانُواْthey used to
  6. يَعۡمَلُونَdo
Al-A'raf · 7:118Makkah

The truth stood, and all their work came to nothing.

Effort spent against the truth is lost

After the staff
truthestablished, in place
and
their workskill, effort, preparation
became
0no effect at all
What lasts
hard work winswhatever the cause
true work laststhe rest is undone

The magicians had trained, traveled, and performed their best. In one moment, the truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. Ibn Kathir calls it the moment Allah separated truth from falsehood.

Months spent building a cover story, keeping a version of yourself alive for people's approval. Then one honest conversation, and the whole structure falls. All that effort was for something that could not stand.

If I put in enough effort, it will hold.

Only what is built on truth survives the moment truth appears.

Try this

Ask yourself which of your daily efforts would still matter if everything hidden were seen. Give that one more time.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 7:117)

And We revealed to Musa (saying): "Throw your stick," and behold! It swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed (117)Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect (118)So they were defeated there and returned disgraced (119)And the sorcerers fell down prostrate (120)They said: "We believe in the Lord of all that exists (121)"The Lord of Musa and Harun. (122)

Musa defeats the Magicians, Who believe in Him

Allah states that at that tremendous moment, in which Allah differentiated between Truth and Falsehood, He sent a revelation to His servant and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him, ordering him to throw the stick that he held in his right hand,

فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ

(It swallowed straight away) and devoured,

مَا يَأْفِكُونَ

(all the falsehood which they showed.) the magic that they caused the illusion with, of magic with which they caused making it appear real, whereas it was not real at all. Ibn 'Abbas said that Musa's stick swallowed all the ropes and sticks that the magicians threw. The magicians realized that this was from heaven and was by no means magic. They fell in prostration and proclaimed,

آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ - رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ

("We believe in the Lord of all that exists. The Lord of Musa and Harun ).

Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "It followed the ropes and sticks one after another, until nothing that the sorcerers threw remained. Musa then held it in his hand, and it became a stick again just as it was before. The magicians fell in prostration and proclaimed, 'We believe in the Lord of all that exists, the Lord of Musa and Harun. Had Musa been a magician, he would not have prevailed over us.'" Al-Qasim bin Abi Bazzah commented, "Allah revealed to Musa to throw his stick. When he threw his stick, it became a huge, manifest snake that opened its mouth and swallowed the magicians' ropes and sticks. On that, the magicians fell in prostration. They did not raise their heads before seeing the Paradise, the Fire, and the recompense of their inhabitants."