Ad-Dukhaan (The Smoke)

20. “And truly I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord lest you should accuse [or stone] me.

21. “But if you believe me not (at least) keep away from me and leave me alone.

22. Then [when he lost his hope in his Call being acknowledged by them] called upon his Lord [saying]: “These are indeed the people who are sinners.”

Opposition against prophets and exploiting people are on a par with making attempts at being superior to God Almighty.

Moses (as) addressed his opponents who exploited people and said:

“And exalt not yourselves against Allah.”

When sin and corruption find their way into man’s heart, the prophets’ Call will be of no avail;

(“These are indeed the people who are sinners”).

According to the blessed Verse, when Moses (as) insisted on guiding them to the true path and worked miracles to show unto them his superiority over them, the people of pharaoh, intending to kill him, tried to stone the noble prophet (as).

Upon being threatened to execution, he said that he sought refuge to his Lord and their Lord, thus trying to say unto them that their Lord was the same and that he called them to believe in the One God Who created all creatures and they would all return to Him, but Pharaoh was a weak creature unworthy of being worshipped.

In Verse 22, Moses (as) says

“if you believe not in me who am the Messenger of God, why do you intend to kill me. Leave me on my own, i.e., I have my duty of trying to guide you to the true path but if you do not acknowledge my Call, keep distance from me.”

When Moses (as) lost his hope in guiding Pharaoh and the Copts to the true path he cursed them at Divine Command;

(“Then [he] called upon his Lord”).

It is mentioned in Verse 22 that Moses called upon his Lord saying:

“O my Lord! These are disobedient and sinners, so immersed in sin and disobedience and their hearts are so darkened that there is no hope for them to come to the true path.”

Being immersed in sins and pleasures of the flesh keeps man far from God such that even his primordial nature (fitra) may not save him.