Quran Universe
7:120

وَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ

Waolqiya alssaharatu sajideena

And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allah].

Word by word
  1. وَأُلۡقِيَAnd fell down
  2. ٱلسَّحَرَةُthe magicians
  3. سَٰجِدِينَprostrate
Al-A'raf · 7:120Makkah

The experts were the first to fall in prostration.

Those who knew magic best recognized what was not

The turn
the magicianshired to defeat Musa
see the staff
not magicthey knew their craft
and
fall in sujudin front of Fir'awn
What their knowledge did
knowledge for paythe morning
knowledge for truththe afternoon

The magicians realized this was from heaven and by no means magic. Ibn Ishaq reports they said: had Musa been a magician, he would not have beaten us. They fell down prostrate, the same people who had asked for a fee that morning.

You are the accountant who can tell when the numbers are real, the nurse who can tell when a patient is truly sick. Your expertise can lead you to the truth faster than anyone, if you let it, instead of using it to hide.

What I know is just a skill I sell.

Real knowledge should bring me to my knees before Allah, not keep me standing proud.

Try this

In your field, notice one thing that shows Allah's design. Make a short sujud of thanks for it today.

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."