Ad-Dukhan

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said in the interpretation of Allah's saying (Ha. Mim.): '(Ha. Mim.) He says: He has already decreed that which will happen, i.e. He has shown it.

(By the Scripture that maketh plain) and He swore by the Scripture which makes plain that that which will happen has already been decreed, i.e. it is plain; it is also said Allah swore by the (Ha) and (Mim) and also by the Scripture which makes plain the commands and prohibitions, the lawful and unlawful,

(Lo! We revealed it) We sent Gabriel with the Qur'an; this is why Allah swore, Allah sent down Gabriel to the nether heaven to dictate the Qur'an to the scribes among the angels, who are the dwellers of the nether heaven (on a blessed night) wherein there is mercy, forgiveness and grace, this is the night of destiny. Then Allah sent Gabriel to Muhammad (pbuh) with verses and surah in a period of about 20 years. (Lo! We are ever warning) by means of the Qur'an.

(Whereupon) in this night of destiny (every wise command) every thing to take place from year to year (is made clear) is clarified,

(As a command from Our presence) an exposition from Us: We explain to Gabriel, Michael, Seraphiel and the angel of death what they are entrusted with from year to year. (Lo! We are ever sending) messengers with Scriptures.

(A mercy) a blessing (from thy Lord) to His slaves, i.e. sending messengers with scriptures to them is a blessing from their Lord. (Lo! He is the Hearer) of the saying of the Quraysh when they said: �Our Lord relieve us of the torment�, (the Knower) of them and of their punishment,

(Lord) Creator (of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them) of created beings: He is Allah, (if ye would be sure) if you believe in this.

(There is no God) there is no Creator (save Him) Who created the heavens and the earth. (He quickeneth) for the Resurrection (and giveth death) in the life of the world; (your Lord and Lord of your forefathers) your Creator and the Creator of you forefathers before you.

(Nay, but they) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca (play in doubt) they poke fun at the coming of the Hour.

(But watch thou for) their torment, O Muhammad, on (the day when the sky will produce visible smoke) filling what is between the sky and the earth

(That will envelop the people) that smoke will surround the people. (This) smoke (will be a painful torment) a torment of hunger.

((Then they will say): Our Lord relieve us of the torment) remove from us hunger. (Lo! we are believers) in You as well as in Your Messenger and Scripture:

(How can there be remembrance for them) how can they take admonition or repent if We were to remove the torment from them; and it is also said: how can they take admonition or repent if We were to destroy them at Badr; and it is also said: on the Day of Judgement, (when a messenger) Muhammad (pbuh) (making plain (the Truth)) in a language they understand (had already come unto them,

And they had turned away from him) and they turned away from believing in him (and said: One taught (by others)) i.e. Muhammad is taught by Jabr and Yasar, (a madman) who is bewitched?

(Lo! We withdraw the torment) hunger (a little) until the Day of Badr. (Lo! ye) O people of Mecca (return) to transgression. And when the torment was removed from them, they did indeed return to transgression, and so Allah destroyed them on the Day of Badr.

This is because He said: (On the day when We shall seize them with the greater seizure) We shall punish them with the greater punishment, by the sword on the Day of Badr ((then), in truth We shall punish) with Our torment.

(And verily We tried before them) before the Quraysh (Pharaoh's folk) by punishing them, (when there came unto them a noble messenger) i.e. Moses,

(Saying: Give up to me) send with me (the slaves of Allah) the Children of Israel. (Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you) I am a messenger to you from Allah and I am faithful in conveying the message.

(And saying: Be not proud against Allah) nor lie against Him. (Lo! I bring you a clear warrant) a clear proof and plain warrant.

(And lo! I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest ye stone me to death) lest you kill me.

(And if ye put no faith in me) and if you do not believe in the message I bring you, (then let me go) then leave me alone, neither harmed by you nor benefiting from you.

(And he cried unto his Lord (saying): These are a guilty folk) these are idolatrous folk who brought destruction upon themselves.

(Then (his Lord commanded) Take away my slaves by night) Allah said to Moses: �take away My slaves, the Children of Israel at the beginning of the night�. (Lo! ye will be followed) to the sea,

(And leave the sea behind at rest) spacious roads, spacious enough for Moses and his folk to pass through them, (for lo! they are a drowned host) Pharaoh and his folk will be drowned in the sea.

(How many were the gardens and the water springs) in these gardens (that they left behind,

And the cornlands and the goodly sites) beautiful houses

(And pleasant things wherein they took delight) wherein they exulted!

(Even so (it was)) We destroyed them, (and We made it an inheritance for other folk) We made the Children of Israel inherit all that after they were destroyed;

(And the heaven) the gate of heaven (and the earth) and the place of prayer on earth (wept not for them) for Pharaoh and his folk; this is because when the believer dies the gate of heaven from which his works ascends, and the place wherein he used to pray on earth, will weep for him; Pharaoh and his folk did not have any good works to ascend to heaven nor any place of prayer on earth, (nor were they reprieved) from drowning.

(And We delivered the Children of Israel from the shameful doom) from the painful and severe doom.

((We delivered them) from Pharaoh) and his folk who slaughtered their males and used their females as servants. (Lo! he was a tyrant) he was an arrogant transgressor (of the wanton ones) steeped in idolatry.

(And We chose them) i.e. the Children of Israel, (purposely) in accordance with Our knowledge, (above (all) creatures) of their time, by bestowing upon them quails and honey, the Scripture and Messenger, and by saving them from Pharaoh and his folk and from drowning.

(And We gave them portents) signs (wherein was a clear trial) and it is this that saved them from Pharaoh and drowning, and He sent down for them quails and honey in the wilderness, etc.; it is also said that (wherein was a clear trial) means: wherein was a great blessing.

(Lo! These) your people, O Muhammad, (forsooth, are saying:

There is) in our life (naught but our first death, and we shall not be raised again) and we shall not be brought back to life after we die.

(Bring back our fathers) revive, O Muhammad, our forefathers who died so that we might ask whether what you say is true or false, (if ye speak the Truth) that we will be raised again after we die!

Allah said (Are they better) are your people better, (or the folk of Tubba') or the people of Himyar, whose name was As'ad Ibn Malkikarb and his agnomen was Abu Karb, he was called Tubba' because he had a great number of followers (and those before them) before the people of Tubba'? (We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty) they were idolaters. Would your people not fear that We destroy them and punish them?

(And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them) of creation, (in play) in amusement.

(We created them not save with truth) We created them only for the Truth, never for falsehood; (but most of them) most of the people of Mecca (know not) this nor believe in it.

(Assuredly the Day of Decision) the Day of judgement between created beings (is the term of all of them) is their tryst,

(A day when friend can in naught avail friend) the day when no relative is of any benefit to his relative, and when no disbeliever is of any avail to another disbeliever, in relation to interceding to Allah or avoiding Allah's punishment, (nor can they be helped) nor can they avert the torment which they will face,

(Save him on whom Allah hath mercy) from among the believers, for these are not as described above, for they will intercede for one another. (Lo! He is the Mighty) in retribution against the disbelievers, (the Merciful) towards the believers.

(Lo! the tree of Zaqqum,

The food of the sinner) the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinner, Abu Jahl and his host, in the Fire!

(Like molten brass) and it is also said: black like the dregs of oil, (it seetheth in their bellies) it boils in their bellies

(As the seething of boiling water) just like water boils.

Allah will say to the angels of the Fire: (Take him) take Abu Jahl and his host (and drag him to the midst of hell,

Then pour upon his head the torment of boiling water) after he is beaten with iron skewers.

((Saying): Taste) O Abu Jahl! (Lo! thou wast forsooth the mighty) among your own folk, (the noble) in their midst! And it is also said that this means: you were the mighty who felt powerful through your own folk, the noble who was magnanimous with them!

(Lo! This) torment (is that whereof ye used to doubt) in the life of the world, deeming that it will never take place.

(Lo! those who kept their duty) those who ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies, i.e. Abu Bakr and his believing brothers, (will be in a place secure) a place safe from death, ruin or torment

(Amid Gardens and water springs) springs of wine, water, milk and honey,

(Attired in silk and silk embroidery, facing one another) they visit one another.

(Even so (it will be)) this is the station of the believers in Paradise. (And We shall wed them unto fair ones with wide, lovely eyes) and beautiful faces.

(They call therein for) they request in the Garden; and it is also said that this means: they eat in Paradise (every fruit in safety) from death, evanescence or torment.

(They taste not death therein) in the Garden, (save the first death) which they taste in the life of the world. (And He hath saved them from) and their Lord has removed from them (the doom of hell) the torment of the Fire,

(A bounty from thy Lord) a favour from your Lord; and it is also said this means: a gift from your Lord. (That) gift (is the Supreme Triumph) the supreme safety: they earned the Garden and became safe from the Fire.

(And We have made (this Scripture) easy in your language) We have made easy for you the recitation of the Qur'an (only that they may heed) that they may take admonition by means of the Qur'an.

(Wait then (O Muhammad)) their destruction at Badr. (Lo! they (too) are waiting) your destruction; and Allah did indeed destroy them on the Day of Badr'.