Quran Universe
10:77

قَالَ مُوسَىٰٓ أَتَقُولُونَ لِلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمۡۖ أَسِحۡرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّـٰحِرُونَ

Qala moosa ataqooloona lilhaqqi lamma jaakum asihrun hatha wala yuflihu alssahiroona

Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed."

Word by word
  1. قَالَMusa said
  2. مُوسَىٰٓMusa said
  3. أَتَقُولُونَDo you say
  4. لِلۡحَقِّabout the truth
  5. لَمَّاwhen
  6. جَآءَكُمۡۖit has come to you
  7. أَسِحۡرٌIs this magic
  8. هَٰذَاIs this magic
  9. وَلَاBut (will) not
  10. يُفۡلِحُsucceed
  11. ٱلسَّـٰحِرُونَthe magicians
Yunus · 10:77Makkah

Is this magic? Magicians never succeed.

Musa's question to those who called truth a trick

Musa's reply
you call it magicthe truth
but
magicians failtricks do not last
truth succeedsit stands
How to tell them apart
both look impressiveno way to know
see what laststricks collapse

Musa criticised them: do you say this about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? He gave the test himself: magicians will never succeed. Illusion fades. Truth stays.

The get-rich-quick scheme, the miracle diet, the viral life hack. They dazzle for a month. Check what is still standing a year later. Truth has staying power. Tricks do not.

If it impresses me, it is probably real.

The real test is what lasts. Tricks never succeed in the end.

Try this

Think of one flashy promise you are tempted by. Ask: will this still stand in a year?

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!")