“We granted Moses nine clear signs. Ask the Children of Israel about it: when these signs came forth, Pharaoh said to him: ‘O Moses, I think that you are bewitched’. Moses replied: ‘You know well that no one but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent these as eye opening proofs. I truly think, O Pharaoh, that you are indeed doomed’.”
(Al-Qur’ān – 17:101-102)
Makkan polytheists would often brand Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) as one afflicted by sorcery. Very similar were Pharaonic people who had hurled exactly the same charge at Moses. The Qur’ān states clearly that the allegation is false.
Prophet Moses’ reply to these was to emphasise the fact that the calamities which befell people could only be from God. There was widespread famine across the land. Frogs in large numbers infested a vast area, covering hundreds of thousands of square miles. Food stocks in the barns were eaten up by weevils. Such calamities could not be the result of some magician’s sorcery, or the manifestation of some human being’s extraordinary power.
Each calamity which befell the people did so after Moses had warned Pharaoh that such things would happen if he did not give up his obduracy. Only an incorrigibly obdurate person can entertain the belief that such calamities could have been brought about by anyone other than the Lord of the Universe. Prophet Moses had stated quite clearly that Pharaoh was doubtlessly doomed. This was evident from the latter’s total obduracy, and his firm refusal to accept the truth.