Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:123

(Pharaoh said) denying the sorcerers and rebuking them for what they had done, (Have you believed in Him?) meaning: in the Lord of Moses and Aaron, or in Allah the Exalted, because the context points to that, or in Moses, peace be upon him. It is said that the meaning is derived from His saying, Exalted is He, in another verse: "Have you believed him?" where the pronoun refers to him, peace be upon him, due to His saying, "He is your leader," and so on. The purpose of the declarative sentence is rebuke; for when a statement is not intended to convey its literal meaning or its necessary implications, it generates, according to the context, what is appropriate to it. Here, when the tyrant addressed them regarding what they had done—informing them of it while it was clear he did not intend to impart information—the context rendered it a rebuke and a reprimand. It is also possible to assume an interrogative hamza here, based on the consistency of such usage, and the interrogation here is one of denial, meaning: "This ought not to have happened." This is supported by the recitation of Hamza, Al-Kisa'i, Abu Bakr from 'Asim, and Rawh from Ya'qub: "A-amantum" (Have you believed?) with two distinct hamzas. Realizing the first and softening the second (between a hamza and an alif) is also among the recorded recitations.

(Before I gave you permission) meaning: before I commanded you to do so. This is in the vein of His saying, Exalted is He: "The sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted," not that permission from him was possible in this matter. The root of "ādhantu" is "a-adhantu," with two hamzas—the first for the first-person singular and the second being part of the root—where the second was changed into an alif because it became quiescent after a hamza.

(Indeed, this) act (is a plot which you have plotted) meaning: a trick you have devised, you and Moses. It is not something that the situation demanded of you due to the strength of the evidence or the appearance of a miracle. This was a deception on his part toward the Copts, to show them that they were not defeated and that their argument had not been severed. It is said: Likewise is his saying "Before I gave you permission," meaning in the city—that is, in Egypt—before you set out to the appointed meeting. Ibn Jarir and Abu al-Shaykh recorded from Ibn Mas'ud and a group of the Companions that they said: Moses, peace be upon him, met the leader of the sorcerers, and Moses said to him: "Do you see? If I defeat you, will you believe in me and testify that what I have brought is the truth?" The sorcerer said: "I will come tomorrow with sorcery that no sorcery can defeat. By Allah, if you defeat me, I shall certainly believe in you and testify that you are the truth," while Pharaoh was watching them. It is this that led to his statement: (That you may drive out its people) meaning: the Copts, so that it might be yours and for the Children of Israel. (So you shall know) the consequence of what you have done. This is a threat he presented in a general manner to strike terror, then he followed it up with detail, saying: