Surah al-Dukhan, Chapter 44
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Verses 1 – 29
حم {1}
1. Ha, Meem1
وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ {2}
2. And by the enlightened Text.2
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ {3}
3. Verily We have sent the Text3 during the auspicious night.4 Verily We are Warners.
فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ {4}
4. In which there are distinct orders on lawful and unlawful as commands from the Wise.5
أَمْرًا مِنْ عِنْدِنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ {5}
5. Commands were issued to us, and We are the authorities to dispatch
رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ {6}
6. as a mercy from your Providence God. Verily He is Hearing and Knowing.
رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُوقِنِينَ {7}
7. Providence of the heavens and earth and in between if you are certain.
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ ۖ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ {8}
8. No other God except He, during life and death, Providence of you and your preceding foregathers.
بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ يَلْعَبُونَ {9}
9. Rather, they are playing about in doubt.
فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ {10}
10. Wait and watch until the Day the heavens will be enveloped with smoke
يَغْشَى النَّاسَ ۖ هَٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {11}
11. covering men, this is an intense punishment.
رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ {12}
12. (When they will cry) oh our Providence! Relieve us of the punishment. Verily we have believed.
أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ الذِّكْرَىٰ وَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ {13}
13. At this stage an advice to them, when the Prophet had come with evident signs.
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا مُعَلَّمٌ مَجْنُونٌ {14}
14. When they turned away from him saying, “He is an educated idiot.”
إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ {15}
15. Verily shall We moderate the punishment6 shortly and repeat it.
يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَىٰ إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ {16}
16. On the Day of Judgment in greater intensity with a view to avenging (the infidels).
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَجَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ كَرِيمٌ {17}
17. Of course, We tried before them the tribe of Pharaoh, when a generous Prophet came to them.
أَنْ أَدُّوا إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ {18}
18. Asking them to hand over to him (i.e. the Prophet) Divine devotees. Verily I am your reliable Prophet.
وَأَنْ لَا تَعْلُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۖ إِنِّي آتِيكُمْ بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ {19}
19. And do not disobey God as I have come with clear proof.
وَإِنِّي عُذْتُ بِرَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ أَنْ تَرْجُمُونِ {20}
20. And I pray protection from your Providence and yours, that (lest) you should ill-treat me.
وَإِنْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا لِي فَاعْتَزِلُونِ {21}
21. And if you do not believe me, leave me alone.
فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ مُجْرِمُونَ {22}
22. When Moses prayed to his Providence, verily these are a criminative tribe.
فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي لَيْلًا إِنَّكُمْ مُتَّبَعُونَ {23}
23. (God, in reply, said), “Take My devotees during the night as you will be persecuted.
وَاتْرُكِ الْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا ۖ إِنَّهُمْ جُنْدٌ مُغْرَقُونَ {24}
24. “And leave the dry sea as it is, as they are the army to be drowned.”
كَمْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ {25}
25. And of how many of gardens and streams
وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ {26}
26. and fields and beautiful palaces
وَنَعْمَةٍ كَانُوا فِيهَا فَاكِهِينَ {27}
27. in which they were revelling
كَذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِينَ {28}
28. in this way have We made the succeeding generations inheritors.
فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا مُنْظَرِينَ {29}
29. And neither the heavens nor the earth bemoaned their misfortune, nor were they given time (to repent).
Moral
Self-sufficient.
Verses 30 – 42
وَلَقَدْ نَجَّيْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ {30}
30. And verily We saved bani Israel from disgraceful punishment.
مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَالِيًا مِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ {31}
31. That is of Pharaoh who was proud and a transgressor.
وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ {32}
32. And We had intentionally selected him, giving him power on land.
وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَاءٌ مُبِينٌ {33}
33. And We had given them time wherein there was an open test.
إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ لَيَقُولُونَ {34}
34. (With all that) they used to say,
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا مَوْتَتُنَا الْأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُنْشَرِينَ {35}
35. “This is nothing but the first life wherein we die and we are not going to be raised alive.
فَأْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ {36}
36. “If you are true, bring back to life our late forefathers.”
أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ {37}
37. Are they stronger than the tribe of Tugah and those who preceded them and whom We destroyed as they were criminals?
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ {38}
38. And We have not created the heavens and earth and in between for nothing.
مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {39}
39. Rather, We have created them with a definite purpose behind, although most do not realize it.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ مِيقَاتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ {40}
40. Verily the Day of Judgment is a day of meeting for all.
يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِي مَوْلًى عَنْ مَوْلًى شَيْئًا وَلَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ {41}
41. This Day, when none shall sympathize with and assist him
إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ {42}
42. except whom God has mercy. Verily He is Mighty and Gracious.
Moral
Tubah (37 above) was a faithful Arab leader amongst an infidel tribe and he had constructed a rampart to the town of Hira.
Verses 43 – 49
إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُّومِ {43}
43. Verily the tree of Balanites
طَعَامُ الْأَثِيمِ {44}
44. shall be the food of sinners
كَالْمُهْلِ يَغْلِي فِي الْبُطُونِ {45}
45. like melted copper shall it pass through their intestines
كَغَلْيِ الْحَمِيمِ {46}
46. as biling liquid
خُذُوهُ فَاعْتِلُوهُ إِلَىٰ سَوَاءِ الْجَحِيمِ {47}
47. seize him and draw him in the middle of hell
ثُمَّ صُبُّوا فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْحَمِيمِ {48}
48. then pour over his head boiling liquid as punishment.
ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ {49}
49. Tase, you are mighty and just.7
إِنَّ هَٰذَا مَا كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَمْتَرُونَ {50}
50. This is what you doubted about.
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي مَقَامٍ أَمِينٍ {51}
51. Verily the pious shall be in a place of safety
فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ {52}
52. in Paradises amidst stream
يَلْبَسُونَ مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَقَابِلِينَ {53}
53. being dressed in thick silk suites, sitting facing each other
كَذَٰلِكَ وَزَوَّجْنَاهُمْ بِحُورٍ عِينٍ {54}
54. and thus shall be coupled with nymphs8
يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِكُلِّ فَاكِهَةٍ آمِنِينَ {55}
55. wherein shall they call out fearlessly for the choicest fruits (at all times).
لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا الْمَوْتَ إِلَّا الْمَوْتَةَ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَوَقَاهُمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ {56}
56. there shall be no more death to taste, except the one already tasted and shall We save them from the punishment of Hell.
فَضْلًا مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ {57}
57. This is the Grace of your Providence and this is a mighty achievement.
فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَاهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ {58}
58. Verily have We made it ease in your tongue, so they may take an advice.
فَارْتَقِبْ إِنَّهُمْ مُرْتَقِبُونَ {59}
59. So you wait as they are waiting.
- 1. By Mohammad.
- 2. By Divine Light Ali.
- 3. From the preserved record.
- 4. To Bathul Mamoor, from whence during the period of 20 years, had it been revealed to the Prophet on Earth in piecemeal.
- 5. To His Divine Lights being revealed in the auspicious month of Ramadhan.
- 6. Of the period preceding Day of Judgment, i.e. 40 days.
- 7. As claimed by you in the world. this refers to Abu Jahal’s claim.
- 8. At Ali’s hands.