Yet he was lying when he said, “Indeed, I think he is a liar,” for he knew full well that Moses was telling the truth. Allah recounts their debate: Moses said to him, “You have certainly come to know, O Pharaoh, that none has sent these signs down but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear proofs, and indeed I think you, O Pharaoh, are doomed” (al-Isrāʾ 17:102). Pharaoh offered no rebuttal; he was silent. Such silence, in the setting of open challenge and argument, signifies defeat and the inability to respond.

About him and his people Allah also says, “They rejected them, while their inner-selves were convinced of them, out of wrongdoing and arrogance” (al-Naml 27:14).

Thus—Allah’s refuge is sought—Pharaoh and his troops knew that Moses was truthful, but arrogance and obstinate denial possessed them. What, then, befell them?

They were struck with repeated defeats, the greatest of which was the rout of the magicians. Pharaoh had gathered every magician in his realm, in agreement with Moses—peace be upon him. Remarkably, it was Moses who fixed the appointment before Pharaoh, though outwardly he appeared weak, were it not that Allah supported and strengthened him.

Moses said to them, “Your appointment is on the Day of Adornment, and let the people be assembled in the forenoon” (Ṭā Hā 20:59). The “Day of Adornment” is the festival day, when people dress in their finest. His words “and let the people be assembled in the forenoon” mean that they should gather in broad daylight, not at night and in secret.

So Pharaoh mustered all the eminent and senior magicians he had, and they met with Moses—peace be upon him. They cast down their ropes and staffs—well-known objects—and when they hurled them to the ground, the whole earth seemed to teem with serpents, snakes slithering everywhere,