Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MU'MIN [36]

36. And Fir`awn said: ”O Haman! Build me a lofty tower that I may arrive at the ways -- 37. The ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar.'' Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction. Allah tells us of the arrogant and hostile defiance of Fir`awn and his rejection of Musa, when he commanded his minister Haman to build him a tower, i.e., a tall, high, strong fortress. He built it of bricks made from baked clay, as Allah says:

(So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a lofty tower) (28:38).

(that I may arrive at the ways -- the ways of the heavens,) Sa`id bin Jubayr and Abu Salih said, ”The gates of the heavens.'' Or it was said, the ways of the heavens.

(and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar.) Because of his disbelief and defiance, he did not believe that Allah had sent Musa to him. Allah says:

(Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path;) means, this act of his ï´¿building the towerï´¾, by means of which he wanted to deceive his people and make them think that he could prove that Musa was lying. Allah says:

(and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction.) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, ”Meaning nothing but ruin.''