44- Surat Aldukhan

 

44- Surat Aldukhan

59 Verses Meccan (revealed in Mecca)

A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan

Bismi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Ha meem (1).

Ha meem.

Wa alketabi almubeen (2).

By the clear book.

Inna anzalnahuo fee laiylatin mubarakatin inna kunna munzereen (3).

Indeed, We sent it down in a blessed night, indeed, We were to warn.

Feeha youfraquo kulluo amrin hakeem (4).

Therein, is made distinct every wise matter.

Amran men endena inna kunna murseleen (5).

A matter from Us, indeed, We were to send.

Rahmatan men Rabbeka innahuo huwa Alsamee-uo Alaleem (6).

A mercy from Your Lord, indeed, He is All-Hearing, All-Knower.

Rabbi alsamawati wa alardi wa ma baiynahuma in kuntum muqeneen (7).

Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, if you are certain.

La illaha ella huwa yuhyi wa youmeetuo Rabbukum wa Rabbuo aba-ekumuo alawwaleen (8).

There is no god but He, He gives life and causes death, He is your Lord, and the Lord of your former fathers.

Bal hum fee shakkin yal'abuon (9).

But they are in doubt, playing.

Fartaqib yawma ta'tee alsama-uo be-dukhanin mubeen (10).

Then, wait the day when the sky will bring a visible smoke. 

Yaghsha alnasa haza azabun aleem (11).

Enveloping the people, this is a painful punishment.

Rabbana ekshef anna alazaba inna mu'menuon (12).

Our Lord, remove from us the punishment, indeed, we are believers.

Anna lahumu alzekra wa qad ja'ahum rasulun mubeen (13).

How will there be for them a reminder, and verily there had come to them a clear Messenger.

Thumma tawallaww anhuo wa qluo mu-allamun majnuon (14).

Then they turned away from Him and said taught, madman.

Inna kashefuo alazabi qaleelan innakum a-eduon (15).

Indeed, We will remove the punishment, a little, indeed, you will return.

Yawma nabteshuo albatshata alkubra inna muntaqemuon (16).

The day We will seize the greatest seizure, indeed, We will take retribution.

Wa laqad fatanna qablahum qawma fer'awna wa ja'ahum rasulun kareem (17).

And verily, We have tried before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble Messenger. 

An adduo elayya ebada Allahi inni lakum rasulun ameen (18).

Deliver to Me, the servants of Allah, indeed, I am to you a trustworthy Messenger.

Wa an la ta'luo ala Allahi inni ateekum be-sultanin mubeen (19).

And do not exalt against Allah, indeed, I bring to you a clear authority.

Wa inni auztuo be-Rabbi wa Rabbekum an tarjumuon (20).

And indeed, I sought refuge with My Lord and your Lord lest you stone Me.

Wa in lam tu'menuo lee fa'tazeluon (21).

But if you do not believe Me, then keep away from Me.

Fa-da'a Rabbahuo anna haula-ee qawmun mujremuon (22).

Then He called His Lord that these are a criminal people.

Fa-asri be-ebadi laiylan innakum muttabauon (23).

Then set out with My servants at night, indeed, you will be followed.

Wa-truki albahra rahwan innahum jundun mughraquon (24).

And leave the sea in stillness, indeed, they are an army to be drowned.

Kam tarakuo men jannatin wa auyuon (25).

How much they left behind of gardens and springs.

Wa zuru-in wa maqamin kareem (26).

And crops and noble places.

Wa na'matin kanuo feeha fakeheen (27).

And a luxury they used to take delight therein.

Ka-zaleka wa awrathnaha qawman akhareen (28).

Thus, and We caused to inherit it another people.

Fa-ma bakat alaiyhemuo alsama-uo wa alarduo wa ma kanuo munzareen (29).

And neither the heaven and the earth wept over them, nor would they be given respite.

Wa laqad najjaiyna bani Israela mena alazabi almuheen (30).

And verily, We saved the children of Israel from the humiliating punishment.

Men Fer'awna innahuo kana aliyan mena almusrefeen (31).

From Pharaoh, indeed, he was a haughty, one of the transgressors.

Wa laqadi ekhtarnahum ala elmin ala al-alameen (32). 

And verily, We chose them by knowledge over the worlds.

Wa ataiynahum mena alayati ma feehi bala-on mubeen (33).

And We gave them of the signs that in which a clear test. 

Inna haulaee la-yaquluon (34).

Indeed, these are saying.

Inn heiya ella mawtatuna al-aula wa ma nahnuo be-munshareen (35).

There is nothing but our first death, and we will not be resurrected.

Fa'tuo be-abaena in kuntum sadeqeen (36). 

Then bring our fathers, if you are truthful.

A-hum khaiyrun am qawmuo tubba-in wa allazina men qablehim ahlaknahum innahum kanuo mujremeen (37).

Are they better or the people of Tubba' and those before them, We destroyed them, indeed, they were criminals.

Wa ma khalaqna alsamawati wa alarda wa ma baiynahuma la-ebeen (38).

And We did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them to play.

Ma khalaqnahuma ella bel-haqqi wa lakenna aktharahum la ya'lamuon (39).

We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know.

Inna yawma alfasli meqatuhum ajma-een (40).

Indeed, the day of judgement is the timing of all of them.

Yawma la youghni mawlan an mawlan shaiy-an wa la hum younsaruon (41).

The day when no relation will avail a relation anything, and they will not be helped.

Ella man rahema Allahu innahu huwa Alazizuo Alraheem (42).

Except those upon whom Allah has mercy, indeed, He is Almighty, the Most Merciful.

Inna shajarata alzaqquom (43).

Indeed, the tree of Zaqquom.

Ta-amuo alatheem (44).

Is the food of the sinful.

Kal-muhli yaghli fee albutuon (45).

Like the murky oil that boiling in the bellies.

Ka-ghalyi alhameem (46).

Like the boiling of scalding water.

Khuzuhuo fa'teluhuo ela sawa-ee aljaheem (47). 

Seize him, and drag him into the midst of the Hellfire.

Thumma subbuo fawqa ra'sehi men azabi alhameem (48).

Then pour over his head from the punishment of scalding water.

Zuq innaka anta alazeezu alkareem (49).

Taste!, indeed, you are the mighty, the noble.

Inna haza ma kuntum behi tamtaruon (50).

Indeed, this is what you used to doubt.

Inna almuttaqeena fee maqamin ameen (51).

Indeed, the righteous will be in a secure place.

Fee jannatin wa auyuon (52).

In gardens and springs.

Yalbasuna men sundusin wa estabraqin mutaqabeleen (53).

Wearing Sundus and Estabraq, facing each other.

Ka-zaleka wa zawwajnahum be-hurin ain (54).

Thus, and We will marry them to Houris.

Yad-uona feeha be-kulli fakehatin ameneen (55).

They will call therein for every fruit, secure.

La yazuquna feeha almawta ella almawtata al-aula wa waqahum azaba aljaheem (56). 

They will not taste death therein except the first death, and He will protect them from the punishment of the Hellfire.

Fadlan men Rabbeka zaleka huwa alfawzuo alazeem (57).

A bounty from Your Lord, that is the great success.

Fa-innama yassarnahuo be-lesaneka la'allahum yatazakkaruon (58).

So, indeed We have made it easy in Your tongue so that they may be reminded.

Fartaqib innahum murtaqebuon (59).

So wait, indeed, they are waiting.

Simplified interpretation: 

 Surat Aldukhan begins with two letters of the Arabic language, just like 28 Surahs of the Holy Quran that start with individual letters ranging from one to five letters. It is noticeable that in all 29 Surahs the book or the Holy Quran is mentioned whether it is immediately after these letters or it is included in the Surah or even at the end of it. It is a challenge from Allah, Almighty, to the infidels of Quraish, as if Allah says to them this is the book in the letters of the language you speak, but you will not be able to produce the like of it, and He has already challenged them in Aya (88) of Surat Alisraa "Say, if mankind and the Jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants". As for the current Surah, it begins with two letters "Ha and Meem" or "H and M" in English followed by "By the clear book", but the knowledge of these letters remains with Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

 Allah says in the first six verses "Ha meem, by the clear book, indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night, indeed, We were to warn, therein, is made distinct every wise matter, a matter from Us, indeed, We were to send, a mercy from Your Lord, indeed, He is All-Hearing, All-Knower", that is, Allah swears by the Holy Quran that He revealed on the night of Alqadr, which is a blessed night, where Allah says in the first verse of Surat Alqadr "We have sent it down on the night of Alqadr", and Allah confirms that He sent it down to warn the people from His punishment if they do not believe in Him. On the night of Alqadr, Allah decrees what He wills of man's affair up to the equivalent night of the next year such as: the matter of death, age, sustenance and others, then Allah confirms that the Holy Quran was revealed by His command as He has sent His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) to the people as a mercy from Allah to His servants where Allah addresses His Messenger in Aya (107) of Surat Alanbiyaa "And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds", and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knower where nothing in the heavens or on the earth is hidden from Him.   

 Thereupon Allah says in the next three verses (7-9) "Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, if you are certain, there is no god but He, He gives life and causes death, He is your Lord, and the Lord of your former fathers, but they are in doubt, playing", that is, Allah confirms that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and if they are certain of that fact, they would be certain of the Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad, and they would be certain that there is no god but Him, that He gives life and causes death, and that He is their Lord and the Lord of their forefathers, but as for the disbelievers who are not certain, they are in doubt and are playing after certainty has come clear to them where they took the verses of Allah as a ridicule, and the worldly life deceived them as mentioned in Aya (35) of Surat Aljathiyah.

 Allah says in the next seven verses (10-16) "Then, wait the day when the sky will bring a visible smoke, enveloping the people, this is a painful punishment, our Lord, remove from us the punishment, indeed, we are believers, How will there be for them a reminder, and verily there had come to them a clear Messenger, then they turned away from Him and said taught, madman, indeed, We will remove the punishment, a little, indeed, you will return, the day We will seize the greatest seizure, indeed, We will take retribution", where as narrated by Masruq that Abdullah Bin Mas'ud said that Allah's Messenger invited Quraish to embrace Islam, but they delayed their response, so He said: O Allah! Help Me against them by sending on them seven years of famine similar to the seven years of famine of Joseph, so the famine year overtook them and everything was destroyed till they ate dead animals and skins. People started imagining to see smoke between them and the sky because of severe hunger, so that Allah said to His Messenger "Then, wait the day when the sky will bring a visible smoke, enveloping the people, this is a painful punishment", then they invoked Allah and said "Our Lord, remove from us the punishment, indeed, we are believers". They claimed that they would believe if the punishment was removed from them, but Allah confirmed that they would return to disbelief again and said "How will there be for them a reminder, and verily there had come to them a clear Messenger, then they turned away from Him and said taught, madman, indeed, We will remove the punishment, a little, indeed, you will return", and when it was said: Will the punishment be removed on the day of resurrection?, Abdullah added: The punishment was removed from them for a while but they reverted to disbelief, so Allah destroyed them on the day of the battle of Badr, whereupon Allah revealed: "The day We will seize the greatest seizure, indeed, We will take retribution"(Sahih Albukhari 4809). 

 The polytheists of Quraish did not differ from the nations that preceded them, where Allah cites the story of the people of Pharaoh with their Prophet Moses in the next eight verses (17-24) "And verily, We have tried before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble Messenger, deliver to Me, the servants of Allah, indeed, I am to you a trustworthy Messenger, and do not exalt against Allah, indeed, I bring to you a clear authority, and indeed, I sought refuge with My Lord and your Lord lest you stone Me, but if you do not believe Me, then keep away from Me, then He called His Lord that these are a criminal people, then set out with My servants at night, indeed, you will be followed, And leave the sea in stillness, indeed, they are an army to be drowned", that is, Allah sent His Prophet Moses to Pharaoh and his people to command them to follow him as He is a trustworthy Messenger conveying to them the message of their Lord, and He asked Pharaoh to send with Him and His brother Aaron the children of Israel and not to torture them as mentioned in Aya (47) of Surat Taha. 

 The Prophet Moses commanded them not to be arrogant about worshipping Allah for He brings to them clear signs and proofs that Allah sent Him with, then He said to them that He sought refuge with Allah lest they stone Him, and if they do not believe in Him, then they must leave Him and not harm Him by word or action, and when they insisted on disbelief and do not believe in Allah, the Prophet Moses called His Lord that they are a criminal people for they will not believe, so that Allah ordered Him to go out and those who believed in Him at night towards the sea so that they do not get caught because Pharaoh and his people will follow them, and as mentioned in Aya (77) of Surat Taha, Allah inspired to Moses to strike a dry path through the sea, and He will not fear being overtaken by Pharaoh nor be afraid of drowning, then Allah commanded Moses to leave the sea as it was divided into two halves because Pharaoh and his soldiers will be drowned in it.

 The consequence of their disbelief was that Allah drowned them in the sea after they lived in luxury as Allah says in the next nine verses (25-33) "How much they left behind of gardens and springs, and crops and noble places, and a luxury they used to take delight therein, thus, and We caused to inherit it another people, and neither the heaven and the earth wept over them, nor would they be given respite and verily, We saved the children of Israel from the humiliating punishment, from Pharaoh, indeed, he was a haughty, one of the transgressors, and verily, We chose them by knowledge over the worlds, and We gave them of the signs that in which a clear test", that is, they left behind orchards, trees, rivers, elegant dwellings, life in which they eat what they wanted and wear what they liked, wealth, prestige, and the rule of the country. Thus was the recompense of those who disbelief, and Allah bequeathed their land to the children of Israel after they were enslaved in it,  so they were heirs of it. As for Pharaoh and his people, they did not have good deeds that would make the heavens weep over their death, nor they have places on the earth where they worshipped Allah, so the earth missed them, that is why they deserved that their torment not be delayed, and they would not be given respite to repent and believe, so Allah destroyed them and saved the children of Israel from the humiliating torment of Pharaoh as He was a haughty and one of the transgressors where He used to oppress a sector among them, slaughtering their sons and keeping their female alive as mentioned in Aya (4) of Surat Alqasas, and Allah chose them by knowledge over the worlds in their time, and He gave them proofs and paranormal signs in order to be a clear test that shows who will be guided by it, and who will go astray from it.  

 Allah says in the next nine verses (34-42) "Indeed, these are saying, there is nothing but our first death, and we will not be resurrected, then bring our fathers, if you are truthful, are they better or the people of Tubba' and those before them, We destroyed them, indeed, they were criminals, and We did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them to play, we did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know, indeed, the day of judgement is the timing of all of them, the day when no relation will avail a relation anything, and they will not be helped, except those upon whom Allah has mercy, indeed, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful", that is, the infidels of Quraish deny the resurrection and deny that there is another life after death and that they will be resurrected from the graves, so they persisted on their denial by saying "Then bring our fathers, if you are truthful", as they want an example that demonstrates the resurrection of the dead by bringing their fathers back to life, and this is similar to Ayat (24&25) of Surat Aljathiyah. 

 Thereupon, Allah threatened them with destruction as He destroyed the people of Tubba' and those before them, even though they were more powerful than them, because they were in doubt about the resurrection as mentioned in Aya (15) of Surat Qaaf, so they are not better than the people of Tubba' whom Allah had destroyed, and the Holy Quran did not specify who they are, even our Prophet did not know if Tubba' was a believer or not where He said in narration of Abu Hurayrah "I do not know whether Tubba' was accursed or not", but it was said that they were in Yemen because the king of that region was called Tubba', like the title of Pharaoh in Egypt and Najashi in Abyssinia. Then Allah confirms that He did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in vain, but rather He created them in truth in order to put man in a test where He says in Aya (31) of Surat Alnajm "And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, so that He may recompense those who do evil with what they have done, and reward those who do good with the best". Most of the polytheists do not know the wisdom of their creation, so on the day of resurrection which is an appointed time for them all, Allah will judge between them, punishing the disbeliever and rewarding the believer where on that day a relative will not protect his relative nor will a friend protect his friend because everyone will be busy with himself only as Allah says in Surat Abasa Aya (37) "For every man among them that day a matter occupying him", but unlike the polytheists, the intercession benefits the believers whom Allah has mercy where He is the Almighty who is Severe in His revenge on those who disobeyed Him, and the Most-Merciful to those who obey Him.

 Allah describes the punishment of the infidels in the Hereafter which they used to deny it in the next eight verses (43-50) "Indeed, the tree of Zaqquom, is the food of the sinful, like the murky oil that boiling in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water, seize him, and drag him into the midst of the Hellfire, then pour over his head from the punishment of scalding water, Taste!, indeed, you are the mighty, the noble, indeed, this is what you used to doubt", that is, the tree of Zaqquom will be the food for the sinner, and it is a tree that grows in the bottom of Hellfire and its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils as mentioned in Surat Alsaffat Ayat (62,63), and our Prophet (PBUH) said in narration of Ibn Abbas: "If a drop of Alzaqquom were to drip into the abode of world, it would spoil the livelihood of the people, so how about someone for whom it is his food". The infidel will fill his belly with Alzaqquom, and it will be like the murky oil that boils like the boiling of scalding water, then Allah will say to the Wardens of Hellfire to seize and drag him into the midst of the Hellfire, and to pour over his head from the scalding water, and it will b said to him as a reprimand "Taste!, indeed, you are the mighty, the noble, indeed, this is what you used to doubt", where he will face the punishment that he used to deny, and he will be the humiliated not the mighty, the noble as he claimed in the worldly life.

 On the contrary, the righteous will be in the gardens of bliss where Allah says in the next seven verses (51-57) "Indeed, the righteous will be in a secure place, in gardens and springs, wearing Sundus and Estabraq, facing each other, thus, and We will marry them to Houris, They will call therein for every fruit, secure, they will not taste death therein except the first death, and He will protect them from the punishment of the Hellfire, a bounty from Your Lord, that is the great success", that is, the righteous will be in a secure place where they will be safe from fear, panic, and all misfortunes, they will be in gardens and water springs, they will wear garments of fine silk (Sundus), and of thick silk (Istabraq), they will meet each other with faces so that no one will turn his back to the other, they will be married to the Houris (Hour Ain) who are so white, pure, and beautiful like well-protected pearls, they will call for every fruit, safe from its interruption and abstention where it will be brought to them whenever they want, they will not die where they will not taste death except the first death they tasted in the worldly life, and Allah will protect them from the punishment of Hellfire, so all this bliss and salvation from Hellfire is a bounty from Allah, and that is the great success where none can enter Paradise through his good deeds as narrated by Abu Hurayrah when He said: "I heard Allah's Messenger saying: The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise, they said: Not even You, O Allah's Messenger?, He said: Not even Myself, unless Allah bestows His favor and mercy on Me, so be moderate in your religious deeds and do the deeds that are within your ability, and none of you should wish for death, for if he is a good doer, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to Allah". 

 Allah addresses His Messenger in the last two verses (58,59) and says "So, indeed We have made it easy in Your tongue so that they may be reminded, so wait, indeed, they are waiting", that is, Allah confirms that He has made the Holy Quran easy for He revealed it to His Messenger in His tongue, so that the infidels of Quraish may be reminded with its lessons and arguments, and may reflect on its verses and submit to the truth when they realize it, then Allah commanded Him to wait the victory from his Lord where they are waiting for His defeat, but the victory will be to Allah and His Messenger where Allah says in Aya (21) of Surat Almujadilah "Allah has written ''Surely, I will overcome and My Messengers", indeed, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty".

No one Knows its interpretation except Allah