Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:57

His saying, the Exalted: "He said: 'Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?'" (57) is a new beginning (isti'naf) explaining the manner of his denial and haughtiness. The hamza is for the negation of the reality (inkar al-waqi') and the deeming of it as repugnant, asserting that it is an impossible affair.

"Coming" (al-maji') is either taken in its literal sense, or in the sense of approaching an affair and undertaking it. That is: Did you come to us from the place where you were after your absence from us, or did you approach us to drive us out of Egypt by means of what you have displayed of magic?

This is something that would not emanate from a rational person, as it belongs to the category of attempting the impossible. He only said this to incite his people to the utmost hatred of Moses, peace be upon him, by revealing that his intention was not merely to deliver the Children of Israel from their hands, but to expel the Copts from their homeland and seize their wealth and properties entirely, so that no one would be inclined to follow him, and so they would exaggerate in defense and hostility. For expulsion from the homeland is the sibling of killing, as indicated by His saying, the Exalted: "And if We had decreed for them, 'Kill yourselves or leave your homes'..."

He labeled that which Allah, the Exalted, manifested of the dazzling miracle as "magic" to embolden them to oppose [him].