Tafsir of Ad-Dukhan 44:22

{Indeed, these people} Meaning: "because of these people." That is, he called upon his Lord with that [statement]. It is said: His supplication was, "O Allah, hasten for them what they deserve for their crimes." It is also said: It is his statement, {Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the wrongdoing people} (Yunus: 85). Allah, the Exalted, only mentioned the reason for which they deserved destruction, which is that they were criminals. It is also recited as inna ha’ula’ (with a kasra on the hamza of inna), implying a hidden verb of speech, meaning: "He called upon his Lord, saying: Indeed, these people..."

{So set out by night} It is recited with a cut hamza (asri) from asra, and with a connected hamza (sri) from sara. There are two interpretations for this:

1. A hidden verb of speech after the fa’, meaning: "He said: Set out by night with My servants."
2. That it is the response to a deleted conditional clause, as if it were said: "He said, 'If the matter is as you say, then set out by night with My servants.'"

{With My servants} Meaning: With the Children of Israel. Allah had ordained that you should proceed ahead and Pharaoh and his soldiers would follow you, so He would save those who went ahead and drown those who followed.

{And leave the sea in stillness} There are two interpretations for al-rahw:

1. That it is the "still" (calm). Al-A‘sha said: They walk in stillness; neither the rear parts are failing, nor do the chests lean upon the rear parts. Meaning: walking calmly and at ease. Moses wanted, when he crossed the sea, to strike it with his staff so it would close, just as he had struck it so it would split. He was commanded to leave it still in its state, remaining as it was: with the water standing upright and the path being dry. He was not to strike it with his staff or change anything about it, so that the Copts would enter it. Once they were inside, Allah would close it upon them.
2. That al-rahw is a wide gap. It is narrated from some Arabs that he saw a camel with a hump and said: "Glory be to Allah, a rahw (gap) between two humps." Meaning: Leave it open in its state, parted.

{Indeed, they are a host to be drowned} It is also recited with a fatha (anna-hum), meaning: "because they are."