Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:23

Allah tells us about the disbelief, rebellion, oppression and denial of Fir`awn He tells:

قال فرعون وما رب العالمين

(Fir`awn) said: "And what is the Lord of the `Alamin!'' This is because he used to say to his people:

ما علمت لكم من إله غيرى

I know not that you have a god other than me. (28:38)

فاستخف قومه فٲطاعوه

Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him. (43:54) They used to deny the Creator, may He be glorified, and they believed that they had no other lord than Fir`awn. When Musa said to them: "I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds,'' Fir`awn said to him, "Who is this who you are claiming is the Lord of Al-`Alamin other than me!'' This is how it was interpreted by the scholars of the Salaf and the Imams of later generations. As-Suddi said, "This Ayah is like the Ayah,

قال فمن ربكما يموسى

قال ربنا الذى أعطى كل شء خلقه ثم هدى

(Fir`awn) said: "Who then, O Musa, is the Lord of you two!'' He said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.'' (20:49-50) Those among the philosophers and others who claimed that this was a question about the nature or substance (of Allah) are mistaken. Fir`awn did not believe in the Creator in the first place, so he was in no position to ask about the nature of the Creator; he denied that the Creator existed at all, as is apparent from the meaning, even though proof and evidence had been established against him. When Fir`awn asked him about the Lord of Al-`Alamin, Musa said: