In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

After the proofs had been established against Fir`awn based on manifest clarification and sound reasoning, he resorted to physically overcoming Prophet Musa through his authority in the land and thought that – after this stance – there would be room for engagement in discussion. (1)

And just as it is the habit of an obstinate argumentative person, he stated with defiance and heedlessness, and issued a threat, saying, [لَٮِٕنِ ٱتَّخَذۡتَ إِلَـٰهًا غَيۡرِى لَأَجۡعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجُونِينَ – If you choose an ilah (god) other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners]. This is an extreme manner in which he rejected Prophet Musa’s Messengership since he wanted Musa to abandon his call and not present it to him. Also in this statement of his is another act of self-exaltation since he was under the illusion that Prophet Musa considered him a god in that era. [لَأَجۡعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجُونِينَ – I will certainly put you among the prisoners]- Meaning, “Those whose situation is well known in my prison”. That is because Fir’awn [may the curse of Allaah be upon him] used to throw them into an empty deep narrow hole in the ground until they perished. It is said that its depth was 500 cubits and in it there were snakes and scorpions. (2)

So Prophet Musa said to him: [ أَوَلَوۡ جِئۡتُكَ بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ – Even if I bring you something manifest (and convincing)?] [قَالَ فَأۡتِ بِهِۦۤ إِن ڪُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ – Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said: “Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!”]

فَأَلۡقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعۡبَانٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ ۥ فَإِذَا هِىَ بَيۡضَآءُ لِلنَّـٰظِرِينَ

So [Musa (Moses)] threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders!

قَالَ لِلۡمَلَإِ حَوۡلَهُ ۥۤ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَـٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ۬
يُرِيدُ أَن يُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِڪُم بِسِحۡرِهِۦ فَمَاذَا تَأۡمُرُونَ

[Fir’aun (Pharaoh)] said to the chiefs around him: “Verily! This is indeed a well-versed sorcerer. He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery, then what is it your counsel, and what do you command?”

He [Fir’awn] claimed that the signs which Prophet Musa showed him were nothing more than sorcery and illusions, and that the aim behind them was to drive them from their land and seize it. Fir’awn’s statements were intended to influence his people, because people are naturally attached to their homelands and it is difficult for them to abandon them. He told them that this was Musa’s goal, so that they would hate and oppose him. (3)

قَالُوٓاْ أَرۡجِهۡ وَأَخَاهُ وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِى ٱلۡمَدَآٮِٕنِ حَـٰشِرِينَ
يَأۡتُوكَ بِڪُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ۬
فَجُمِعَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَـٰتِ يَوۡمٍ۬ مَّعۡلُومٍ۬
وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلۡ أَنتُم مُّجۡتَمِعُونَ
لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ ٱلسَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلۡغَـٰلِبِينَ
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ قَالُواْ لِفِرۡعَوۡنَ أَٮِٕنَّ لَنَا لَأَجۡرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَـٰلِبِينَ
قَالَ نَعَمۡ وَإِنَّكُمۡ إِذً۬ا لَّمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ
قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰٓ أَلۡقُواْ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلۡقُونَ
فَأَلۡقَوۡاْ حِبَالَهُمۡ وَعِصِيَّهُمۡ وَقَالُواْ بِعِزَّةِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَـٰلِبُونَ
فَأَلۡقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا يَأۡفِكُونَ
فَأُلۡقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَـٰجِدِينَ
قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمۡ لَهُ ۥ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحۡرَ فَلَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ‌ۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَـٰفٍ۬ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ
قَالُواْ لَا ضَيۡرَ‌ۖ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ
إِنَّا نَطۡمَعُ أَن يَغۡفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَآ أَن كُنَّآ أَوَّلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

They said: “Put him off and his brother (for a while), and send callers to the cities; to bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer.” So the sorcerers were assembled at a fixed time on a day appointed. And it was said to the people: “Are you (too) going to assemble? That we may follow the sorcerers [who were on Fir’aun’s (Pharaoh) religion of disbelief] if they are the winners.” So when the sorcerers arrived, they said to Fir’aun (Pharaoh): “Will there surely be a reward for us if we are the winners?” He said: “Yes, and you shall then verily be of those brought near (to myself).” Musa (Moses) said to them: “Throw what you are going to throw!” So they threw their ropes and their sticks, and said: “By the might of Fir’aun (Pharaoh), it is we who will certainly win!” Then Musa (Moses) threw his stick, and behold, it swallowed up all the falsehoods which they showed! And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. Saying: “We believe in the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)- The Lord of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron).” [Fir’aun (Pharaoh)] said: “You have believed in him before I give you leave. Surely, he indeed is your chief, who has taught you magic! So verily, you shall come to know. Verily, I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.” They said: “No harm! Surely, to our Lord (Allah) we are to return, verily! We really hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, as we are the first of the believers [in Musa (Moses) and in the Monotheism which he has brought from Allah].” [Surah Ash-Shu’araa. Aayaat 29-51] (4)

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn katheer]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Roohul Ma’aanee Fee Tafseer Al-Qur’an Al-Adheem Was-Sab’ah Al-Mathaanee. Vol 11. Page 109. By Imaam al-Aloosee]

[Ref 3: An Excerpt from Tafseer as-Sadi. Surah Ta Ha. Aayaat 57-61]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn katheer]