Surah Al-Qasas — Verse 38

Word Meanings:

• Al-Mala' (الْمَلَأُ): The chiefs, nobles, and influential leaders of Pharaoh's people.
• Awqid (أَوْقِدْ): Kindle, ignite, or set fire.
• Al-Teen (الطِّينِ): Clay or mud, which when baked becomes bricks.
• Sarhan (صَرْحًا): A lofty tower, palace, or high structure.
• Attali' (أَطَّلِعُ): To ascend, climb up, or look upon from above.

Tafsir (Interpretation):

In this verse, we witness one of the most arrogant and deluded statements ever uttered by a human being. Pharaoh, addressing the elite of his court, declared: *"O chiefs, I have not known for you any god other than myself."*

Notice the subtle deception in his words — he did not say "there is no god other than me," but rather "I have not known" — a calculated lie meant to manipulate his people. He pretended ignorance of the truth while his heart was full of stubborn denial. He knew well that the Creator of the heavens and earth exists, but his pride and love of power blinded him.

Then, in his foolishness, he commanded his minister Haman: *"Kindle for me, O Haman, upon the clay [a fire], and make for me a lofty tower, that I may ascend to the God of Moses."* He ordered bricks to be baked from clay and a towering structure to be raised, so he could climb up and — in his delusion — confront or even destroy the God of Moses. This is the height of ignorance: how can a creature made from clay climb a tower of clay to reach the Creator of the clay itself?

And then he added: *"And indeed, I think he [Moses] is among the liars."* He dismissed the clear miracles of Moses — the staff turning into a serpent, the shining hand — as mere falsehood, while he himself was building a tower to fight the Almighty.

A Da'wah Reflection:

This verse teaches us a profound lesson about the nature of arrogance and its consequences. Pharaoh had everything — power, wealth, armies, and the obedience of his people — yet his arrogance led him to claim divinity and wage war against his own Creator. His end was drowning in the sea, while the very people he oppressed were saved.

For us as believers, this story is a reminder to purify our hearts from arrogance, for it is the first sin ever committed — when Iblis refused to bow to Adam out of pride. Allah loves the humble and hates the arrogant. When we submit to Allah in prayer, lower our wings before our parents, and treat others with gentleness, we are following the path of the prophets. And when we see someone drowning in pride, let us remember Pharaoh's fate and pray for their guidance.

The Quran also tells us that Pharaoh's wife, Asiyah, despite living in his palace, rejected his false claims and chose faith in the true God. This shows that no matter how corrupt the environment, the heart that seeks truth will find it. Let us be like Asiyah — firm in faith even amidst trials — and never like Pharaoh, who had everything yet lost everything.