Quran Universe
10:76

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِنۡ عِندِنَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحۡرٞ مُّبِينٞ

Falamma jaahumu alhaqqu min AAindina qaloo inna hatha lasihrun mubeenun

So when there came to them the truth from Us, they said, "Indeed, this is obvious magic."

Word by word
  1. فَلَمَّاSo when
  2. جَآءَهُمُcame to them
  3. ٱلۡحَقُّthe truth
  4. مِنۡfrom Us
  5. عِندِنَاfrom Us
  6. قَالُوٓاْthey said
  7. إِنَّIndeed
  8. هَٰذَاthis
  9. لَسِحۡرٞ(is) surely,a magic
  10. مُّبِينٞclear
Yunus · 10:76Makkah

Truth arrived, and they called it obvious magic.

Labelling what they knew was true

Their response
the truthfrom Allah
labelled
clear magicsaid like an oath
What they knew inside
they believed it was magichonest mistake
they were convincedbut denied it anyway

Ibn Kathir says they spoke as if giving an oath, but knew they were lying. He cites the verse: they denied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced.

You know your friend was right in the argument. Instead you say, "Whatever, you always twist things." A label is easier than admitting it. The truth does not change because you renamed it.

If I give it a dismissive name, I do not have to deal with it.

Labelling the truth does not change it. It only keeps me from it.

Try this

Admit one thing today you knew was true but kept brushing off.

Related27:14
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 10:75)

Then after them We sent Musa and Harun to Fir'awn and his chiefs with Our Ayat. But they behaved arrogantly and were a people who were criminals (75)So when came to them the truth from Us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic. (76)Musa said: "Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you Is this magic? But the magicians will never be successful. (77)They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away from that we found our fathers following, and that you two may have greatness in the land? We are not going to believe you two! (78)

The Story of Musa and Fira'wn

Allah said:

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا

(Then after them We sent ) meaning ofter these Messengers,

مُّوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ

(Musa and Harun to Fir'awn and his chiefs,) meaning his people

بِآيَاتِنَا

(with Our Ayat.) meaning; 'Our proofs and evidences.'

فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ

(But they behaved arrogantly, and were a people who were criminals.) meaning they were too arrogant to follow the truth and submit to it, and they were criminals.

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(So, when came to them the truth from us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic.") They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie. As Allah said:

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا

(And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.)(27:14) Musa criticized them saying:

أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَكُمْ ۖ أَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ - قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا

("Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But the magicians will never be successful." They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away...)

عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا

(from that we found our fathers following) their religion.

وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا

(and that you two may have...)

الْكِبْرِيَاءُ

(greatness) means grandeur and leadership

فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

(...in the land, We are not going to believe you two!")