IOK Ramadan 2025: You Can Only Hurt Me in This World | Sh Mudassir Mayet

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15

Transcript

The following is perhaps one of the most powerful statements ever made before a tyrant:

Ṭā Hā (20): 72-73

قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (٧٢) إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى (٧٣)

“(The magicians of Egypt who just became Muslim after witnessing a miracle of God (Allāh) at the hands of Moses (Mūsā) said, ‘We will never prefer you, O Pharaoh, over all the clear signs of God that have come to us, let alone The One True God Allāh Himself! So go ahead and do whatever you want to us! Anything and everything you can do – like torturing us – is limited to this worldly life! We have wholeheartedly believed in our Lord and Master and hope that He will forgive us for our mistakes and everything you, O Pharaoh, forced us to learn and perform in terms of magic. — Allāh and His compensation is far greater and everlasting than anything you could possibly do!’”

Allāh tells us this story a few times in The Qurʾān. Sūrah Ṭā Hā contains one of the more detailed accounts of this story. A summary of the backstory is as follows.

Prophet Moses (Mūsā [ع] ʿalayh al-salām – may God honor and preserve his legacy) has been preaching to Pharaoh (Firʿawn) for a while. At some point, Pharaoh tries to make a power play in hopes to publicly humiliate Prophet Moses (ع). Pharaoh has convinced himself that the miracles of Prophet Mūsā (ع), like his staff turning into a real living serpent, are just magic. So Pharaoh wants to set up a public “magic showdown” where the best magicians of Egypt and the surrounding lands can hopefully out perform Prophet Moses (ع). A date and time are set.

Prophet Mūsā (ع) and the magicians arrive. After a little bit of back and forth, the magicians are the first to make a move. They have rope and staffs that they throw onto the floor, and through the use of their magic, the staffs and ropes appear to be moving.

Prophet Mūsā (ع) is a little worried, but Allāh ﷻ reassures him, “لا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الأَعْلَى – Do not worry or be afraid. You are the victor.” So Prophet Moses (ع) throws his staff, and of course, it becomes a real living snake. Not only that, but it goes and swallows all of the ropes and staffs previously thrown by the magicians.

The second the magicians see that, they know what Prophet Mūsā (ع) just did was not magic. That staff, that snake, that literal swallowing of objects from an animal that was a literal staff a few seconds ago — that is not magic! Instantly they fall into sajdah, prostrating their faces onto the floor. They exclaim, “آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَى – We believe in the Lord and Master of Aaron (Hārūn) and Moses (Mūsā)!”

Just imagine the anger and frustration Pharaoh is experiencing. His entire plan backfired into the exact opposite outcome. Instead of Prophet Mūsā (ع) being humiliated, he came out as the unquestioned hero! But Pharaoh is a man of the most extreme propaganda. In that moment he tries to flip the script – “Did I give you permission to accept him as a prophet? Ohhh… He (Moses) is the one that taught all of you magic in the first place! You all have been scheming this against me the entire time! — Guess what? I am going to mutilate and crucify all of you! I will chop off your opposing limbs and hang your corpses on tree trunks! Then and only then will you all finally realize who is more powerful and severe in executing continuous punishment!”

At that, the magicians say what Allāh quoted in the Qurʾān, “We will never prefer you, O Pharaoh, over all the clear signs of God that have come to us, let alone The One True God Allāh Himself! So go ahead and do whatever you want to us! Anything and everything you can do – like torturing us – is limited to this worldly life! We have wholeheartedly believed in our Lord and Master and hope that He will forgive us for our mistakes and everything you, O Pharaoh, forced us to learn and perform in terms of magic. — Allāh and His compensation is far greater and everlasting than anything you could possibly do!”

These magicians saw the truth as truth. As the phrase goes, “game recognize game” and they knew that what they did was magic, but what was done at the hands of Prophet Mūsā (ع) was something that could only be done by the divine intervention of The One True God. Thus they instantly believed.

And their belief was so strong and firmly rooted, even though they just accepted Mūsā and Hārūn (ع) as prophets moments ago, they knew that Pharaoh is a human who can only hurt them in this world. Pharaoh’s worst torture techniques will be painful, yes, but once they die, Pharaoh cannot do a single thing to them. Rather, it is Allāh who has full and everlasting control, power, and authority in this life and the next. So when Allāh ﷻ chooses to forgive and reward, that is far better and everlasting than any possible material luxury Pharaoh could ever bribe them with. And Allāh ﷻ’s punishment against those who reject Him is more severe and everlasting than 100 years of receiving the worst torture exacted by Pharaoh.

If we are obedient to Allāh ﷻ, no one can harm us in the hereafter. They may be able to hurt us verbally and physically – in very painful ways – in this world. But it will end when I die. As for the reward from Allāh for my patience and submission to Him – it is forever and ever. As for the punishment from Allāh against those who reject and oppress, it will forever and ever.

Sometimes people will really hurt you in this world. The pain will be unbearable. But if your relationship with Allāh ﷻ is strong, you will be escorted into God’s Paradise in there hereafter, while your disbelieving oppressor will be dragged and thrown face first into the fire of Hell. — Keep your faith strong, O Believer! And let Allāh handle your situation!