Ad-Dukhaan (The Smoke)

17. And verily We tried before them Pharaoh’s people when there came to them a noble Messenger.

18. Saying [Moses unto the Children of Israel]: “Deliver to me Allah’s servants [so that I may set them free and save them from exploitation]. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy Messenger.”

19. “And exalt not yourselves against Allah. Truly, I have come unto you with a manifest authority.”

Divine trial is an inevitable and long standing tradition. God Almighty tries humanity through sending prophets so that those acknowledging the Truth and those persisting in their obstinate denial could be distinguished:

(“And verily We tried”).

Proceeding with the topic of the foregoing Verses as to the disobedience of Arab polytheists’ and well as ancient people’s disobedience against the Truth, the Verses in question make mention of their excruciating torment and utter defeat so that they may serve as a consolation for believers and a warning against hateful disbelievers.

Mention is made of the story of Moses and Pharaoh:

“And verily We tried before them Pharaoh’s people when there came to them a noble Messenger.”

Fatanna is taken from fitna which is originally employed in the sense of placing gold ore in crucible to refine it from impurities. It is figuratively used in the sense of any test or trial conducted to determine the sincerity of human beings. The world is the scene of the trial of humanity throughout their lifespan.

The people of Pharaoh enjoyed a powerful state,abundant possessions, and extraordinary resources and opportunities which contributed to their living at the zenith of power; however, such power led to their vanity and they were entangled with all kinds of sin and wrong doing.

“There came to them a noble Messenger”

at that time. The Messenger was noble (karim) in terms of his high esteem and magnanimity in the presence of God and in respect to his noble descent. The Messenger was Moses(as) son of ‘Imran (as).

In Verse 18, Moses (as) addressed the Children of Israel politely and lovingly:

“The purpose of sending me to you is that you, as Allah’s servants, believe in me as His Messenger, and deliver to me what has been commanded to you.”

According to this exegesis,

“Allah’s servants” is addressed to the people of Pharaoh, though this Qur’anic expression is used for God’s righteous servants, it is employed for disbelievers and sinners in order to console them and also attract them to believe in Truth. Therefore, “deliver” (addu) indicates obeying Divine Command and acting upon His Injunctions.

Some exegets have presented another interpretation for the sentence maintaining that

“Allah’s servants” (‘ibad Allah)

indicates the Children of Israel and:

“deliver” (addu)

means leave them to Moses (as) so that he may set them free from bondage. Mention is made of the point in Verse 17 of Chapter 26;10

“Therefore, allow the Children of Israel to go with us.”1

To reject any false accusation he says:

“Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy Messenger.”

Thus, in various Qur’anic Verses, he rejects the false accusations of the people of Pharaoh, e.g. sorcery, aiming at superiority and ruling the land of Egypt, driving Egyptians out of their land.

According to Verse 19, following calling them to obey God through liberating the Children of Israel, Moses (as) says:

“And exalt not yourselves against Allah. Truly, I have come unto you with a manifest authority.”

By manifest authority, he means clear miracles and obvious and logical arguments.

By

“exalt not yourselves against Allah”

any deed inconsistent with total submission to Divine Will is intended which may range from opposition and disobedience to harming and hurting God’s Messengers to claims to divinity, divine sovereignty and the like.