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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Surah Introduction

This Meccan sûrah takes its name from the haze (caused by drought), which is mentioned in verse 10. Similar to the previous sûrah, the Meccan pagans are equated with Pharaoh's people for going back on their promise of full submission to Allah once the plague is removed from them. The Quran is said to have been revealed on a blessed night for the guidance of humanity. Those who embrace its guidance will be honoured in Paradise and those who reject it will be debased in Hell. This fate is the underlying theme in the next sûrah.

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Translation of Verse 1-291. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. Ḥâ-Mĩm .

2. By the clear Book!

3. Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night, ¹⁰¹⁹ for We always warn ˹against evil˺.

4. On that night every matter of wisdom is ordained

5. by a command from Us, for We have always sent ˹messengers˺

6. as a mercy from your Lord. He ˹alone˺ is truly the All-Hearing, All-Knowing-

7. the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, if only you had sure faith.

8. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. He ˹alone˺ gives life and causes death. ˹He is˺ your Lord, and the Lord of your forefathers.

9. In fact, they are in doubt, amusing themselves.

10. Wait then ˹O Prophet˺ for the day ˹when˺ the sky will be veiled in haze, ¹⁰²¹ clearly visible,

11. overwhelming the people. ˹They will cry,˺ "This is a painful torment.

12. Our Lord! Remove ˹this˺ torment from us, ˹and˺ we will certainly believe."

13. How can they be reminded when a messenger has already come to them, making things clear,

14. then they turned away from him, saying, "A madman, taught by others!"?

15. Indeed, We will remove ˹that˺ torment for a while, and you ˹Meccans˺ will return ˹to disbelief˺.

16. ˹Then˺ on the Day We will deal ˹you˺ the fiercest blow, We will surely inflict punishment.

17. Indeed, before them We tested Pharaoh's people: a noble messenger came to them,

18. ˹proclaiming,˺ "Hand over the servants of Allah to me. ¹⁰²² I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you.

19. And do not be arrogant with Allah. I have certainly come to you with a compelling proof.

20. And indeed, I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord so you do not stone me ˹to death˺.

21. ˹But˺ if you do not believe me, then let me be."

22. Ultimately, he cried out to his Lord, "These are a wicked people!"

23. ˹Allah responded,˺ "Leave with My servants at night, for you will surely be pursued.

24. And leave the sea parted, for they are certainly an army bound to drown."

25. ˹Imagine˺ how many gardens and springs the tyrants ¹⁰²³ left behind,

26. as well as ˹various˺ crops and splendid residences,

27. and luxuries which they fully enjoyed.

28. So it was. And We awarded it ˹all˺ to another people.

29. Neither heaven nor earth wept over them, nor was their fate delayed.

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Commentary

1019. The revelation of the Quran started on the 27 th night of Ramaḍân -the 9 th month of the Islamic calendar ( see 97:1 and 2:185)

1020. One of the major signs of the Day of Judgment, according to authentic narrations from the Prophet ( ﷺ ) , is overwhelming smoke. Some scholars cite 44:10-11 in support of this apocalyptic sign. However, 44:15 supports the understanding of this passage as referring to a drought, simply because once major apocalyptic signs arrive, no second chances will be given.

1021. This refers to the drought that affected the Meccan pagans so badly that they came to the Prophet ( ﷺ ) , begging him to pray to Allah to remove the affliction from them.

1022. Meaning, let my people go.

1023. i.e., Pharaoh and his soldiers.