Surah Yunus Tafseer

فَلَمَّا جَاءهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

So, when came to them the truth from us, they said:"This is indeed clear magic."

They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie.

As Allah said:

وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَأ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً

And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof. (27:14)

Musa criticized them saying:

قَالَ مُوسَى أَتقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ