And when the decree was: 'Indeed, We have tested them by sending you to them to reveal that to those who do not know anything except after it has occurred, regarding what We know in the past, and in what continues and has continued, from the hidden aspects of their affairs, so that the proof may be established against those who opposed us according to your customs.' He addressed it to Quraysh, warning them and comforting the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, with His saying: 'And indeed, We have tested.' That is, We acted according to what We have of greatness, the action of the tester who wants to know the reality of the matter through command and empowerment, then sending.

And when it was known that the people of Pharaoh did not take a long time nor were they the closest people in time to Quraysh, he removed the neighbor before the context due to the lack of confusion, or that he magnified their test when they had greatness and power. So he made it as if it were encompassing all time, and he said: 'Before them,' meaning: before these Arabs, so that what has passed of their news may be a lesson for them and a reminder.

And when Pharaoh was among the strongest who had received a messenger before them due to what he had of armies, wealth, and power, and the messenger who came to him had been gathered for him - blessings and peace be upon him - the signs that included the manipulation of the four elements. In it were water, soil, fire, and air. And when the sign came to them, they said: 'O magician! Call upon your Lord for us by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided.' And when He removed that from them, they returned to what they were upon, as He informed, exalted is He, about these when the smoke came to [others] of that which they shared with them in the secrets that this context revealed. And the end of that was that He destroyed them all, so they were the clearest example of His saying, exalted is He, in that which preceded it: 'So We destroyed those who were stronger than them in might.' [Az-Zukhruf: 8] He specified them in mention from [among] the tested ones before, and he said: 'The people of Pharaoh,' meaning: with Pharaoh; because what was a test for his people was a test for him; for the great one is more entrenched in the test by what he is surrounded by of this world. And the clarification of this will come at the end of the story: 'And a noble messenger came to them,' meaning: the one added and the one added to in the increase of their test, 'a noble messenger,' meaning: they knew his nobility in lineage, morals, and actions. Then he increased the clarification of his nobility by what appeared to Allah from him in the care with which He supported him with miracles.