Some people have supposed that Pharaoh’s question, “And what is the Lord of all worlds?” was a question about the Lord’s essence, like someone asking for the definitions of things: “What is a human being? What is an angel? What is a jinni?” and so forth.

They said: “Since the One being asked about has no essence, Moses turned from answering the question to explaining how He may be known, saying: ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth.’” This view, advanced by some later scholars, is false. Pharaoh’s question expressed denial and rejection. He was not asking about the essence of a Lord whose existence he acknowledged; rather, he denied and rejected Him. Hence, later in the exchange, he said:

“If you take a god other than me, I will surely imprison you.”

He also said:

“Indeed, I think he is a liar.”

His question thus expressed denial and rejection, as though he were saying: “The worlds have no Lord who could send you. Who, then, is this?” He was denying Him. Moses therefore made clear that Pharaoh and those present knew Him, and that His signs were manifest and clear, leaving no grounds for denying Him: “You merely deny with your tongues what you know in your hearts.” As Moses said to Pharaoh elsewhere:

“You know well that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent down these signs as clear proofs.”

And Allah Most High said:

“They denied them, though their souls were convinced of them, out of wrongdoing and arrogance. So see what was the end of those who spread corruption.”