Tafsir of Ghafir 40:29

(O my people! Yours is the dominion this day, manifest), meaning: prevailing, superior over the Children of Israel (in the land), that is, in the land of Egypt, where no one can resist you at this time. (But who will help us against the might of Allah), meaning: against His seizure and His punishment, Glory be to Him, (if it comes to us?) Meaning: so do not ruin your affairs and do not expose yourselves to the might of Allah, the Exalted, by killing him [Musa], for if it [His might] comes to us, no one can withhold it from us. The "fa" in "faman" (but who) is for logical consequence (fasiha), and the interrogation is one of negation (inkari).

He attributed the kingship and the prevalence in the land—which pleases them—to them specifically, and he included himself among them regarding what displeases them—the coming of the might of Allah—as a means of consoling their hearts. This signals that he is an advisor to them, striving to secure what benefits them and to repel what ruins them, just as he strives for his own sake, so that they may be moved by his counsel.

(Pharaoh said), after hearing that, (I show you), i.e., I do not suggest to you, (only what I see), except what I view and deem correct, which is his killing. He means: I do not deem anything correct except his killing, and what you say is not correct. (And I do not guide you), by this opinion, (except to the path of rectitude), meaning: the path of correctness and righteousness. Or, I do not teach you anything except what I know of correctness, and I do not withhold any of it, nor do I hide from you the opposite of what I reveal. This implies that his tongue and his heart are in agreement regarding what he says.

The enemy of Allah has lied, for he was permeated by intense fear regarding Musa, peace be upon him, but he was feigning steadfastness. Were it not for this inner dread, he would not have consulted anyone.

Regarding Mu'adh ibn Jabal and al-Hasan, it is reported that they read (al-rashad) with a shadda on the shin, on the basis that it is in the form of fa’al for intensification, derived from rashada (with a kasra), like ‘allam (very knowledgeable) from ‘alima; or from rashada (with a fatha), like ‘abbad from ‘abada.

It is also said: It is from the augmented verb arshada, like jabbar from ajbara. This has been countered by the claim that the form fa’al does not come from augmented verbs except in a few instances, such as jabbar, darrak, qassar, and sa'ar. Yet, it is not sound to use the rare as a standard for analogy, especially since the primitive form for jabbar is established in some contexts, so it is not definitively from the augmented. Similarly, qassar is not definitively from aqsara, as qasara (with a fatha) exists alongside aqsara. Al-Jawhari narrated that iqsar is desisting while having the power to do otherwise, whereas qasr is desisting due to inability. Thus, this argument does not hold. As for darrak and sa'ar, they are explained as the deletion of an augmented letter in estimation, not in usage, as they say: "The land produced baqal (herbs), so it is baqil," and "He adorned with awras (a type of plant), so it is waris." Ibn Jinni said: On this basis, al-rashad is explained, so it is derived from rashada in the sense of arshada in estimation, not in usage, for the meaning is consistent with that.

Then he said: If it is said, "If the meaning is arshada (guided), how do you allow it to be from rashada (the primitive verb)?" It is replied: The meaning reverts to him being "guided," for when he guides, he is a murshid (guide); it is a case of mentioning the cause instead of the effect.

It is also said: This is permitted because intensification in rushd (rectitude) is achieved through irshad (guiding), as they established regarding qayyum and tahur.

Some of the researchers said: If rashada means "he was guided," the meaning is "I do not guide you except to the path of one who is guided and whose rectitude has reached a great level." There is no need for what you have heard [regarding the augmented verb controversy], and that [explanation] would only be needed if the meaning were necessarily "I do not guide you except to the path of one who guides others significantly," and from where does that necessity arise?

It has also been suggested that fa’al in this reading could be for attribution, like ‘awwaj (a merchant of ivory/‘aj) and battat (a merchant of batt, a coarse cloak). Some have denied that the reading in the form of fa’al occurs in Pharaoh's speech, arguing that it only occurs in the words of the one who believed: "O my people, follow me, I will guide you to the path of al-rashad." For Mu'adh ibn Jabal—as Abu al-Fadl al-Razi and Abu Hatim stated—interpreted "(path of al-rashad)" in his reading as "the path of Allah, the Exalted." This does not fit in Pharaoh's speech, as is not hidden. You will learn, if Allah wills, that Mu'adh read it that way in the words of the believer; perhaps the interpretation as "the path of Allah" was specific to that context and not Pharaoh's speech. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.