Transliteration:( Wa qaala Fir'awnu yaa Haamaanub-ni lee sarhal la'alleee ablughul asbaab )
"And Pharaoh said [97]: 'O Hamaan, build for me a lofty tower that I may reach the ways.'"
This command by Pharaoh to Hamaan was a display of arrogance and mockery. Instead of sincerely seeking the truth brought by Musa (peace be upon him), Pharaoh resorted to sarcasm—as if he could physically ascend to the heavens to challenge Allah. His words reveal his ignorance and pride.
Pharaoh instructed Hamaan to first burn clay bricks and then construct a very tall structure. This has also been recorded in Surah Al-Qasas (28:38), where he said:
“O Hamaan! Build for me a lofty tower from baked bricks so I may reach the God of Musa…”
This ridiculous plan was not based on reason, but rather on mocking Divine power and attempting to prove his own false divinity. It further exposes Pharaoh’s delusion of grandeur, believing that physical construction could give him access to the realm of Allah.
36. And Fir`awn said: “O Haman! Build me a lofty tower that I may arrive at the ways — 37. The ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar.” Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn’s eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction.
Allah tells us of the arrogant and hostile defiance of Fir`awn and his rejection of Musa, when he commanded his minister Haman to build him a tower, i.e., a tall, high, strong fortress. He built it of bricks made from baked clay, as Allah says:
(So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a lofty tower) (28:38).
(that I may arrive at the ways — the ways of the heavens,) Sa`id bin Jubayr and Abu Salih said, “The gates of the heavens.” Or it was said, the ways of the heavens.
(and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar.) Because of his disbelief and defiance, he did not believe that Allah had sent Musa to him. Allah says:
(Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn’s eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path;) means, this act of his ﴿building the tower﴾, by means of which he wanted to deceive his people and make them think that he could prove that Musa was lying. Allah says:
(and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction.) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, “Meaning nothing but ruin.”
(40:36) Pharaoh said: “Haman, build for me a lofty tower that I may scale the highways �
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
[1372]- Means of ascent, pathways.
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