44: The Drought (Ad-Dukhan)
Revealed at Makkah
The title of this chapter is The Drought from the prophecy of the drought in v. 10. Chapters 40 to 46 form one group; see the introductory note to chapter 40. It predicts lighter punishment followed by severer if the opponents of truth did not repent, and cites the case of Pharaoh. Then it contrasts the final conditions of the righteous and the wicked.
Section 1 (Verses 44:1–44:29): Lighter Punishment followed by Severer
44:3
اِنَّاۤ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ فِیۡ لَیۡلَۃٍ مُّبٰرَکَۃٍ اِنَّا کُنَّا مُنۡذِرِیۡنَ ﴿۳﴾
We revealed it on a blessed night — truly We are ever warning.
The revelation of the Quran on a blessed night has a deeper meaning beneath it than the mere fact that the revelation began on the blessed night which is elsewhere called Lailat al-Qadr (97:1), one of the last ten nights in the month of Ramadan. The night stands for a time of darkness and ignorance, when true knowledge had disappeared from the world. A prophet’s advent is always preceded by such darkness, and when the Holy Prophet made his appearance, such darkness prevailed in all countries of the world. This night is called a blessed night because in it the world received the greatest manifestation of Divine light.
44:4
فِیۡہَا یُفۡرَقُ کُلُّ اَمۡرٍ حَکِیۡمٍ ۙ﴿۴﴾
In which (night) is made clear every matter of wisdom;
Divine revelation distinguishes truth from falsehood and reveals the treasures of wisdom to people.
44:5
اَمۡرًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِنَا ؕ اِنَّا کُنَّا مُرۡسِلِیۡنَ ۚ﴿۵﴾
a command from Us — truly We are ever sending messengers;
44:6
رَحۡمَۃً مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ ؕ اِنَّہٗ ہُوَ السَّمِیۡعُ الۡعَلِیۡمُ ۙ﴿۶﴾
a mercy from your Lord — truly He is the Hearing, the Knowing,
44:7
رَبِّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَا ۘ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّوۡقِنِیۡنَ ﴿۷﴾
the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if you would be sure.
44:8
لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ یُحۡیٖ وَ یُمِیۡتُ ؕ رَبُّکُمۡ وَ رَبُّ اٰبَآئِکُمُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿۸﴾
There is no God but He; He gives life and causes death — your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.
44:10
فَارۡتَقِبۡ یَوۡمَ تَاۡتِی السَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۱۰﴾
So wait for the day when the heaven brings a clear drought,
Dukhān means smoke, mischief, dearth, drought, or hunger. The commentators agree on the basis of highly trustworthy reports that its meaning here is drought. The statements made in these verses are all prophetical. Drought struck Makkah after the Quraish had rejected, opposed and persecuted the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Also prophetical is the statement of v. 15, We shall remove the punishment a little, because the removal of the drought was followed by the “violent seizing” (v. 16) , which brought on the conquest of Makkah.
44:11
یَّغۡشَی النَّاسَ ؕ ہٰذَا عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ ﴿۱۱﴾
enveloping people. This is a painful punishment.
44:12
رَبَّنَا اکۡشِفۡ عَنَّا الۡعَذَابَ اِنَّا مُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲﴾
Our Lord, remove from us the punishment — surely we are believers.
44:13
اَنّٰی لَہُمُ الذِّکۡرٰی وَ قَدۡ جَآءَہُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿ۙ۱۳﴾
When will they be reminded? And a Messenger has indeed come, making clear;
44:14
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡا عَنۡہُ وَ قَالُوۡا مُعَلَّمٌ مَّجۡنُوۡنٌ ﴿ۘ۱۴﴾
yet they turned away from him and said: One taught (by others), a madman!
44:15
اِنَّا کَاشِفُوا الۡعَذَابِ قَلِیۡلًا اِنَّکُمۡ عَآئِدُوۡنَ ﴿ۘ۱۵﴾
We shall remove the punishment a little, (but) you will surely return (to evil).
44:16
یَوۡمَ نَبۡطِشُ الۡبَطۡشَۃَ الۡکُبۡرٰی ۚ اِنَّا مُنۡتَقِمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۶﴾
On the day when We seize (them) with the most violent seizing; surely We shall exact retribution.
The prophecy here seems to refer to the constant defeats in battle that were to be suffered by the Quraish, beginning with the battle of Badr, and resulting in the final overthrow of their power by the conquest of Makkah.
44:17
وَ لَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَبۡلَہُمۡ قَوۡمَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَ جَآءَہُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ کَرِیۡمٌ ﴿ۙ۱۷﴾
And certainly We tried before them Pharaoh’s people and a noble messenger came to them,
44:18
اَنۡ اَدُّوۡۤا اِلَیَّ عِبَادَ اللّٰہِ ؕ اِنِّیۡ لَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ اَمِیۡنٌ ﴿ۙ۱۸﴾
saying: Deliver to me the servants of Allah. Surely I am a faithful messenger to you.
Moses wanted the Israelites to be allowed to leave Egypt.
44:19
وَّ اَنۡ لَّا تَعۡلُوۡا عَلَی اللّٰہِ ۚ اِنِّیۡۤ اٰتِیۡکُمۡ بِسُلۡطٰنٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿ۚ۱۹﴾
And do not exalt yourselves against Allah. Surely I bring to you a clear authority.
44:20
وَ اِنِّیۡ عُذۡتُ بِرَبِّیۡ وَ رَبِّکُمۡ اَنۡ تَرۡجُمُوۡنِ ﴿۫۲۰﴾
And I take refuge with my Lord and your Lord, that you may not stone me to death.
44:21
وَ اِنۡ لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡا لِیۡ فَاعۡتَزِلُوۡنِ ﴿۲۱﴾
And if you do not believe in me, leave me alone.
44:22
فَدَعَا رَبَّہٗۤ اَنَّ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمٌ مُّجۡرِمُوۡنَ ﴿ؓ۲۲﴾
Then he called upon his Lord: These are a guilty people.
44:23
فَاَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِیۡ لَیۡلًا اِنَّکُمۡ مُّتَّبَعُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۲۳﴾
So go forth with My servants by night; surely you will be pursued,
44:24
وَ اتۡرُکِ الۡبَحۡرَ رَہۡوًا ؕ اِنَّہُمۡ جُنۡدٌ مُّغۡرَقُوۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾
and leave the sea behind calm. Surely they are an army to be drowned.
There was no storm in the sea when it was left by the Israelites, so that the Egyptians, finding it calm and motionless, followed the Israelites.
44:25
کَمۡ تَرَکُوۡا مِنۡ جَنّٰتٍ وَّ عُیُوۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۲۵﴾
How many of the gardens and springs they left behind!
44:28
کَذٰلِکَ ۟ وَ اَوۡرَثۡنٰہَا قَوۡمًا اٰخَرِیۡنَ ﴿۲۸﴾
Thus (it was). And We made other people inherit them.
44:29
فَمَا بَکَتۡ عَلَیۡہِمُ السَّمَآءُ وَ الۡاَرۡضُ وَ مَا کَانُوۡا مُنۡظَرِیۡنَ ﴿٪۲۹﴾
So the heaven and the earth did not weep for them, nor were they given respite.
The weeping for a dead man signifies the remembering of his good qualities or actions, which often brings tears to the eyes. The heaven and the earth did not weep for them because they had neither the love of God in their hearts, nor had they done anything for the good of people, so that their good qualities should have been remembered either in heaven or on earth.
Section 2 (Verses 44:30–44:42): Good and Evil Rewarded
44:30
وَ لَقَدۡ نَجَّیۡنَا بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ مِنَ الۡعَذَابِ الۡمُہِیۡنِ ﴿ۙ۳۰﴾
And We indeed delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating punishment,
44:31
مِنۡ فِرۡعَوۡنَ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ عَالِیًا مِّنَ الۡمُسۡرِفِیۡنَ ﴿۳۱﴾
from Pharaoh. Surely he was high-handed, committing excesses.
44:32
وَ لَقَدِ اخۡتَرۡنٰہُمۡ عَلٰی عِلۡمٍ عَلَی الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۳۲﴾
And certainly We chose them above the nations, in having knowledge.
44:33
وَ اٰتَیۡنٰہُمۡ مِّنَ الۡاٰیٰتِ مَا فِیۡہِ بَلٰٓـؤٌا مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۳۳﴾
And We gave them signs in which was clear blessing.
44:35
اِنۡ ہِیَ اِلَّا مَوۡتَتُنَا الۡاُوۡلٰی وَ مَا نَحۡنُ بِمُنۡشَرِیۡنَ ﴿۳۵﴾
There is only our first death and we shall not be raised again.
44:36
فَاۡتُوۡا بِاٰبَآئِنَاۤ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ ﴿۳۶﴾
So bring our fathers (back), if you are truthful.
44:37
اَہُمۡ خَیۡرٌ اَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعٍ ۙ وَّ الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِمۡ ؕ اَہۡلَکۡنٰہُمۡ ۫ اِنَّہُمۡ کَانُوۡا مُجۡرِمِیۡنَ ﴿۳۷﴾
Are they better or the people of Tubba, and those before them? We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty.
Generally Tubba‘ is taken to be the title of the kings of the Himyar in Yaman. The particular Tubba spoken of here is said to have been a prophet.
44:38
وَ مَا خَلَقۡنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَا لٰعِبِیۡنَ ﴿۳۸﴾
And We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in sport.
44:39
مَا خَلَقۡنٰہُمَاۤ اِلَّا بِالۡحَقِّ وَ لٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَہُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۳۹﴾
We did not create them but with truth, but most of them do not know.
44:40
اِنَّ یَوۡمَ الۡفَصۡلِ مِیۡقَاتُہُمۡ اَجۡمَعِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۰﴾
Surely the day of Decision is the term for them all,
44:41
یَوۡمَ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ مَوۡلًی عَنۡ مَّوۡلًی شَیۡئًا وَّ لَا ہُمۡ یُنۡصَرُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۱﴾
the day when friend will not avail friend in the least, nor will they be helped —
44:42
اِلَّا مَنۡ رَّحِمَ اللّٰہُ ؕ اِنَّہٗ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الرَّحِیۡمُ ﴿٪۴۲﴾
except those on whom Allah has mercy. Surely He is the Mighty, the Merciful.
Section 3 (Verses 44:43–44:59): Good and Evil Rewarded
See 37:62 footnote.
44:45
کَالۡمُہۡلِ ۚۛ یَغۡلِیۡ فِی الۡبُطُوۡنِ ﴿ۙ۴۵﴾
like molten brass; it seethes in (their) bellies
44:47
خُذُوۡہُ فَاعۡتِلُوۡہُ اِلٰی سَوَآءِ الۡجَحِیۡمِ ﴿٭ۖ۴۷﴾
Seize him, then drag him into the midst of hell;
44:48
ثُمَّ صُبُّوۡا فَوۡقَ رَاۡسِہٖ مِنۡ عَذَابِ الۡحَمِیۡمِ ﴿ؕ۴۸﴾
then pour on his head torment of boiling water —
44:49
ذُقۡ ۚۙ اِنَّکَ اَنۡتَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡکَرِیۡمُ ﴿۴۹﴾
Taste — you are the (so-called) mighty, the honourable!
Those who considered themselves mighty and honourable in the land and tried their utmost to exterminate the Truth were ultimately brought low in the land in this very life and thus tasted the consequences of their arrogance.
44:51
اِنَّ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ فِیۡ مَقَامٍ اَمِیۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۵۱﴾
Those who keep their duty are indeed in a secure place —
44:53
یَّلۡبَسُوۡنَ مِنۡ سُنۡدُسٍ وَّ اِسۡتَبۡرَقٍ مُّتَقٰبِلِیۡنَ ﴿ۚۙ۵۳﴾
wearing fine silk and thick brocade, facing one another —
44:54
کَذٰلِکَ ۟ وَ زَوَّجۡنٰہُمۡ بِحُوۡرٍ عِیۡنٍ ﴿ؕ۵۴﴾
thus (shall it be). And We shall join them to pure, beautiful ones.
See 52:20 footnote.
44:55
یَدۡعُوۡنَ فِیۡہَا بِکُلِّ فَاکِہَۃٍ اٰمِنِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۵۵﴾
They call therein for every fruit in security —
44:56
لَا یَذُوۡقُوۡنَ فِیۡہَا الۡمَوۡتَ اِلَّا الۡمَوۡتَۃَ الۡاُوۡلٰی ۚ وَ وَقٰہُمۡ عَذَابَ الۡجَحِیۡمِ ﴿ۙ۵۶﴾
they do not taste death therein, except the first death; and He will save them from the punishment of hell —
44:57
فَضۡلًا مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ ؕ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِیۡمُ ﴿۵۷﴾
a grace from your Lord. This is the mighty achievement.
44:58
فَاِنَّمَا یَسَّرۡنٰہُ بِلِسَانِکَ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَتَذَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۸﴾
So We have made it easy in your tongue that they may be mindful.