Surah Ad-Dukhan (The Smoke): Verses 10–16

Verse 10:

فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُّبِينٍ So await the Day when the heaven will come with a manifest smoke.

Tafsir:

• فَارْتَقِبْ (So await): This means "wait for it." This term is typically used concerning something disliked or dreaded. The command is directed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), meaning, "Wait, O Muhammad, for their punishment."
• The object of waiting (the punishment) is omitted because it is indicated by what follows, namely, "This is a painful torment."
• Alternatively, the object of waiting could be the phrase: "the Day when the heaven will come with smoke."

Opinion 1: The Smoke of Famine (Dukhan al-Jūʿ):

• This refers to the severe drought that afflicted the people of Mecca after the Prophet (PBUH) prayed, "O Allah, make their years like the years of Joseph." Rain ceased, the land became barren, and the Quraysh suffered such intense hunger that they ate bones, dogs, and carrion.
• Due to extreme hunger, a man would see something between himself and the sky that resembled smoke. This view is narrated from Ibn Abbas (in some narrations), Muqatil, Mujahid, and is the chosen view of al-Farrā’ and al-Muzajjaj, and also Ibn Mas’ud.
• Ibn Mas’ud strongly maintained that the smoke mentioned here is only this phenomenon resulting from extreme hunger, which caused darkness in their sight, making them perceive the world as if filled with smoke.
• Ibn Qutaybah offered two justifications for interpreting the smoke this way:
  1. During years of drought, the earth becomes extremely dry due to the cessation of rain, leading to the rising of much dust that darkens the air, resembling smoke. This is why years of famine are called al-Ghabrā’ (the dusty/dark one).
  2. The Arabs use the term "smoke" metaphorically for overwhelming evil or tribulation (e.g., "There was a matter between us that raised smoke"). This is because when a person experiences intense fear or weakness, their eyes darken, and they perceive the world as filled with smoke.

Opinion 2: The Smoke as a Sign of the Hour (Dukhan Ashrat al-Sā‘ah):

• This smoke is a physical phenomenon that will appear in the world, being one of the major signs of the Day of Resurrection.
• It is said that when this smoke appears, believers will experience a condition resembling a head cold (zukām), while disbelievers will experience a state where their heads become like the head of a hanīdh (a roasted sheep).
• This view is narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and is a famous position of Ibn Abbas.
• Arguments supporting this view:
  1. The phrase "the heaven will come with smoke" implies the existence of actual smoke brought by the heaven. The darkness perceived in the eyes due to hunger is not smoke brought by the heaven. Interpreting the verse this way is deviating from the apparent meaning without a compelling external proof.
  2. The smoke is described as mubīn (manifest/clear). The condition of darkness in the eyes due to hunger is transient and affects only some people's minds; such a condition cannot be described as manifest smoke.
  3. The smoke is described as yaghashā an-nās (covering the people). This only applies if the smoke physically reaches and envelops them. The perceived darkness in the eyes does not fit this description except metaphorically, and deviation from the literal meaning requires proof.
  4. It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that he mentioned the smoke as the first sign of the Hour, followed by the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, and a fire emerging from the depths of Aden driving people to the gathering place. When asked about the smoke, the Prophet recited this verse and said it would fill everything between the East and the West for forty days and nights. It would affect the believer like a head cold, but the disbeliever would be like a drunkard, with smoke exiting his nostrils, ears, and anus.

• Rebuttal to Opinion 1 (The Hunger Smoke): Those who hold Opinion 1 must admit they are interpreting the text metaphorically. This is impermissible unless there is proof that the literal meaning is impossible. They offered the following proof:
  • The people's subsequent plea, "Our Lord, remove the torment from us, indeed we are believers," fits the context of the severe famine in Mecca. It is narrated that when the famine intensified, Abu Sufyan approached the Prophet, imploring him by Allah and kinship, promising faith if the affliction was removed. When Allah removed it, they returned to polytheism.
  • However, if the smoke is a sign of the Hour, they cannot say, "Remove the torment, we are believers," nor can it be said to them, "We will remove the torment for a little while; indeed, you will return [to disbelief]."
• The Answer to the Rebuttal: It is not impossible that the appearance of this sign (the smoke of the Hour) functions like other signs of the Hour—it does not immediately terminate accountability. People might become terrified, supplicate, and then, once the event passes, revert to disbelief and adherence to ancestral customs. Since this possibility exists, their argument fails. (And Allah knows best.)

Verse 11:

يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ This will cover the people; this is a painful torment.

Tafsir:

• يَغْشَى النَّاسَ (This will cover the people): Meaning, it will encompass them. This phrase is in the genitive case, functioning as an adjective describing the smoke (bidukhan).
• هَٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (This is a painful torment): There are two interpretations for the placement of hādha (this):
  1. It is in the accusative case, implying an omitted verb: They say, "This is a painful torment." The phrase wa hum yaqūlūn (and they are saying) would be a circumstantial clause (hāl).
  2. According to Al-Jurjani (author of Al-Nathm), hādha is a demonstrative pronoun pointing to the smoke, indicating its proximity and imminence, similar to saying, "This is the enemy," when the enemy approaches. The purpose is to alert to its nearness.

Verse 12:

رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ “Our Lord, remove the torment from us; indeed, we are believers.”

Tafsir:

• If we assume the preceding phrase implies speech ("They say: This is a painful torment..."), then the meaning here is clear. If not, we supply the verb of speech here.
• The torment (al-‘adhāb) refers either to the severe famine (Opinion 1) or the destructive smoke (Opinion 2).
• إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ (Indeed, we are believers): Meaning, believers in Muhammad and the Qur'an. This is a promise of faith contingent upon the removal of the torment.

Verse 13:

أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ الذِّكْرَىٰ وَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ How will they have admonition, when there has already come to them a clear Messenger?

Tafsir:

• أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ الذِّكْرَىٰ (How will they have admonition?): How can they take heed or be reminded at this stage?
• This is because something greater and more compelling for obedience has already appeared to them: the overwhelming miracles and clear proofs manifested through the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

Verse 14:

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا مُعَلَّمٌ مَّجْنُونٌ Then they turned away from him and said, "Taught one, [or] mad!"

Tafsir:

• ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ (Then they turned away from him): They paid him no attention.
• وَقَالُوا مُعَلَّمٌ مَّجْنُونٌ (And said, "Taught one, [or] mad!"): The disbelievers of Mecca had two main explanations for the Qur'an's appearance through Muhammad:
  1. That Muhammad was taught these words by a human being (referencing the verse: "The tongue of the one they imply is non-Arabic, while this is clear Arabic speech" [An-Nahl: 103], and "And those who disbelieve say, 'This is only a falsehood he has fabricated...'" [Al-Furqan: 4]).
  2. That he was mad, and the Jinn were casting these words upon him when he suffered seizures.

Verse 15:

إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little while; indeed, you will be returning [to disbelief].

Tafsir:

• إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا (Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little while): Meaning, just as We remove the torment from you, you will immediately return to what you were upon—polytheism.
• The purpose here is to point out that they do not fulfill their covenants. In times of helplessness, they supplicate Allah, but once the fear is gone, they revert to disbelief and blindly following the ways of their ancestors.

Verse 16:

يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَىٰ إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ The Day We will seize [them with] the greatest seizure; indeed, We are avengers.

Tafsir:

• The author of Al-Kashshāf noted that the reading nabṭishu (with a ḍammah on the ṭā’) is also transmitted. Al-Hasan read it as nubṭishu (with a ḍammah on the nūn), as if Allah were commanding the angels to seize them.
• Al-Baṭsh (Seizure): Means taking hold with severity, usually involving repeated striking, but it came to mean inflicting successive pains.

Opinion 1: The Day of Badr:

• This is the view of Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Muqatil, and Abu Aliyah (may Allah be pleased with them). They state that after Allah removed the famine and hunger from the Quraysh, they returned to their denial, so Allah took vengeance upon them on the Day of Badr.

Opinion 2: The Day of Resurrection:

• This is the sounder opinion, as narrated by 'Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas: Ibn Mas’ud said it was the Day of Badr, but I say it is the Day of Resurrection.
• Why this view is sounder:
  1. The Battle of Badr does not reach the magnitude described by this great epithet.
  2. Perfect vengeance is only achieved on the Day of Resurrection, as stated: "The Day every soul will be recompensed for what it earned" (Ghafir: 17).
  3. Since this seizure is described as al-Kubrā (the greatest) absolutely, it must be the greatest type of seizure, which is only the Resurrection.
• The term Intiqām (Vengeance) when attributed to Allah is among the ambiguous terms (mutashābihāt), similar to anger and shyness, but the meaning is understood (Allah knows best).

Verses 17–25 (The Story of Pharaoh and Moses)

Translation:

• 17. And certainly did We test before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble Messenger.
• 18. [Saying], "Deliver to me the servants of Allah. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy Messenger.
• 19. And [saying], 'Do not exalt yourselves against Allah. Indeed, I have come to you with a clear authority.
• 20. And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord from your stoning [me].
• 21. But if you do not believe me, then leave me alone.'"
• 22. So he called upon his Lord, [saying], "Indeed, these are a criminal people."
• 23. [The command was given], "So set forth with My servants by night. Indeed, you will be pursued.
• 24. And leave the sea split [for them]; indeed, they are a host to be drowned."
• 25. How many gardens and springs they left behind,
• 26. And fields of crops and noble stations,
• 27. And comforts in which they used to take pleasure.
• 28. Thus, and We caused to inherit it another people.
• 29. And the heaven and the earth did not weep for them, nor were they given respite.

(Note: Verses 26, 27, 28, and 29 are verses 26, 27, 28, and 29 in the standard numbering, but they follow verse 25 in the provided excerpt structure.)