Ad-Dukhan 44:38
The Smoke · Juz 25 · Page 497
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ ٣٨
And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 44:38–42
This World was created for a Wisdom
Here Allah tells us of His justice, and that He is far above mere play, folly and falsehood. This is like the Ayah:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَطِلاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ
(And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire!) (38:27)
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ - فَتَعَلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
(Did you think that We had created you in play, and that you would not be brought back to Us So Exalted be Allah, the True King: La ilaha illa Huwa, the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) (23:115-116) Then Allah says:
إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ مِيقَتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
(Verily, the Day of Judgement is the time appointed for all of them) This is the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will judge between all creatures, and He will punish the disbelievers and reward the believers.
مِيقَتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
(is the time appointed for all of them) means, He will gather all of them, the first and the last of them.
يَوْمَ لاَ يُغْنِى مَوْلًى عَن مَّوْلًى شَيْئاً
(The Day when a near relative cannot avail a near relative in aught,) means, no relative will be able to help another relative. This is like the Ayah:
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَلاَ أَنسَبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
(Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.) (23:101)
وَلاَ يَسَْلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيماً يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ
(And no friend will ask a friend (about his condition). Though they shall be made to see one another) (70:10-11) which means, he will not ask his brother about how he is, even though he can see him with his own eyes.
وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
(and no help can they receive,) means, no relative will help another, and no help will come to him from outside.
إِلاَّ مَن رَّحِمَ اللَّهُ
(Except him on whom Allah has mercy.) means, and nothing will be of any avail that Day except the mercy of Allah towards His creation.
إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
(Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.) means, he is the Almighty, with immense mercy.
Page 497
44:19
وَأَن لَّا تَعۡلُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّيٓ ءَاتِيكُم بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ ١٩
And [saying], "Be not haughty with Allāh. Indeed, I have come to you with clear evidence.
44:20
وَإِنِّي عُذۡتُ بِرَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمۡ أَن تَرۡجُمُونِ ٢٠
And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord, lest you stone me.1
1 translator’s note
- To death. Or "lest you assault me [with your tongues or harm me otherwise]." ↩
44:21
وَإِن لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُواْ لِي فَٱعۡتَزِلُونِ ٢١
But if you do not believe me, then leave me alone."
44:22
فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمٞ مُّجۡرِمُونَ ٢٢
And [finally] he called to his Lord that these were a criminal people.
44:23
فَأَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِي لَيۡلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ ٢٣
[Allāh said], "Then set out with My servants by night. Indeed, you are to be pursued.
44:24
وَٱتۡرُكِ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ رَهۡوًاۖ إِنَّهُمۡ جُندٞ مُّغۡرَقُونَ ٢٤
And leave the sea in stillness.1 Indeed, they are an army to be drowned."
1 translator’s note
- After it has parted, in order that the soldiers of Pharaoh would follow the Children of Israel and be drowned. ↩
44:25
كَمۡ تَرَكُواْ مِن جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٖ ٢٥
How much they left behind of gardens and springs
44:26
وَزُرُوعٖ وَمَقَامٖ كَرِيمٖ ٢٦
And crops and noble sites
44:27
وَنَعۡمَةٖ كَانُواْ فِيهَا فَٰكِهِينَ ٢٧
And comfort wherein they were amused.
44:28
كَذَٰلِكَۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَٰهَا قَوۡمًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٢٨
Thus. And We caused to inherit it another people.
44:29
فَمَا بَكَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنظَرِينَ ٢٩
And the heaven and earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved.
44:30
وَلَقَدۡ نَجَّيۡنَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡمُهِينِ ٣٠
And We certainly saved the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment -
44:31
مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَالِيٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٣١
From Pharaoh. Indeed, he was a haughty one among the transgressors.
44:32
وَلَقَدِ ٱخۡتَرۡنَٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عَلَى ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٣٢
And We certainly chose them by knowledge over [all] the worlds.
44:33
وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَٰٓؤٞاْ مُّبِينٌ ٣٣
And We gave them of signs that in which there was a clear trial.
44:34
إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَيَقُولُونَ ٣٤
Indeed, these [disbelievers] are saying,
44:35
إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّا مَوۡتَتُنَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُنشَرِينَ ٣٥
"There is not but our first death, and we will not be resurrected.
44:36
فَأۡتُواْ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣٦
Then bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
44:37
أَهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعٖ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ ٣٧
Are they better or the people of Tubbaʿ1 and those before them? We destroyed them, [for] indeed, they were criminals.
1 translator’s note
- The tribe of Saba’. ↩
44:38
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ ٣٨
And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play.
44:39
مَا خَلَقۡنَٰهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٩
We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy