سورة الفجر

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ فِرْعَوْنَ ذِی الْأَوْتَادِ [And Firʿawn, the lord of stakes], he used to set up tent-pegs and wished to ascend to the sky by means of them.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Aban ibn Ahmar said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the meaning of the words of Allah the Exalted: وَ فِرْعَوْنَ ذِی الْأَوْتَادِ [And Firʿawn, the lord of stakes]: "Why was he called Dhil-Awtad (the lord of stakes)?" He said: "Because whenever he became angry with someone and wished to punish him, he would order him to be laid down on the ground, and four stakes would be driven into his hands and feet; and sometimes he would lay him upon a wooden plank and drive stakes and leave him in that state until he died. For this reason, Allah named him Dhul-Awtad."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): ذِی الْأَوْتَادِ [the lord of stakes], meaning he had armies who used to strengthen (carry out) his command.