۞ From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time. 55 AND, INDEED, We made Pharaoh aware of all Our messages - but he gave them the lie and refused [to heed them]. 56 He said: "Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses? 57 "But we can surely produce magic to match thine! So make a tryst between us and thee, which we shall not fail to keep - neither we nor thou - in a place where both shall have even chances." 58 Moses said: "The appointment to meet you is on the Day of the Feast and let all people come together before noon." 59 So Firaun went away and gathered his schemes,* then came. (* 72000 magicians and their materials.) 60 Musa said unto them: woe unto you! fabricate not against Allah a lie, lest he extirpate you with a torment, and surely He who fabricateth, loseth. 61 They disputed upon their plan with one another, and spoke in secret 62 They said: Lo! these are two wizards who would drive you out from your country by their magic, and destroy your best traditions; 63 So prepare your strategy and come forward. He alone shall win today who is superior." 64 They said, "Moses, will you throw down first, or shall we be the first to throw down?" 65 Moses replied: 'No, you throw first' And by their sorcery it seemed to him that their ropes and staffs were sliding. 66 Then a kind of fear in his soul Musa felt. 67 [But] We said: "Fear not! Verily, it is thou who shalt prevail! 68 "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, no matter whatever amount (of skill) he may attain." 69 Then the magicians were cast down prostrate; they said: we believe in the Lord of Musa and Harun. 70 (Firon) said: You believe in him before I give you leave; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, therefore I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will certainly crucify you on the trunks of the palm trees, and certainly you will come to know which of us is the more severe and the more abiding in chastising. 71 They replied: "We cannot choose you in the face of the clear testimony we have received, and over Him who created us. So do what you are determined to do. All that you would do will only be confined to our life on earth. 72 We believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and also forgive us the practice of magic to which you had compelled us. Allah is the Best and He alone will abide." 73 Lo! whoso cometh guilty unto his Lord, verily for him is hell. There he will neither die nor live. 74 But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer (in the Oneness of Allah, etc.), and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter), 75 Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. 76