Surah 44. Ad-Dukhan

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Verses [Section]: 1-29[1], 30-42 [2], 43-59 [3]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-2944. Ad-Dukhan Page 49644. Ad-Dukhanبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِحٰمٓۚۛHa Meem وَ الْكِتٰبِBy the Bookالْمُبِیْنِۙۛthe clear اِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَنْزَلْنٰهُrevealed itفِیْinلَیْلَةٍa NightمُّبٰرَكَةٍBlessedاِنَّاIndeed Weكُنَّا[We] areمُنْذِرِیْنَ (ever) warning فِیْهَاThereinیُفْرَقُis made distinctكُلُّeveryاَمْرٍaffairحَكِیْمٍۙwise اَمْرًاA commandمِّنْfromعِنْدِنَا ؕUsاِنَّاIndeed Weكُنَّا[We] areمُرْسِلِیْنَۚ(ever) sending رَحْمَةًAs Mercyمِّنْfromرَّبِّكَ ؕyour LordاِنَّهٗIndeed Heهُوَ[He]السَّمِیْعُ(is) the All-Hearerالْعَلِیْمُۙthe All-Knower رَبِّLordالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthوَ مَاand whateverبَیْنَهُمَا ۘ(is) between both of themاِنْifكُنْتُمْyouمُّوْقِنِیْنَ would be certain لَاۤ(There is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَHimیُحْیٖHe gives lifeوَ یُمِیْتُ ؕand causes deathرَبُّكُمْyour Lordوَ رَبُّand (the) Lordاٰبَآىِٕكُمُ(of) your fathersالْاَوَّلِیْنَ the former بَلْNayهُمْtheyفِیْ(are) inشَكٍّdoubtیَّلْعَبُوْنَ playing فَارْتَقِبْThen watchیَوْمَ(for the) Dayتَاْتِی(when) will bringالسَّمَآءُthe skyبِدُخَانٍsmokeمُّبِیْنٍۙvisible یَّغْشَیEnvelopingالنَّاسَ ؕthe peopleهٰذَاThisعَذَابٌ(will be) a punishmentاَلِیْمٌ painful رَبَّنَاOur Lord!اكْشِفْRemoveعَنَّاfrom usالْعَذَابَthe punishmentاِنَّاindeed weمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (are) believers اَنّٰیHow canلَهُمُ(there be) for themالذِّكْرٰیthe reminderوَ قَدْwhen verilyجَآءَهُمْhad come to themرَسُوْلٌa Messengerمُّبِیْنٌۙclear ثُمَّThenتَوَلَّوْاthey turned awayعَنْهُfrom himوَ قَالُوْاand saidمُعَلَّمٌOne taughtمَّجْنُوْنٌۘa mad man اِنَّاIndeed Weكَاشِفُوا(will) removeالْعَذَابِthe punishmentقَلِیْلًاa littleاِنَّكُمْindeed youعَآىِٕدُوْنَۘ(will) return یَوْمَ(The) DayنَبْطِشُWe will seizeالْبَطْشَةَ(with) the seizureالْكُبْرٰی ۚthe greatestاِنَّاindeed Weمُنْتَقِمُوْنَ (will) take retribution وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyفَتَنَّاWe triedقَبْلَهُمْbefore themقَوْمَ(the) peopleفِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaunوَ جَآءَهُمْand came to themرَسُوْلٌa Messengerكَرِیْمٌۙnoble اَنْThatاَدُّوْۤاDeliverاِلَیَّto meعِبَادَ(the) servantsاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahاِنِّیْIndeed I amلَكُمْto youرَسُوْلٌa Messengerاَمِیْنٌۙtrustworthy 44. Ad-Dukhan Page 497وَّ اَنْAnd thatلَّا(do) notتَعْلُوْاexalt yourselvesعَلَیagainstاللّٰهِ ۚAllahاِنِّیْۤIndeed Iاٰتِیْكُمْ[I] have come to youبِسُلْطٰنٍwith an authorityمُّبِیْنٍۚclear وَ اِنِّیْAnd indeed Iعُذْتُ[I] seek refugeبِرَبِّیْwith my Lordوَ رَبِّكُمْand your Lordاَنْlestتَرْجُمُوْنِؗyou stone me وَ اِنْAnd ifلَّمْnotتُؤْمِنُوْاyou believeلِیْmeفَاعْتَزِلُوْنِ then leave me alone فَدَعَاSo he calledرَبَّهٗۤhis LordاَنَّThatهٰۤؤُلَآءِtheseقَوْمٌ(are) a peopleمُّجْرِمُوْنَ criminals فَاَسْرِThen Set outبِعِبَادِیْwith My slavesلَیْلًا(by) nightاِنَّكُمْIndeed youمُّتَّبَعُوْنَۙ(will be) followed وَ اتْرُكِAnd leaveالْبَحْرَthe seaرَهْوًا ؕat restاِنَّهُمْIndeed theyجُنْدٌ(are) an armyمُّغْرَقُوْنَ (to be) drowned كَمْHow manyتَرَكُوْا(did) they leaveمِنْofجَنّٰتٍgardensوَّ عُیُوْنٍۙand springs وَّ زُرُوْعٍAnd cornfieldsوَّ مَقَامٍand placesكَرِیْمٍۙnoble وَّ نَعْمَةٍAnd pleasant thingsكَانُوْاthey used (to)فِیْهَاthereinفٰكِهِیْنَۙtake delight! كَذٰلِكَ ۫Thusوَ اَوْرَثْنٰهَاAnd We made it (an) inherit(ance)قَوْمًا(for) a peopleاٰخَرِیْنَ another فَمَاAnd notبَكَتْweptعَلَیْهِمُfor themالسَّمَآءُthe heavenوَ الْاَرْضُand the earthوَ مَاand notكَانُوْاthey wereمُنْظَرِیْنَ۠given respite

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Translation of Verse 1-29In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. Ha. Meem.¹

2. By the Book that is clear.²

3. Truly, We have sent it down during a blessed night.³Verily, We were to warn mankind. ⁴

4. During that (night), every (kind of) wise decisions were being taken.⁵

5. (As) a Command from Ourselves.⁶Verily, We were to send down messengers! ⁷

6. A mercy from your Lord.⁸He hears all, knows all.⁹

7. Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you would believe.¹⁰

8. There is no God, but Him. He gives life and death, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of the past.

9. Nay, but they play in doubt.¹¹

10. Then wait for the day when will appear visible smoke from the sky.¹²

11. That will envelop the people. This is a painful punishment.

12. ‘Our Lord ! Relieve us of our punishment. We will (now) believe.’

13. Now how can they benefit from admonition when an obvious prophet had come to them ?¹³

14. But they turned away from him, saying: a madman taught (by others).¹⁴

15. If we slightly relieve the punishment, you will revert (to disbelief).¹⁵

16. On the day when We will seize them with greater seizure,¹⁶that day We will really punish them.

17. And verily before them We ¹⁷tried Firaun’s people.¹⁸An honoured messengers came to them.

18. (Saying): “Deliver to me the slaves of Allah.¹⁹I am an honest messenger to you.²⁰

19. “Do not be vain against Allah. Verily, I bring you a clear authority.²¹

20. “And verily, I have sought refuge of my Lord and your Lord lest you stone me.²²

21. “And if you do not believe, leave me alone.”²³

22. Ultimately he prayed to his Lord that these are guilty people.²⁴

23. (The Lord commanded): “Take away my slaves by night.²⁵ Verily, you will be followed.²⁶

24. And leave the sea behind calm. Surely they are an army to be drowned.”²⁷

25. How many gardens and water-springs they left behind,

26. Farms and beautiful sites,

27. And pleasurable things in which they took delight.²⁸

28. Thus (We dealt with them). And we made other people inherit all that.²⁹

29. Neither the heaven nor the earth shed tears for them,³⁰nor were they reprieved.

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Commentary

1. These letters have been explained in Note No.1 of Surah Momin. In the ayah No.4 of this Surah a mention is made of the wise command or decision of Allah, these letters hint at that very topic, and Allah’s wise commands prove His being Wise.

2. This has been explained in Note No.2, Surah Zukhruf.

3. That is: The light of guidance shone in the darkness of the night, as if it had appeared tearing the darkness of ignorance; and that hour was a very auspicious and blessed hour, when the revelation of Quran had begun. From the revelation of Quran, springs of goodness flew and the ambience had become full of spiritual blessings. This night on account of this very unique quality became the night of dignity and worthy of respect and honour (Lailatul Qadr). Generally the commentators have opined that this night and the Lailatul Qadr were from the very beginning the night of blessings, and it was selected for commencing the revelation of Quran. But in its support there is no ayah from the Quran nor any prophetic tradition. The place from where Allah had called Moosa at the time of granting him prophethood has been termed as holy region (Surah Qasas -30). It is obvious that this region was not holy before this event, but it means that this region is being honoured for having been selected for this historic event. Similarly the meaning of revealing Quran in the holy night means that the night has become holy because of the revelation of Quran in the night of Lailatul Qadr. (Please see Surah Qadr, Note No.2). It is the same night which has been termed as the Night of Qadr (Dignity) in the Surah Qadr, and beginning of the revelation of Quran was during the month of Ramdhan: “Month of Ramdhan in which Quran was revealed.” -(Baqarah 185) Therefore, this holy night is a night of the month of Ramdhan and according to the clarification in the hadith it is one of the odd nights. Some commentators have taken it to be the 15th night of the month of Sha’ban, which is known as ‘Shab-e-Barat. ‘But this is contrary to the clarification of the Quran. Refuting this Allama Ibn Katheer writes: “Those who have said that the half of the month of Sha’ban is this night, as is related by Ikramah, then they have said a very far off thing, for Quran explains that it is the night of Ramdhan. As for the hadith which Abdullah bin Saleh has narrated through the sources of Laith, Aqeel and Zahri, to Uthman bin Muhammad bin Nadir-ul- Akhnas, that the messenger (S.A.W.) has stated that the decision for the death is taken from Sha’ban to Sha’ban, till a person marries and he is about to get a child, but his name has been included among the dead persons. But this hadith is ‘Mursal.’ (i.e. a taba’ee has ascribed the hadith to the prophet without the source of a prophet’s companion). And this kind of narratives cannot be presented against the clarifications of the Quran in its ayah.” - (Tafseer Ibn Katheer Vol.4, page.137). In fact the importance and greatness of the night of the half month of Sha’ban (Shab-e-Barat) is proved neither by Quran nor by hadith. The narratives which are presented in support of its greatness are either weak or invented. By such narratives no principle is established in the religion. If there were any significance in the Shabe- Barat, then it would have been known very well to the companions of the Prophet, and there would have been many people to narrate it. But the strange thing is that there are only weak narrators to quote this is important thing or those people Who have made creating of false hadith there practice.

4. To stir and make alert humanity which is lying in negligence and is ignorant of its own consequence, is the most important purpose of the Quran.

5. In this night very important and wise decisions were taken, for example the decision to bless Muhammad, Sallal Lahu Alaihi wa Sallam, with prophethood, to grant him a miraculous Book, to protect this Book, to perfect the deen and to make it overpowering, to set forth the Muslim Ummah, and to place it at the leadership of humanity, and to place the House of Ka’ba under its guardianship, to bring a universal religious revolution in the world through this Ummah, to select for Paradise the never-fading flowers of humanity. These and such other decisions which were the manifestation of Allah’s wisdom.

6. The revelation of Quran has been as a decree from the Ruler of the Universe binding on all of us to obey the commands contained therein, and refusal to obey them will make one essentially liable for punishment. Let no one be under the wrong impression that it is immaterial if you believe in it or not.

7. It was Our decision that one messenger has to be sent, and We selected Muhammad, Sallal Lahu Alaihi wa Sallam, for this purpose and sent down revelation to him.

8. This Book has been sent down as a mercy from your Lord. Do not consider it a botheration for yourself. If you will accept it, then there will be showers of mercies and favours on you.

9. The two attributes of Allah have been purposely mentioned here to inform the people that whatever is said about this great Book He hears and however it is treated He sees.

10. Allah’s being the Lord of the Universe is a reality, but you have no faith in it. If you had faith in it, you would not have made others your gods.

11. They are in various kinds of doubts about God, and the realities which are being presented are not seriously reflected upon by them. Nay, but they are playing with them.

12. Refers to the smoke of the Doomsday which will envelop the disbelievers, as is clear from the ayah that follow. But from a tradition in Bukhari, as narrated by Abdullah bin Masood, it refers to that smoke which people of Makkah saw in the sky at the time of the severe famine in which people suffered terribly. Generally the commentators present this saying as an explanation for this ayah, but Allama Ibn Katheer has disagreed with this and has written that Quran calls it ‘visible smoke’, which means that it could be seen by every one. But according to Abdullah Ibn Masood’s explanation it was imaginary smoke which was being seen by the people on account of their terrible hunger. And if it were an imaginary smoke, then Quran would not have said that it would envelop the people.” - (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol.4 page 139). According to us it is not proper to interpret any ayah of the Quran to suit the meaning of a narrative which does not fit in with the apparent Quranic aspect and its context. However the narrative can be explained by saying that there has been some error in its narration by the different narrators. And as for the enveloping or the disbelievers by the smoke on the Day of Resurrection, there is also a mention in Surah Rahman: “Flames from fire and smoke will be released on you, so you will not be able to protect yourselves.” (Surah Rahman-35). As for the hadith in which a prophecy has been made that smoke will appear before the Doomsday (Muslim -Kitabul Fitan), it is another smoke which is a symbol of the appearance of the Doomsday. In the said hadith this smoke has not been mentioned to be the explanation of this ayah.

And verily before them We tried Firaun’s people. An honoured messengers came to them. (Saying): “Deliver to me the slaves of Allah. I am an honest messenger to you. “Do not be vain against Allah. Verily, I bring you a clear authority. “And verily, I have sought refuge of my Lord and your Lord lest you stone me. “And if you do not believe, leave me alone.”(Al-Quran)

13. It is obvious that the opportunity to get reprieve for taking benefit from the admonition will not be available at the time of the occurrence of the Day of Resurrection, and it is the proof of the fact that the punishment of smoke which is being mentioned by Quran is the smoke of the Doomsday.

14. This charge of the disbelievers was totally baseless. If they really thought that somebody was teaching and instructing him, then why did they not point out who he was. What kind of man he was that for the whole life he lay hidden and did not disclose that he was the author of this great book. As for the charge of madness, anybody can see what truth is in that by even a cursory glance of the Great Book. Is that the rambling of a mad man or a collection of wise words?

15. It is the same thing as mentioned in Surah An’am, ayah No.28 : “And if they were returned (to the world) they will repeat the same things which they were forbidden to do. And indeed they are absolute liars.”

16. Means the seizure of the Day of Resurrection. It is supported by the saying of Ibn Abbas (R), which has been quoted by Tabari: ‘Ikrama narrates that Ibn Abbas stated: Ibn Masood says that Al-batshatul kubra’ means the Day of Badr, but I say that it is the Doomsday .” -(Tafseer Tabari, Vol.25, page 70).

17. The chronicle of the people of Firaun has been narrated at many places before this, but here those aspects have been presented which are corresponding to the conditions then prevailing.

18. Trial to find out what they do with the weaker section of the people after getting power, and also of your behavior as to how you treat Allah’s messenger and what attitude you adopt concerning him after seeing him perform the miracles.

19. That is: Send the Bani Israil with me so that they may go with me out of Egypt. They are the slaves of Allah and not of Firaun, and Allah has commanded that you should allow them to go with me so that they may live and obey Allah in a free atmosphere.

20. I am an honest messenger that I am conveying Allah’s message exactly as it is, and there cannot be any fear or doubt about me conveying any wrong message or distorting it or adding to it.

21. A clear authority of being a messenger from Allah. It means a miracle.

22. It gives an idea that the people of Firaun had decided to stone to death Prophet Moosa, and it also shows the courage and determination of the Divine Messenger. There is also a guideline in this ayah that when there is a grave danger for a Momin from the enemy, he should seek Allah’s refuge.

23. That is: If you do not agree with me, let it be, but at least do not obstruct me, and leave me alone. But even this reasonable request was also not acceptable to them, and they continued to think of various steps to harm Prophet Moosa.

24. Prophet Moosa uttered this prayer as he became quite disappointed, after continually trying hard to persuade Firaun and his people to accept his message, and when he was completely satisfied, that they would not accept his message of faith, he appealed to Allah.

25. Hints at the fact that the decision of destroying the nation of Firaun had been taken and that Prophet Moosa should leave Egypt with Bani Israil that very night.

26. For explanation, please see Surah Shua’ra Note No.49.

27. By striking his staff on the sea water, as commanded by Allah, a clear path was made for Prophet Moosa and his people, and the water of the sea had been withdrawn, in a miraculous way so that Bani Israil could cross the sea. Prophet Moosa was directed that after crossing the sea he should leave the sea in the same condition and need not try to bring it back to its original position by again striking it with his staff. It was Allah’s plan that Firaun with his army and people should enter the sea seeing an open dry path before him, and when he would reach in the middle Allah would bring back the sea in its original position, thus drowning Firaun and all his army and companions.

28. For explanation, please see Surah Shua’ra, Note No.52.

29. For explanation, please see Surah Shu’ara Note No.53.

30. On the destruction of Firaun and his people, neither the denizens of the heavens nor those of the earth grieved or shed tears, because those who were destroyed were tyrants and oppressors, and were responsible for their own destruction.