Allah describes the conversation that took place between Fir`awn and the magicians he collected to defeat Musa, peace be upon him. Fir`awn told them that he will reward them and give them tremendous provisions. He made them hope in acquiring what they wished for and to make them among his private audience and best associates. When they were assured of the cursed Fir`awn's promises,

[قَالُواْ يَمُوسَى إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ - قَالَ أَلْقَوْاْ فَلَمَّآ أَلْقُوْاْ سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَآءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ ]

(115. They said: "O Musa! Either you throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw'') (116. He [Musa] said: "Throw you (first).'' So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great trick.) The magicians challenged Musa, when they said,

[إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ]

(Either you throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw) before you. In another Ayah, they said,

[وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى]

(Or we be the first to throw) [20:65]. Musa said to them, you throw first. It was said that the wisdom behind asking them to throw first, is that - Allah knows best - the people might witness the magicians' sorcery first. When the magicians had cast their spell and captured the eyes, the clear and unequivocal truth came, at a time when they all anticipated and waited for it to come, thus making the truth even more impressive to their hearts. This is what happened. Allah said,

[فَلَمَّآ أَلْقُوْاْ سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ]

(So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them,) meaning, they deceived the eyes and made them think that thet trick was real, when it was only an illusion, just as Allah said,

[فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَى - قُلْنَا لاَ تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الاٌّعْلَى - وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى ]

(So Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. 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, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain'') [20:67-69]. Ibn `Abbas commented that the magicians threw, "Thick ropes and long sticks, and they appeared to be crawling, an illusion that they created with their magic.''

[وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ - فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ - فَغُلِبُواْ هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُواْ صَـغِرِينَ - وَأُلْقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سَـجِدِينَ - قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَـرُونَ ]

(117. And We revealed to Musa (saying): "Throw your stick,'' and behold! It swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed.) (118. Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect.) (119. So they were defeated there and returned disgraced.) (120. And the sorcerers fell down prostrate.) (121. They said: "We believe in the Lord of all that exists.) (122. "The Lord of Musa and Harun.'')