“When Moses came to them with Our clear signs, they said, ‘This is nothing but fabricated sorcery, and we have never heard of this among our forefathers.’ (36) Moses said, ‘My Lord knows best who has come with guidance from Him and who will have the ultimate outcome of the abode. Indeed, the wrongdoers will not prosper.’ (37) Pharaoh said, ‘O eminent ones, I know of no god for you other than myself. So kindle a fire over clay for me, O Haman, and build me a lofty tower, that I may look upon the God of Moses; though I truly think that he is one of the liars.’ (38)”
“We shall strengthen your arm through your brother,” meaning: We shall reinforce you through your brother. Aaron was in Egypt at that time. “And grant both of you authority,” that is, proof and evidence. “So they will not be able to reach either of you because of Our signs,” meaning that, on account of Our signs, they will not be able to reach either of you with killing or any other harm. It has also been said that the wording involves inversion; its intended meaning is: We shall grant both of you authority through Our signs—that is, through the miracles We give you—so that they will not be able to reach either of you. “You two and those who follow you will be the victors,” meaning: you and your followers will prevail over Pharaoh and his people.
“When Moses came to them with Our clear signs,” that is, evident signs, “they said, ‘This is nothing but fabricated sorcery,’” meaning invented, “and we have never heard of this,” namely, of that to which you call us, “among our forefathers.”
“Moses said”—the people of Mecca recited this without the conjunction wa (“and”), and it is likewise written in their codices—“My Lord knows best who has come with guidance from Him,” distinguishing the one upon truth from the one upon falsehood, “and who will have the ultimate outcome of the abode,” namely, the praiseworthy end in the Hereafter. “Indeed, the wrongdoers will not prosper,” that is, the unbelievers.
“Pharaoh said, ‘O eminent ones, I know of no god for you other than myself. So kindle a fire over clay for me, O Haman,’” that is, bake bricks for me. It is also said that he was the first to make use of baked bricks and build with them. “And build me a lofty tower,” that is, a high palace; and it is also said: a tower. The exegetes said: (1) When Pharaoh ordered his minister Haman to build the tower, Haman assembled the workers and laborers