"And is this a favor you hold against me, that you have enslaved the Children of Israel?" Moses says this to Pharaoh, intending to deny that the enemy of Allah is justified in the favor he claims to have bestowed upon him. He is saying: Do you hold it against me that you have taken my people as slaves when they were free, and that you took their wealth and spent it on me and raised me with it? For I am more entitled to the wealth of my people than you are.
Muhammad says: Regarding the word "'abbadta" (you have enslaved), one says of it: "'abdun mu'abbad" (a slave who is enslaved) and "musta'bad" (enslaved), and I have enslaved [someone].
﴿وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ عبدت بني إِسْرَائِيل﴾ مُوسَى يَقُولُهُ لِفِرْعَوْنَ، أَرَادَ: أَلَّا يُسَوِّغَ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ مَا امْتَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ؛ يَقُولُ: أَتَمُنُّ عَلَيَّ بِأَنِ اتَّخَذْتَ قَوْمِي عَبِيدًا وَكَانُوا أَحْرَارًا، وَأَخَذْتَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَنْفَقْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْهَا وَرَبَّيْتَنِي بِهَا، فَأَنَا أَحَقُّ بِأَمْوَالِ قَوْمِي مِنْكَ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: قَوْله: ﴿عبدت﴾ يُقَالُ مِنْهُ: عَبْدٌ مُعَبَّدٌ وَمُسْتَعْبَدٌ، وَعَبَّدْتُ
