"They said: 'Have you come to us to turn us away'"—that is, to divert us and turn us away—"'from that upon which we found our fathers?'" They mean: we found them to be worshippers of idols, so we are upon their religion. "'And that you two may have greatness'"—that is, you desire that you and Aaron should have dominion and authority in the land.
Muhammad said: Dominion is called 'greatness' (kibriya') because it is the greatest of what is sought of worldly affairs, and the root of 'kibriya'' is majesty.
﴿قَالُوا أجئتنا لتلفتنا﴾ لِتَصْرِفَنَا وَتُحَوِّلَنَا ﴿عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا﴾ يَعْنُونَ: أَنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُمْ عَبَدَةَ أَوْثَانٍ، فَنَحْنُ عَلَى دِينِهِمْ ﴿وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا الْكِبْرِيَاء﴾ أَي: وتريد أَن تكون لَكَ وَلِهَارُونَ الْمُلْكُ وَالسُّلْطَانُ فِي الأَرْضِ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْمُلْكُ كِبْرَيَاءُ؛ لأَنَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مَا يُطْلَبُ مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا، وَأَصْلُ الْكِبْرِيَاء: العظمة.
