Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Surah Ghafir
Surah 40 · Ghafir · verse 37 of 85

Quran 40:37 · Ghafir

أَسۡبَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَٰذِبٗاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرۡعَوۡنَ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ وَصُدَّ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ وَمَا كَيۡدُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِلَّا فِي تَبَابٖ

The ways into the heavens - so that I may look at the deity of Moses; but indeed, I think he is a liar." And thus was made attractive to Pharaoh the evil of his deed, and he was averted from the [right] way. And the plan of Pharaoh was not except in ruin

Translation: Sahih International
Maulana’s commentary · Tazkirul Quran

What Pharaoh said to his minister, Haman, was not said seriously, but by way of a timely stratagem. He saw that the cogent and reasonable words of the true believer were having an effect on the people. So, he wanted to raise a frivolous point in order that Moses’ call should not become the topic of serious discussion but appear rather as a mere triviality.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Tazkirul Quran

In the lectures

Maulana does not cite this verse in the lectures indexed so far. The verses of this surah Maulana does cite →