وَأَن لَّا تَعْلُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ مُّبِينٍ 19
Translations
And [saying], "Be not haughty with Allāh. Indeed, I have come to you with clear evidence.
Transliteration
Wa an lā ta'lū 'alā Allāh; innī 'ātīkum bi sulṭānin mubīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of Prophet Musa's message to Pharaoh, commanding him not to rebel against or exalt himself over Allah, and assuring him that Musa brings clear, irrefutable proof (the signs and miracles). Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that 'ta'lū 'alā Allāh' (exalting oneself over Allah) refers to arrogance, disobedience, and rejecting Allah's authority—a fundamental sin that Pharaoh epitomized. Ibn Kathir notes that the 'sulṭān mubīn' (clear authority/evidence) refers to the miraculous signs Musa possessed, which constituted undeniable proof of his divine mission.
Revelation Context
Surah Ad-Dukhan was revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period and addresses the Meccan disbelievers' rejection of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. This ayah appears within Musa's narrative (44:17-26), which serves as a parallel to the Meccan context: just as Pharaoh rejected Musa's clear signs out of arrogance, the Quraysh rejected Muhammad's message despite clear proofs.
Related Hadiths
The theme of not exalting oneself over Allah connects to the hadith: 'The most hated person to Allah is the most arrogant' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said: 'No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart,' emphasizing the severity of 'ta'alī' (arrogance/exaltation).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true power and authority belong to Allah alone, and any human arrogance or defiance against His will ultimately leads to destruction. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to humble ourselves before Allah's commands and to recognize that the clear signs of Allah's truth are always evident to those who sincerely seek them.