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.