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."