Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 36

(Ayah 36) {فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ مُّوْسٰى بِاٰيٰتِنَا بَيِّنٰتٍ …:} Musa (peace be upon him) took on this responsibility and returned from the valley of Tuwa. The Quran has omitted the intermediate details here, that he came home to his family, met his parents and siblings, told Harun (peace be upon him) about the event of being granted prophethood, and then both brothers went to the court of Pharaoh and his chiefs to invite them and conveyed to them the message of the Oneness of Allah, the message of his prophethood from Allah, and the command to free the Children of Israel. The invitation of Musa (peace be upon him) is described in detail in Surah Ta-Ha (47 to 54) and Ash-Shu'ara (16 to 33). When Pharaoh refused to accept their invitation, Musa (peace be upon him) presented the miracles of the staff and the shining hand as proof of his prophethood. Pharaoh had no answer to these miracles; in his heart, he had accepted that Musa (peace be upon him) was a true prophet. See Bani Isra'il (102) and An-Naml (14). But to deceive his people, he said two things: first, that your staff and shining hand are invented magic, meaning your fabricated and made-up magic, and there is no reality to it. In Surah Al-A'raf (109 to 126), Ta-Ha (55 to 76), and Ash-Shu'ara (34 to 51), it has already been mentioned about gathering magicians to counter these miracles and the magicians' failure and subsequent acceptance of Islam. The second thing he said was that we have not heard this message of Oneness from our forefathers. The basis of Pharaoh's statement was merely the imitation of ancestors, which is the argument of those who have no proof and stubbornly persist in falsehood. Is this any argument, that I must make a losing deal because my father made a losing deal? Not only Pharaoh, but all followers of falsehood use this same excuse to deny the truth. See Surah Al-Baqarah (170).

Some commentators have written that Pharaoh's claim was a lie, that we have not heard this from our forefathers, because before this, Yusuf (peace be upon him) had lived in Egypt, who would not miss any opportunity to invite to the Oneness of Allah even in prison. Just as the claim of the Quraysh of Makkah was a lie that we have not heard this from our forefathers, even though among their ancestors were Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon them), who broke idols and were great champions of the Oneness of Allah. But Pharaoh and the Quraysh of Makkah only used those ancestors as proof who were devoid of both intellect and guidance. It is said: «{ اَوَ لَوْ كَانَ اٰبَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا وَّ لَا يَهْتَدُوْنَ }» [ البقرۃ : ۱۷۰ ] "Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided."

36-1. That is, this call that in the universe only Allah alone is worthy of being worshipped is a completely new thing for us. We have neither heard this nor were our forefathers familiar with this tawheed. The polytheists of Makkah also said about the Prophet ﷺ, "Has he made all the gods (by abolishing them) into only one God? This is indeed a very strange thing."

36. But when Moses came to them with Our clear signs, they said, "This is nothing but fabricated magic [46]; we have never heard of such things among our forefathers [47]."

[46]
Sayyiduna Musa (Moses) ؑ Delivers Allah’s Message to Pharaoh:

Musa ؑ, having taken up this great responsibility, returned from the plain of Tuwa. There is an interval here which the Quran has considered unimportant and thus omitted mentioning. That is, from there Musa ؑ must have gone straight home with his wife and children. The meeting with his parents and siblings, and the detailed discussion of all circumstances with his brother Harun ؑ, etc., have been left out. It is likely that during these days Harun ؑ was granted prophethood. The Quran continues the story from here, mentioning that both brothers reached Pharaoh’s court. In what manner they gained access to the court is not known. In any case, upon reaching the court, Musa ؑ conveyed Allah’s message in detail to Pharaoh and his courtiers. The details of this are mentioned in other places. Here, it is only mentioned that when, at the demand of Pharaoh and his courtiers, Musa ؑ showed these two miracles as proof of his prophethood, although Pharaoh was inwardly convinced of his prophethood—and for this reason, he never dared to kill him for the crime of murder—yet, in order to keep the effect of prophethood away from the common people, they immediately said: What kind of sign of prophethood is this? Other magicians can also show such tricks. Has anyone ever accepted them as prophets?

[47]
The Nature of Pharaoh’s Claim to Divinity:

The details of these matters have already been mentioned at several places before, and those matters were that you are not the Supreme Authority and Absolute Sovereign, but rather Allah Almighty is. He is the Creator and Owner of the entire universe. He is the One who made me a Messenger and sent me to you with these miracles as signs, and gave this message: abandon your rebellion, desist from your claim to divinity, accept the legal and political sovereignty of Allah alone, and worship Him alone. Pharaoh said that the claim of an Absolute Sovereign existing even over me is something we have never heard from our forefathers. This means that the Pharaohs of Egypt had, for many generations, been sitting as independent and absolute rulers, and in legal and political authority, did not acknowledge any higher being above themselves. This very thing has been described as their claim to divinity.