“Wa-la-uṣallibannakum fī judhūʿi al-nakhl”
“I will surely crucify you upon the trunks of palm trees.” (Ṭā Hā 20:71, excerpt)
Pharaoh threatens the magicians. The preposition “fī” normally means “in,” yet the physical context is that of fastening people upon palm trunks. Rendering it through the sense “upon” conveys the event intelligibly.
The original “fī” may also create an intensified image of being fixed into or closely bound to the trunks. The point is therefore not a mechanical equation of particles but a context-rich, forceful threat.
This is Pharaoh’s speech, reported by the Qur’an; narration of cruelty is not its endorsement.