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 43-59اِنَّIndeedشَجَرَتَ(the) treeالزَّقُّوْمِۙ(of) Zaqqum طَعَامُ(Will be) foodالْاَثِیْمِ(of) the sinner(s) كَالْمُهْلِ ۛۚLike the murky oilیَغْلِیْit will boilفِیinالْبُطُوْنِۙthe bellies كَغَلْیِLike boilingالْحَمِیْمِ (of) scalding water خُذُوْهُSeize himفَاعْتِلُوْهُand drag himاِلٰیintoسَوَآءِ(the) midstالْجَحِیْمِۗۖ(of) the Hellfire ثُمَّThenصُبُّوْاpourفَوْقَoverرَاْسِهٖhis headمِنْofعَذَابِ(the) punishmentالْحَمِیْمِؕ(of) the scalding water ذُقْ ۙۚTaste!اِنَّكَIndeed youاَنْتَ[you] (were)الْعَزِیْزُthe mightyالْكَرِیْمُ the noble اِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisمَا(is) whatكُنْتُمْyou used (to)بِهٖ[about it]تَمْتَرُوْنَ doubt اِنَّIndeedالْمُتَّقِیْنَthe righteousفِیْ(will be) inمَقَامٍa placeاَمِیْنٍۙsecure فِیْInجَنّٰتٍgardensوَّ عُیُوْنٍۚۙand springs یَّلْبَسُوْنَWearing garmentsمِنْofسُنْدُسٍfine silkوَّ اِسْتَبْرَقٍand heavy silkمُّتَقٰبِلِیْنَۚۙfacing each other كَذٰلِكَ ۫Thusوَ زَوَّجْنٰهُمْAnd We will marry themبِحُوْرٍ(to) companions with beautiful eyesعِیْنٍؕ(to) companions with beautiful eyes یَدْعُوْنَThey will callفِیْهَاthereinبِكُلِّfor every kindفَاكِهَةٍ(of) fruitاٰمِنِیْنَۙsecure لَاNotیَذُوْقُوْنَthey will tasteفِیْهَاthereinالْمَوْتَthe deathاِلَّاexceptالْمَوْتَةَthe deathالْاُوْلٰی ۚthe firstوَ وَقٰىهُمْAnd He will protect themعَذَابَ(from the) punishmentالْجَحِیْمِۙ(of) the Hellfire فَضْلًاA Bountyمِّنْfromرَّبِّكَ ؕyour LordذٰلِكَThatهُوَitالْفَوْزُ(will be) the successالْعَظِیْمُ the great فَاِنَّمَاIndeedیَسَّرْنٰهُWe have made it easyبِلِسَانِكَin your tongueلَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَتَذَكَّرُوْنَ take heed فَارْتَقِبْSo watchاِنَّهُمْindeed theyمُّرْتَقِبُوْنَ۠(too are) watching

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Translation of Verse 43-59

(44:43) The tree of al-Zaqqum³⁸

(44:44) shall be the food of the sinful.

(44:45) Like dregs of oil,³⁹ it will boil in their bellies

(44:46) like boiling water.

(44:47) “Seize him and drag him to the middle of the Blazing Fire,

(44:48) then pour boiling water over his head as chastisement.

(44:49) Taste this, you are a person mighty and noble!

(44:50) This is what you used to doubt.”

(44:51) Verily the God-fearing shall be in a secure place⁴⁰

(44:52) amidst gardens and springs.

(44:53) Attired in silk and brocade,⁴¹ they shall be arrayed face to face.

(44:54) Thus shall it be: and We shall espouse them to fair, wide-eyed maidens.⁴²

(44:55) While resting in security, they shall call for all kinds of fruit.⁴³

(44:56) They shall not taste death except the death in this world. And Allah will save them from the chastisement of Hell⁴⁴

(44:57) as a favour from your Lord. That is the great triumph.

(44:58) (O Prophet), We have made this Book easy in your tongue so that they may take heed.

(44:59) Wait, then; they too are waiting.⁴⁵

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Commentary

38. For a detailed note on zaqqum see al-Saffat 37, n. 34, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IX, p. 293.

39. The word al-muhl carries the following meanings: molten metal, pus, blood, molten tar-coal and dregs of oil or lava. (al-Razi, al-Tafsir al- Kabir, comments on Surah al-Dukhan 44: 43) It appears that the juice of the zaqqum tree will be like dregs of oil.

40. Quite different will be the state of the God-fearing who will be in a ‘secure place’ which will be characterized by perfect peace and tranquility and will be free of sorrow, grief, worry, fear, danger, hardship and suffering. The Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘The inmates of Paradise will be told that they will always enjoy sound health and will never fall ill.

Likewise, they will live forever and will never die. They will enjoy eternal prosperity and will never be afflicted with any adversity. They will enjoy eternal youth and will never grow old’. (Muslim, Kitab al-Jannah wa Sifah Na‘imiha wa Ahliha, Bab fi Dawam Na‘im Ahl al-Jannah).

41. Sundus and istabraq respectively denote fine and thick silken fabric.

42. Hur is the plural form of hawra’ and signifies in Arabic a fair complexioned woman. As for ‘in, it is the plural form of ‘ayna’ and is used to describe women with large eyes. (For further details, see al-Saffat 37, nn. 28-9, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IX, p. 291.)

43. The inmates of Paradise will be free to obtain whatever they wish. They will ask their attendants to provide them with whatever they want and the same will be immediately be brought to them. Even in one’s own home, one cannot freely get all one wants for one has to pay and arrange for it. In Paradise, however, people will be free to have anything on an unlimited scale. Nor will there be any chance that supplies will be exhausted.

44. Two points contained within the verse are noteworthy: (i) After an account of the bounties of Paradise, deliverance from Hell is specifically mentioned. It is obvious that one values the reward of one’s obedience more when one comes to know the punishment of disobedience. This also gives one the additional satisfaction of having avoided a terrible punishment. (ii) God ascribes to His grace that some people will enter Paradise and will, thus, be safe from the Hellfire. This is stated so as to bring home to them the truth that no one can attain success unless they are aided by God’s grace. It is an altogether different point that one will be rewarded for one’s good deeds. Let it be realized that one is inspired to do good only by God’s grace. Moreover, even the best deed is not absolutely free from imperfection. God, out of His grace, accepts man’s efforts and confers rewards upon him. Were God to take man strictly to account, no one would be able to enter Paradise by dint of his good deeds alone. An observation made by the Prophet (peace be on him) further amplifies this point: ‘Do good deeds to the best of your ability. However, know that no one will be admitted to Paradise only on the basis of his record of deeds’. When those who were present asked the Prophet (peace be on him) whether that applied to him as well, he replied: ‘Yes, I too will not enter Paradise by dint of my deeds unless God covers me with His Mercy. Only God’s Mercy will help me gain entry into it.’ (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Dukhan 44: 57.)

45. If the people concerned refuse to pay any heed to admonition, they should look forward to the doom that will overtake them. Likewise, . the Prophet's adversaries too should wait and see how resplendent the finale of his mission will be.