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 30-42وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyنَجَّیْنَاWe savedبَنِیْۤ(the) Children of Israelاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(the) Children of Israelمِنَfromالْعَذَابِthe punishmentالْمُهِیْنِۙthe humiliating مِنْFromفِرْعَوْنَ ؕFiraunاِنَّهٗIndeed heكَانَwasعَالِیًاarrogantمِّنَamongالْمُسْرِفِیْنَ the transgressors وَ لَقَدِAnd certainlyاخْتَرْنٰهُمْWe chose themعَلٰیbyعِلْمٍknowledgeعَلَیoverالْعٰلَمِیْنَۚthe worlds وَ اٰتَیْنٰهُمْAnd We gave themمِّنَofالْاٰیٰتِthe Signsمَاthatفِیْهِin itبَلٰٓؤٌا(was) a trialمُّبِیْنٌ clear اِنَّIndeedهٰۤؤُلَآءِtheseلَیَقُوْلُوْنَۙsurely they say اِنْNotهِیَitاِلَّا(is) butمَوْتَتُنَاour deathالْاُوْلٰیthe firstوَ مَاand notنَحْنُweبِمُنْشَرِیْنَ (will be) raised again فَاْتُوْاThen bringبِاٰبَآىِٕنَاۤour forefathersاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful اَهُمْAre theyخَیْرٌbetterاَمْorقَوْمُ(the) peopleتُبَّعٍ ۙ(of) Tubbaوَّ الَّذِیْنَand thoseمِنْbefore themقَبْلِهِمْ ؕbefore themاَهْلَكْنٰهُمْ ؗWe destroyed themاِنَّهُمْindeed, theyكَانُوْاwereمُجْرِمِیْنَ criminals وَ مَاAnd notخَلَقْنَاWe createdالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضَand the earthوَ مَاand whateverبَیْنَهُمَا(is) between themلٰعِبِیْنَ (in) play مَاNotخَلَقْنٰهُمَاۤWe created both of themاِلَّاbutبِالْحَقِّin [the] truthوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَهُمْmost of themلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know 44. Ad-Dukhan Page 498اِنَّIndeedیَوْمَ(the) Day of Judgmentالْفَصْلِ(the) Day of Judgmentمِیْقَاتُهُمْ(is) an appointed term for themاَجْمَعِیْنَۙall یَوْمَ(The) Dayلَاnotیُغْنِیْwill availمَوْلًیa relationعَنْforمَّوْلًیa relationشَیْـًٔاanythingوَّ لَاand notهُمْtheyیُنْصَرُوْنَۙwill be helped اِلَّاExceptمَنْ(on) whomرَّحِمَAllah has mercyاللّٰهُ ؕAllah has mercyاِنَّهُIndeed, Heهُوَ[He]الْعَزِیْزُ(is) the All-Mightyالرَّحِیْمُ۠the Most Merciful

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Translation of Verse 30-42

(44:30) Thus did We deliver the Children of Israel from the humiliating chastisement,

(44:31) from Pharaoh²⁶ who was most prominent among the prodigals.²⁷

(44:32) We knowingly exalted them (i.e., the Children of Israel) above other peoples of the world²⁸

(44:33) and bestowed upon them the Signs wherein lay an evident test for them.²⁹

(44:34) Indeed these people say:

(44:35) “This is our first and only death, and we shall never be raised again.³⁰

(44:36) Bring back to us our fathers if you are truthful.”³¹

(44:37) Are these better or the people of Tubba³² and those who went before them? We destroyed them for they were a criminal people.³³

(44:38) It was not in idle sport that We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them.

(44:39) We did not create them except in Truth. But most of them do not know.³⁴

(44:40) The Day of Final Decision is the appointed time for all;³⁵

(44:41) the Day when a friend shall be of no avail to his friend³⁶ nor shall they be helped,

(44:42) except those to whom Allah shows mercy. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Compassionate.³⁷

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Commentary

26. Pharaoh himself was the source of their disgrace. It was on account of him that his people were subjected to a series of disasters.

27. The statement about Pharaoh that ‘he was the most prodigal among the prodigals’ contains a subtle taunt at the Quraysh chiefs. Insofar as exceeding the appropriate limits of creaturely-ness is concerned, Pharaoh was almighty emperor who impudently lay claim to Divinity. Ultimately, he was destroyed. The Quraysh chiefs stand no chance whatsoever of remaining unscathed if God’s scourge strikes them. As we know, the | stature of the Quraysh bore no comparison to that of Pharaoh and his people.

28. God knew the weaknesses and strengths of the Children of Israel. They were the best people available at that time to shoulder the responsibility of preaching His message.

29. For details, see al-Baqarah 2: 49-73, nn. 64-85, vol. I, pp. 73-84; al- Nisa’ 4: 153-61, nn. 182-99, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. IL, pp. 103-11; al-Ma’idah 5: 20-6, nn. 42-7, vol. II, pp. 150-3; al-A’raf 7: 137-71, nn. 97-132, vol. IIL, pp. 73-96 and Ta Ha 20: 80-98, nn. 56-74, vol. V, pp. 210-22.

30. The unbelievers thought that death would mark the end of their existence for they did not believe in the Afterlife. Use of the expression ‘first death’, however, does not necessarily mean that they believed that another death would take place in the future. When we say someone has had their first child this does not necessarily mean that they will have a second one. What it rather implies is the negation of the birth of any child before the present one.

31. The argument underlying their rejection of the Hereafter was that they had never seen anyone from among the dead come back to life. They, therefore, said to the Prophet (peace be on him) that if human beings were going to return to life, he should bring back their deceased ancestors from, their graves so that they might affirm that there is a second life. They regarded this as a weighty argument in support of their standpoint on the question of life after death. In fact, however, it holds no water. For the Prophet (peace be on him) had never claimed that the dead would be brought back to life in this world. Nor had any Muslim contended that he would resurrect the dead.

32. Tubba’ was the title of the Himyarite kings. These kings represented a branch of the people of Saba’. (Tubba’ seems to be a title similar to the titles Caesar, Chosroes and Pharaoh.) In 115 B.C. the Tubba’ established their rule over Saba’ and reigned supreme there till 300 C.E. They were acclaimed for centuries all over Arabia for their greatness. (For further details, see Saba’ 34, n. 37, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. IX, pp. 178-83.)

33. This constitutes the first rejoinder to the unbelievers’ objection. In essence, it says that if a person, a group of people or a nation rejects the idea of the Hereafter, then this inevitably gives rise to immoral behavior.

This because disbelief in the Hereafter has a definitely adverse effect on human morality. History bears out that those who rejected the Hereafter were eventually destroyed.

There remains the question posed by the Qur’an: ‘Are those better or the people of Tubba’ and those who went before them?’ It should be realized that in terms of material prosperity, greatness and glory the Quraysh were way behind the people of Tubba’, Saba’ or Pharaoh and several other peoples. Notwithstanding this, the affluence and worldly glory of these peoples could not avert the evil consequences of their moral degeneration. Thus, in view of man’s historical record, the Makkan unbelievers, with their meagre resources, stood no chance of survival.

(For further details, see Saba’ 34, nn. 25 and 36, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IX, pp. 173-4, 178.)

34. This is the second rejoinder to the unbelievers’ objection. The fact is that whoever denies the Afterlife and Divine recompense considers this universe no more than sport and play, and its Creator no more than a silly child. Accordingly, he thinks that life will come to naught after he did whatever he liked during his lifespan and that he will face no consequences for his deeds. The fact, however, is that the universe has been brought into existence by the All-Wise Creator and such a Creator cannot be expected to indulge in something altogether vain and purposeless. The Qur’an adduces this argument at several places. (See al-An‘am 6, n. 46, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. Il, pp. 243-4; Yunus 10, n. 10-11, vol. IV, pp. 9-11; al-Anbiya’ 21, nn. 15-17, vol. V, pp. 257- 8; al-Mu’minun 23, nn. 101-2, vol. VI, pp. 128-9; al-Rum 30, n. 4-10. vol. VIII, pp. 75-9.)

35. This is said in answer to the unbelievers’ demand: ‘Bring back to us our fathers if you are truthful.’ In response they are told that the Afterlife is far more grave a matter than an entertaining public show. whereby the dead are taken out of their graves and brought back to life and put on public display. The Lord of the universe has preordained the Day of Resurrection. On that Day, everyone will be brought back to life and be made to stand before God Who will thereafter pronounce His judgement about them. All this will happen on that appointed Day, irrespective of whether anyone accepts the reality of that Day or not. However, if people do accept it, this is in their own interest for it will help them prepare for _ that great event. Conversely, they will end up as utter losers. This because they will have wasted the opportunity that has been granted to them.

They wallowed in the wrong belief that this worldly life is all that there is. They mistakenly believe that after a person dies all things will end and he will face no consequences for his good or bad deeds.

36. Mawla denotes a supporter or guardian who comes to someone’s aid or support out of consideration for his relationship with that person, be it one of kinship, friendship or any other.

37. This vividly depicts the state of affairs obtaining on the Day of Judgement. No one’s help or support will be effective in rescuing a culprit or lightening his punishment. On that Day, God alone will exercise all power and authority and no one will be able to prevent Him from enforcing His judgement. Also, no one will have the power to prevail upon Him. It will be God’s exclusive discretion to spare someone from punishment or to award him a light punishment out of His mercy. True, since God is Most Merciful, mercy will be the hallmark of His judgement.

Nonetheless, God’s judgement will be strictly enforced. This is followed by an account of those who will be pronounced guilty on the Day of Judgement. In contrast, those who feared God during their lives and shunned disobedience of Him will be granted abundant reward.