سُورَةُ الدُّخَانِ

حمۤ (۱)

Ha. Mim.

وَٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِینِ (۲)

CONSIDER this divine writ, clear in itself and clearly showing the truth!

إِنَّاۤ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِی لَیۡلَةࣲ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِینَ (۳)

Behold, from on high have We bestowed it on a blessed night: for, verily, We have always been warning [man].

فِیهَا یُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِیمٍ (۴)

On that [night] was made clear, in wisdom, the distinction between all things [good and evil]

أَمۡرࣰا مِّنۡ عِندِنَاۤۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِینَ (۵)

at a behest from Ourselves: for, verily, We have always been sending [Our messages of guidance]

رَحۡمَةࣰ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ (۶)

in pur­suance of thy Sustainer’s grace [unto man]. Verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing,

رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَاۤۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِینَ (۷)

the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them - if you could but grasp it with inner certainty!

لَاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ یُحۡیِۦ وَیُمِیتُۖ رَبُّكُمۡ وَرَبُّ ءَابَاۤىِٕكُمُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِینَ (۸)

There is no deity save Him: He grants life and deals death: He is your Sustainer as well as the Sustainer of your forebears of old.

بَلۡ هُمۡ فِی شَكࣲّ یَلۡعَبُونَ (۹)

Nay, but they [who lack inner certainty] are but Dying with their doubts.

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ یَوۡمَ تَأۡتِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ بِدُخَانࣲ مُّبِینࣲ (۱۰)

WAIT, THEN, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a pall of smoke which will make obvious [the approach of the Last Hour],

یَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِیمࣱ (۱۱)

enveloping all mankind, [and causing the sinners to exclaim:] “Grievous is this suffering!

رَّبَّنَا ٱكۡشِفۡ عَنَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤۡمِنُونَ (۱۲)

O our Sustainer, relieve us of suffering, for, verily, we [now] believe [in Thee]!”

أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ وَقَدۡ جَاۤءَهُمۡ رَسُولࣱ مُّبِینࣱ (۱۳)

[But] how shall this remembrance avail them [at the Last Hour], seeing that an apostle had pre­viously come unto them, clearly expounding the truth,

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡا۟ عَنۡهُ وَقَالُوا۟ مُعَلَّمࣱ مَّجۡنُونٌ (۱۴)

whereupon they turned their backs on him and said, “Taught [by others] is he, a madman”?

إِنَّا كَاشِفُوا۟ ٱلۡعَذَابِ قَلِیلًاۚ إِنَّكُمۡ عَاۤىِٕدُونَ (۱۵)

[Still,] behold, We shall postpone this suffer­ing for a little while, although you are bound to revert [to your evil ways: but]

یَوۡمَ نَبۡطِشُ ٱلۡبَطۡشَةَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰۤ إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ (۱۶)

on the Day when We shall seize [all sinners] with a most mighty onslaught, We shall, verily, inflict Our retribution [on you as well]!

۞ وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَجَاۤءَهُمۡ رَسُولࣱ كَرِیمٌ (۱۷)

AND, INDEED, [long] before their time did We try Pharaoh’s people [in the same way]: for there came unto them a noble apostle, [who said:]

أَنۡ أَدُّوۤا۟ إِلَیَّ عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّی لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِینࣱ (۱۸)

“Give in unto me, O God’s bondmen! Verily, I am an apostle [sent] unto you, worthy of trust!

وَأَن لَّا تَعۡلُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّیۤ ءَاتِیكُم بِسُلۡطَـٰنࣲ مُّبِینࣲ (۱۹)

“And exalt not yourselves against God: for, verily, I come unto you with a manifest authority [from Him];

وَإِنِّی عُذۡتُ بِرَبِّی وَرَبِّكُمۡ أَن تَرۡجُمُونِ (۲۰)

and, behold, it is with my Sustainer - and your Sustainer - that I seek refuge against all your endeavours to revile me.

وَإِن لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوا۟ لِی فَٱعۡتَزِلُونِ (۲۱)

And if you do not believe me, [at least] stand away from me!”

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥۤ أَنَّ هَـٰۤؤُلَاۤءِ قَوۡمࣱ مُّجۡرِمُونَ (۲۲)

But then, [when they beset him with their enmity,] he called out to his Sustainer, “These are [indeed] people lost in sin!”

فَأَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِی لَیۡلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ (۲۳)

And [God said]: “Go thou forth with My servants by night, for you will surely be pursued;

وَٱتۡرُكِ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ رَهۡوًاۖ إِنَّهُمۡ جُندࣱ مُّغۡرَقُونَ (۲۴)

and leave the sea becalmed [between thee and Pharaoh’s men]: for, verily, they are a host destined to be drowned!”

كَمۡ تَرَكُوا۟ مِن جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَعُیُونࣲ (۲۵)

[And so they perished: and] how many gardens did they leave behind, and water-runnels,

وَزُرُوعࣲ وَمَقَامࣲ كَرِیمࣲ (۲۶)

and fields of grain, and noble dwellings,

وَنَعۡمَةࣲ كَانُوا۟ فِیهَا فَـٰكِهِینَ (۲۷)

and [all that] life of ease in which they used to delight!

كَذَ ٰ⁠لِكَۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَـٰهَا قَوۡمًا ءَاخَرِینَ (۲۸)

Thus it was. And [then] We made another people heirs [to what they had left],

فَمَا بَكَتۡ عَلَیۡهِمُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنظَرِینَ (۲۹)

and neither sky nor earth shed tears over them, nor were they allowed a respite.

وَلَقَدۡ نَجَّیۡنَا بَنِیۤ إِسۡرَ ٰ⁠ۤءِیلَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡمُهِینِ (۳۰)

And, indeed, We delivered the children of Israel from the shameful suffering

مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَالِیࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِینَ (۳۱)

[inflicted on them] by Pharaoh, seeing that he was truly outstand­ing among those who waste their own selves;

وَلَقَدِ ٱخۡتَرۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ (۳۲)

and indeed, We chose them knowingly above all other people,

وَءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ مَا فِیهِ بَلَـٰۤؤࣱا۟ مُّبِینٌ (۳۳)

and gave them such signs [of Our grace] as would clearly presage a test.

إِنَّ هَـٰۤؤُلَاۤءِ لَیَقُولُونَ (۳۴)

[Now,] behold, these [people] say indeed:

إِنۡ هِیَ إِلَّا مَوۡتَتُنَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُنشَرِینَ (۳۵)

“That [which is ahead of us] is but our first [and only] death, and we shall not be raised to life again.

فَأۡتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَاۤىِٕنَاۤ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ (۳۶)

So then, bring forth our forefathers [as witnesses], if what you claim is true!”

أَهُمۡ خَیۡرٌ أَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعࣲ وَٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوا۟ مُجۡرِمِینَ (۳۷)

Are they, then, better than the people of Tubba and those before them, whom We destroyed because they were truly lost in [the same] sin?

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَا لَـٰعِبِینَ (۳۸)

For [thus it is:] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play:

مَا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُمَاۤ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ (۳۹)

none of this have We created without [an inner] truth: but most of them under­stand it not.

إِنَّ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ مِیقَـٰتُهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِینَ (۴۰)

VERILY, the Day of Distinction [between the true and the false] is the term appointed for all of them:

یَوۡمَ لَا یُغۡنِی مَوۡلًى عَن مَّوۡلࣰى شَیۡـࣰٔا وَلَا هُمۡ یُنصَرُونَ (۴۱)

the Day when no friend shall be of the least avail to his friend, and when none shall be succoured

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ (۴۲)

save those upon whom God will have bestowed His grace and mercy: for, verily, He alone is almighty, a dispenser of grace.

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ ٱلزَّقُّومِ (۴۳)

Verily, [in the life to come] the tree of deadly fruit

طَعَامُ ٱلۡأَثِیمِ (۴۴)

will be the food of the sinful:

كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ یَغۡلِی فِی ٱلۡبُطُونِ (۴۵)

like molten lead will it boil in the belly,

كَغَلۡیِ ٱلۡحَمِیمِ (۴۶)

like the boiling of burning despair.

خُذُوهُ فَٱعۡتِلُوهُ إِلَىٰ سَوَاۤءِ ٱلۡجَحِیمِ (۴۷)

[And the word will be spoken:] “Seize him, [O you forces of hell,] and drag him into the midst of the blazing fire:

ثُمَّ صُبُّوا۟ فَوۡقَ رَأۡسِهِۦ مِنۡ عَذَابِ ٱلۡحَمِیمِ (۴۸)

then pour over his head the anguish of burning despair!

ذُقۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلۡكَرِیمُ (۴۹)

Taste it - thou who [on earth] hast considered thyself so mighty, so noble!

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا مَا كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَمۡتَرُونَ (۵۰)

This is the very thing which you [deniers of the truth] were wont to call in question!”

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ فِی مَقَامٍ أَمِینࣲ (۵۱)

[As against this -] verily, the God-conscious will find themselves in a state secure,

فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَعُیُونࣲ (۵۲)

amid gardens and springs,

یَلۡبَسُونَ مِن سُندُسࣲ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقࣲ مُّتَقَـٰبِلِینَ (۵۳)

wearing [garments] of silk and brocade, facing one another [in love].

كَذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ وَزَوَّجۡنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِینࣲ (۵۴)

Thus shall it be. And We shall pair them with companions pure, most beautiful of eye.

یَدۡعُونَ فِیهَا بِكُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍ ءَامِنِینَ (۵۵)

In that [paradise] they shall [rightfully] claim all the fruits [of their past deeds], resting in security;

لَا یَذُوقُونَ فِیهَا ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوۡتَةَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰۖ وَوَقَىٰهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡجَحِیمِ (۵۶)

and neither shall they taste death there after having passed through their erstwhile death. Thus will He have preserved them from all suffer­ing through the blazing fire-

فَضۡلࣰا مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِیمُ (۵۷)

an act of thy Sustainer’s favour: and that, that will be the triumph supreme!

فَإِنَّمَا یَسَّرۡنَـٰهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَذَكَّرُونَ (۵۸)

THUS, THEN, [O Prophet,] have We made this [divine writ] easy to understand, in thine own [human] tongue, so that men might take it to heart.

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ إِنَّهُم مُّرۡتَقِبُونَ (۵۹)

So wait thou [for what the future will bring]: behold, they, too, are waiting.