وَإِن يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُّسْتَمِرٌّ
When signs are presented, deliberate aversion and dismissive labelling follow.
It is in their character to turn away from presented signs and then justify rejection with shallow claims such as calling it “continuous magic”.
The Qur’an establishes that “seeing is believing” is false; those intent on disbelief dismiss signs and craft excuses.
Key vocabulary in the ayah and what it reveals.
Two Qur’anic modes of “turning away” and how they differ:
From رَأَى (Ra’ā): not only the physical act of seeing, but also perceiving, understanding, and considering.
Here, “If they saw any sign” covers encountering and even recognizing it as a sign—yet still turning away and fabricating excuses.
That which enchants, bewilders, or deceives through hidden means—used here as a dismissive label.
A sign that indicates, points, and astonishes—miraculous and indicative. All of life’s signs point in a direction; ignoring them leads to aimlessness.
Root field and four scholarly readings highlighted by Al‑Ālūsī.
Contrasted with sorcerers’ one‑off tricks; they label it as an ongoing “magic”.
Aligns with مَرِير (Mareer) and مِرَّة (Mirrah). A reading akin to conceding the sign’s overwhelming power.
Linked to مُرّ (Murr) and مَرَارَة (Maraarah): they deem it unpleasant and distasteful.
From مَرَّ (Marra): they claim it’s a trend that will pass without lasting impact.
اِسْتَمَرَّ (Istamarra), اِسْتِمْرَار (Istimrār): continuing upon the same course. Origin مَرَّ (Marra): “to go on, pass by”. Related words: مَرِير (strong), مِرَّة (strength), مُرّ / مَرَارَة (bitter, unpleasant).
Conflation, bias, and the Qur’anic corrective.
They dismiss truth by conflating it with previously known non‑truths—judging a matter by superficial similarity without examining its own reality.
Every issue must be examined afresh, on its own merits, free of prior judgements.
Signs do not compel belief in those committed to denial.
Those who wish to continue in disbelief will dismiss the آيَات (signs) and justify their rejection as “some kind of sorcery”.
Their denial will be exposed on the Day of Judgement, when they will be asked rhetorically: أَلَيْسَ هَٰذَا بِالْحَقِّ — “Is this not the truth?!”
From encounter to response to labelling.
إِن يَرَوْا آيَةً — a sign is perceived, understood, encountered.
يُعْرِضُوا — deliberate turning away from what is before them.
سِحْرٌ مُّسْتَمِرٌّ — a label deployed to explain away the sign.