Surah Ash-Shu`ara' 26:40
ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ
That we might follow the magicians if they are the predominant?"
Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:40
Tafsir
Ruh al-Ma'ani
Verse range: 26:40
(لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ) (Meaning: in their religion) **(إِن كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ)** (That is, over Moses, peace be upon him). Their intention in this was nothing other than to avoid following Moses, peace be upon him, in his religion. However, they framed their speech in the form of a metonymy to induce the magicians to take interest and exert effort in overcoming [him].
It is permitted that they truly desired to follow the magicians in the religion they held, assuming that they were already upon the religion Pharaoh desired.
The apparent meaning is that Pharaoh is not included among those speaking. Regarding the assumption of his inclusion, some have not permitted the literal meaning of this statement, due to the impossibility of one who claims divinity following magicians. Others have permitted it, due to the possibility that he said it when he was overcome by astonishment at the affair of Moses, peace be upon him, just as he sought counsel from those around him regarding it.
Perhaps their use of the particle in (if) is for the purpose of inciting, for otherwise, it would be more befitting their station to say, "when they are the victors."