Tafsir of Yunus 10:75

{Then We sent after them} after the messengers, {with Our signs} the nine signs. {But they grew arrogant} regarding accepting them. It is the greatest form of arrogance for servants to treat the message of their Lord with indifference after it has become clear to them, and to consider themselves too great to accept it. {And they were a criminal people} disbelievers possessing grave sins; therefore, they grew arrogant toward it and dared to reject it.

{So when the truth came to them from Us} when they recognized that it was indeed the truth and that it was from Allah, not merely from Moses and Aaron, {they said} out of their love for desires: {“Indeed, this is clear magic.”} Yet they knew that the truth is the furthest thing from magic, which is nothing but deception and falsehood.

If you ask: They asserted by their saying, "Indeed, this is clear magic," that it is magic, so how is it said to them, "Do you say of the truth when it has come to you, 'Is this magic?'"

I say: There are several aspects to this:

1. The meaning of His saying, {Do you say of the truth...} is: Do you disparage it and attack it? You should have submitted to it and honored it. This is derived from the saying, "So-and-so fears the qāla (slander/criticism)," and "There is taqāwul (mutual disparagement) among the people" when they say to one another what displeases them. It is similar to the word al-dhikr (mention/disparagement) in the verse: "We heard a young man disparaging them" (Al-Anbiya: 60). Then He said, {Is this magic?}—denying what they said in disparaging and attacking it.
2. The object of "Do you say" is omitted, which is what their statement {Indeed, this is clear magic} points to. It is as if it were said: "Do you say what you say?"—meaning their statement—then it was said: "Is this magic?"
3. The sentence {Is this magic, and the magicians will not succeed?} is a narration of their speech, as if they said: "Have you brought magic, seeking success through it? {And the magicians will not succeed}," just as Moses said to the magicians: "What you have brought is magic; Allah will surely invalidate it."

{To turn us away} to divert us {from that upon which we found our fathers}—meaning the worship of idols.

{And that for you two there may be grandeur}—meaning kingship; for kings are described by grandeur (kibriyā’). That is why a king is called a tyrant (jabbār) and is described as having pride and haughtiness. For this reason, Ibn al-Ruqayyāt described Mus'ab, saying: His rule is a rule of compassion, in which there is neither tyranny nor grandeur. He is denying that he possesses what kings usually possess of that. It is also possible that they intended to condemn them, implying that if they ruled the land of Egypt, they would become tyrannical and arrogant, as the Copt said to Moses (peace be upon him): "You only want to be a tyrant in the land."

{And we are not believers in you}—meaning, we do not believe you in what you have brought. (It is also recited as yaṭba‘ and wa-yakūna lakumā with a yā’).

{And Pharaoh said, "Bring to me every learned magician." So when the magicians came, Moses said to them, "Throw what you will throw." So when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is magic; indeed, Allah will invalidate it. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of the corrupters. And Allah will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."}