Surah Ash Shu'ara Tafseer

قَالَ

(Musa) said --

to those in whose hearts Fir`awn had planted doubts:

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!

`He is the One Who made the east the place where the heavenly bodies rise, and made the west the place where they set; this is the system to which He has subjugated all the heavenly bodies, stationary and moving. If what Fir`awn claims is true, that he is your lord and your god, then let him turn things around so that the heavenly bodies set in the east and rise in the west.'

This is similar to the Ayah,

الَّذِى حَأجَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ فِى رِبِّهِ أَنْ اتَـهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ رَبِّيَ الَّذِى يُحْىِ وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا أُحْىِ وَأُمِيتُ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْتِى بِالشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ

who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom! When Ibrahim said:"My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death."

He said, "I give life and cause death."

Ibrahim said, "Verily, Allah brings the sun from the east. So cause it to rise from the west." (2:258)

So when Fir`awn was defeated in debate, he resorted to the use of his force and power, believing that this would be effective in dealing with Musa, peace be upon him, so he said, as Allah tells us