CHAPTER 44: AD-DUKHAN (THE SMOKE)

 

Surah Ad-Dukhan was revealed in the Meccan period. It consists of 59 verses. Dukhan means ‘smoke.’ The surah takes its name from the same word in the 10th verse. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/495)

 

Hadith: ‘Whoever recites Surah Ad-Dukhan on a Friday night will be forgiven.’ (I. KARAGOZ, 7/69, from Tirmidhi, Tafsir Dukhan 8, narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra))

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

44/1-12 INDEED, WE ARE WARNERS

 

Translation

 

1- Ha, Meem.

 

2-3- By the clear Book (of rulings), indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We are (ever) warning (mankind with the Qur'an). [cf. 2/185; 97/1-2]

 

4-5-6- On that night is made distinct (written and determined) every precise matter (such as provision and life spans), by command from Us. (O My Prophet!) Indeed, We are (ever) sending (messengers as We have since long ago). As a mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

 

7- (O mankind!) If you should be believers (know that Allah is) the Lord of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them.

 

8- There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. (He is) your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.

 

9- (O My Prophet!) But they are in doubt (regarding the occurrence of the Resurrection), amusing themselves (with worldly affairs).

 

10, 11- (O Messenger!) Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke (dukan). That will envelop the people. This is a painful punishment.

 

12- (The people will say:) ‘Our Lord, remove from us the torment; indeed, we will be believers.’

 

Commentary

 

(1, 2, 3). ‘By the clear Book (of rulings), indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We are warning (mankind with the Qur'an).’That which is sworn upon is valuable, important, and sometimes holy. Here, the one swearing is Allah, and that which is sworn upon is the Qur'an; the purpose is to inform how important and valuable this book is. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/791)

 

Almighty Allah stated that He sent down the Qur'an on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) in verse 1 of Surah Al-Qadr, and in this verse, He states He sent it down on a blessed night. If these two nights were not the same, a contradiction would arise. On the other hand, in another verse, it is explicitly stated that the Qur'an was sent down in the month of Ramadan. (cf. Baqara 2/185, H. DONDUREN, 2/785)

 

Some commentators are of the opinion that by the expression ‘during a blessed night,’the night when the revelation of the Qur'an began is meant. Others are of the opinion that this night refers to the night when the Qur'an was taken from the ‘Mother of the Book’ (Umm al-Kitab) and handed over entirely to the angels carrying the revelation; from there, it was sent down to Prophet Muhammad as needed over 23 years, observing the appropriateness of time and place. And Allah knows best. (MAWDUDI, 5/279)

 

The night is described as blessed because the Holy Qur'an was sent down in a way that includes all worldly blessings, or because angels and mercy descend on that night, prayers are accepted, the superiority of worship on that night, or because along with all these, provisions are decreed and lifespans and other such rulings are clearly specified. (S. HAWWA, 13/287, from Alusi)

 

(4, 5, 6). ‘On that night is made distinct every precise matter by command from Us.’Since ‘sending down’ and ‘sending messengers’ are mentioned before and after the word ‘distinct/separated,’ the meaning of the word here is also explained. That which is separated/sent/sent down by the command of Allah, or according to another interpretation, as the command (work) of Allah, is the Qur'an. The purpose of separating is to send it down, to send it to people through Gabriel and the Prophet. The use of the word ‘separating/made distinct’ alongside ‘sending down/sending’ is aimed at explaining that everything—whether it be the Qur'an or other wise matters whose ruling has been given and time has come—is separated from a whole and moves from potential to action, from destiny (qadar) to decree (qada), from determination to creation (takwin), and from knowledge and design to realization and creation. Indeed, in Surah Al-Isra (17/106), the sending of the parts separated from the whole of the Qur'an to the Prophet as their place and time came is expressed with the same word, saying ‘We separated/divided.’ (QUR’AN WAY, 4/791, 792)

 

‘On that night is made distinct every precise matter.’Through the Qur'an revealed on this night, every command was distinguished, every issue was brought to a solution, the lasting truth was determined from the superficial falsehood, boundaries were drawn, and all road signs determining the route of humanity in its journey from this night until the Day of Judgment were erected. In the world of humans, no foundation upon which life must lean has been left without being explained or determined. Everything has been put forward just as in the system of general and permanent universal laws. (S. KUTUB, 9/154, 155)

 

‘By command from Us...’That is, all that happens and all that Almighty Allah decrees and reveals is by His command, His permission, and His knowledge. That is, every single matter distinguished on the Night of Decree is by a command from Allah. And this matter was described as ‘precise/wise’ in the preceding holy verse. (S. HAWWA, 13/270)

 

‘Indeed, We are (ever) sending (messengers).’That is, We sent down this Holy Qur'an. Because it is a requirement of Our glory and Our Sunnah (tradition) to send books to Our servants along with messengers out of mercy for them. (S. HAWWA, 13/270)

 

‘Indeed, We are sending (messengers) as a mercy from your Lord.’That is, the sending of this book is not only a requirement of wisdom but also a requirement of Allah's mercy. For Allah, the Lord of the worlds, created everything for the physical needs of His servants, and He also sent them the Book because He knew they needed knowledge that would inform them of what Truth and Falsehood are so that they would not remain in darkness and could see the right path. (MAWDUDI, 5/280, 281)

 

(7). ‘If you should be believers (know that your Lord is) the Lord of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, the one who sent down this Holy Qur'an is the Lord, Creator, and Owner of the heavens, the earth, and everything in them. If you are truly people of certainty (yaqin), you will definitely accept this reality.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/270)

 

Nasafi says the following regarding the meaning of the command of Almighty Allah: ‘If you are certain’: ‘They used to accept that the heavens and the earth had a Lord and a Creator. It was said to them: The sending of messengers and the revealing of books is a mercy from the Lord. Then it was said: If your confession is based on knowledge, know that this Lord is the one who hears all and knows all, the one you confess and accept created the heavens, the earth, and what is between them. Therefore, believe that He also sends messengers and reveals books. This is a clear proof of knowing Almighty Allah as He deserves, and that He definitely sends messengers and reveals books.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/270)

 

(8). ‘There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. (He is) your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.’It is out of the question for Almighty Allah, who possesses these attributes, to leave His servants without warning, without guidance, without directing them to the truth, and without sending a messenger. (S. HAWWA, 13/270)

 

(9). ‘But the pagans are in doubt, amusing themselves.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘Almighty Allah says: But these pagans are in doubt, amusing themselves. While the truth has come to them clearly, they doubt this truth and do not confirm it.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/271)

 

This also indicates that their recognition of Almighty Allah is essentially not healthy. Furthermore, it shows that their recognition and knowledge go no further than being words spoken with the tongue, and their acceptance of Allah's existence and attributes does not stem from knowledge and certainty; on the contrary, it consists of a word mixed with heedlessness, mockery, and play. (S. HAWWA, 13/272)

 

(10, 11). ‘Watch for the day when the sky will bring a visible smoke’—wait for it. ‘It will envelop the people.’It will cover and surround them. They will say: ‘This is a painful punishment,’meaning it is a punishment that will give pain and suffering. (S. HAWWA, 13/275)

 

(...) Seeing the expression ‘yevme te’ti s’semâü bi dühânin mübîn’in the relevant verse as a sign of the Day of Judgment is nothing but a forced interpretation. For assigning such a meaning to the term ‘dukan’(smoke) in the verse means not approaching the Qur'an holistically. However, this style of reading never leads the interlocutor to the correct result. Therefore, a holistic reading must be considered here as well. As a result of such a reading, the picture that emerges—especially from the subsequent verses—reveals that the ‘dukan’ (smoke) event occurred previously. Because it is understood from the verses following the one we have dealt with that the pagans said, ‘Our Lord, remove from us the torment; indeed, we will be believers’ to be saved from the famine they suffered, and Allah the Almighty replied: ‘How will there be for them a reminder? And there had already come to them a clear Messenger.’ (M. DEMIRCI, 3/99, 100)

 

(12). ‘Our Lord, remove from us the torment; indeed, we will be believers.’If You remove the punishment from us, we will believe. (S. HAWWA, 13/275)

 

Hadith: Due to the resistance of the pagans against his call, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) begged Allah to give them a famine as He did to the people of Joseph. His prayer was accepted, famine came, and nothing to eat or drink remained. People ate whatever they found, even skins and bones. They became so weak from hunger that they eventually suffered from visual impairment; when they looked, they saw a smoke surrounding them. Finally, they applied to our Prophet (pbuh) and said they now believed, and asked him to pray for the removal of this punishment. The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘When the punishment is removed, you will return to your old state.’ Indeed, upon his prayer, the punishment was removed, and they immediately returned to their old disbelief. Allah gave the punishment for this fickleness and persistence in disbelief and wrongdoing at the Battle of Badr. (O. CELIK, 4/488, 489, from Bukhari Tafsir 44/1-5)

 

44/13-21 WHERE IS THEIR ADMONITION?

 

Translation

 

13, 14- How can they have a reminder and take heed! While there had already come to them a Messenger making things clear. Then they turned away from him and said, ‘(He is) a madman taught (by others).’

 

15- (O pagans!) Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little. (But) indeed, you will return (to your old disbelief). [cf. 6/28]

 

16- (O My Prophet!) On the Day We will seize (the pagans) with the Greatest Seizure, indeed, We will take retribution (from them).

 

17, 18, 19- And We had certainly tried the people of Pharaoh before them. And there came to them a noble messenger (saying): ‘Hand over to me the servants of Allah! Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.’ [cf. 20/47] ‘And do not exalt yourselves against Allah (do not rebel against His commands). Indeed, I come to you with a clear authority (miracle).’

 

20, 21- ‘And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest you stone me (to death).’ 21. ‘But if you do not believe me, then leave me alone.’

 

Commentary

 

(13, 14). ‘How can they have a reminder and take heed! While there had already come to them a Messenger making things clear.’A messenger came who explained everything clearly through explicit verses and miracles, evidentially sent by Allah, and clear in both his actions and his words. (ELMALILI, 7/71, 72)

 

‘Then they turned away from him and said: '(He is) a madman taught (by others)'.’They called him ‘taught’ and ‘mad.’ Sometimes they said he was taught, claiming an Ajam (non-Arab) slave of someone from Thaqif was teaching him; sometimes they said he was ‘majnun’ (mad). In this state, how far it is for people with such a disposition to take heed from the expression of events, to wake up, and to keep their word. (ELMALILI, 7/72)

 

(15). ‘Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little. (But) indeed, you will return (to your old disbelief).’Indeed, both situations (the temporary removal of the torment and the return to disbelief) occurred. For Allah the Almighty removed the calamity from them through the blessing of the Prophet's prayer, and immediately after, they returned to their old transgression and stubbornness. Because the state required by their corrupt nature and distorted disposition is to immediately turn back on their word, break the covenant, and return to shirk as soon as the obstacle is removed. Allah the Almighty declares this situation in various places in the Holy Qur'an regarding ship passengers (Yunus 10/23; Luqman 31/32). That is, they pray to Allah when caught in a storm. Once they are saved and reach land without problems, they persist in their shirk, rebellion, and disbelief. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/522, 523)

 

(16). ‘On the Day We will seize them with the Greatest Seizure, indeed, We will take retribution.’Allah the Almighty seized and punished them with hunger and smoke, and then made them taste death and captivity on the day of Badr. All of these are of the nature of a near punishment, separate from the great punishment. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah the Almighty will seize them so severely that this situation can never be compared with that in the world. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/523)

 

The commentator Razi puts forward that the day the mentioned seizure will be carried out is the Day of Resurrection, not the day the Battle of Badr took place. For according to him, the Battle of Badr represents a seizure and a calling to account carried out under very specific conditions compared to the Resurrection. However, divine questioning and punishment in its general dimension will only be possible at the Resurrection. It is for this reason that the Resurrection is called ‘Qiyamat-i Kubra,’ meaning the Great Resurrection. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/101, from Razi 27/245)

 

(17, 18, 19). ‘And We had certainly tried the people of Pharaoh before the pagans.’We tried them with various blessings, with power, with sovereignty over the earth, by giving them the opportunity to live in prosperity for a long time, and by placing the causes that provided wealth and superiority under their hands. (S. KUTUB, 9/161)

 

‘And there came to them a noble’or personally honorable, noble, and valuable ‘messenger.’For Almighty Allah sent all prophets from among those who were in a high degree in terms of honor and superiority among their tribes. The person meant here is Moses (as). (S. HAWWA, 13/277)

 

‘Hand over to me the servants of Allah!’That is, Moses (as) said to Pharaoh and his people: Hand over to me the Children of Israel, who are the servants of Allah. When saying ‘hand them over to me,’ he meant to set them free with me, let them come with me. (S. HAWWA, 13/277)

 

‘Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.’That is, I am a Messenger who must be trusted. I am not someone who invents what I speak from myself. Furthermore, I am not claiming prophethood based on my interests or my whims and caprices and attributing it to Allah. You can trust what I say. Because I am conveying to you a message sent by Allah in a complete manner. (It is quite noteworthy that Prophet Moses spoke these words at a time when he began the tabligh [conveyance]. MAWDUDI, 5/287)

 

‘And do not exalt yourselves against Allah.’That is, it means do not show arrogance against Allah by belittling His Messenger and His revelation, or do not be arrogant toward the Prophet of Allah. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, do not show arrogance by remaining distant from following Allah's verses, from bowing before His proofs, and from believing in His evidences.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/277)

 

‘Indeed, I come to you with a clear authority (miracle).’The clear evidence mentioned by Prophet Moses in verse 19 is not a single one, but a series of miracles he showed throughout his struggle with Pharaoh, from his first arrival to Pharaoh until the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt. Every time a shown miracle was denied, Allah gave Prophet Moses a miracle greater than it. (cf. Zukhruf 43/48, O. CELIK, 4/490)

 

(20). ‘And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest you stone me.’That is, he seeks refuge in his Lord because of this. He tawakkuls (places trust) in Him to protect him from them and their tricks and traps. He does not pay attention to the stoning and killing with which they threaten him. Some have also interpreted ‘stoning’ as insult and swearing. (S. HAWWA, 13/277, 278)

 

(21). ‘But if you do not believe me, then leave me alone.’This conversation took place at a time when Pharaoh denied the miracles shown by Prophet Moses and was in fear and panic due to the Egyptians and state administrators being affected. For this reason, Pharaoh explained his initial views in a speech he made in his council (Zukhruf 43/51-53). Later, when he felt his throne was shaking, he decided to murder Prophet Moses. Upon this, Prophet Moses said, ‘I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant one who does not believe in the Day of Account’ (Mumin 40/27). (MAWDUDI 5/287)

 

44/22-29 THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WEPT NOT FOR THEM

 

Translation

 

22- Then (Moses) called upon his Lord: ‘Indeed, these are a people who are criminals and disbelievers (so help me).’

 

23, 24- (Allah commanded Moses:) ‘Leave with My servants by night, for you will surely be pursued (by Pharaoh and his army). [cf. 20/77; 26/52] 24. And leave the sea parted (calmly). (Do not fear and do not strike the sea with your staff again,) keep the path open. Indeed, they are an army to be drowned (as they deserve).’

 

25, 26, 27, 28- How much they left behind of gardens and springs! 26. And crops and noble dwellings! 27. And comfort wherein they used to take delight! 28. Thus it was. And We caused to inherit it another people.

 

29- And the heaven and earth wept not for them, nor were they given respite (they were drowned and gone).

 

Commentary

 

(22). ‘Then (Moses) called upon his Lord: 'Indeed, these are a people who are wrongdoers and disbelievers (so help me).'‘That is, he prayed to his Lord by complaining about his people: ‘These are a sinful community,’ he said. Upon this, Almighty Allah gave him the command to take the Children of Israel and depart from among them without Pharaoh's order, without consulting him, and without receiving his permission. (S. HAWWA, 13/278)

 

(23, 24). ‘(Allah said: O Moses:) 'Leave with My servants by night.'‘Take the Children of Israel, who are My servants, and walk by night! ‘For you will surely be pursued.’You will go ahead, and Pharaoh and his soldiers will follow behind you; He will save you and drown them in the water. (S. HAWWA, 13/278)

 

‘Leave the sea parted (calmly).’That is, leave the path in its dry state and the waters standing and upright in stability and stillness, without changing anything or striking it again with the staff, so that the Copts enter it. When they enter there, Allah will close the water over them. (S. HAWWA, 13/278)

 

‘Indeed, they are’after you emerge from the sea ‘an army to be drowned.’And indeed, it happened so. (S. HAWWA, 13/278)

 

When Pharaoh and his men persisted in disbelief and did not permit the Children of Israel to leave Egypt with Prophet Moses, Almighty Allah commanded Prophet Moses to go to the land of Canaan by crossing the Red Sea after leaving Egypt. As expressed in verse 63 of Surah Ash-Shu'ara and verse 77 of Surah Ta-Ha, Prophet Moses struck the sea with his staff by Allah's command, and the sea parted, opening a path. Prophet Moses and the believers crossed the Red Sea in safety; when Pharaoh and his men who were following them reached the middle of the sea, the opened path filled with water, and Pharaoh and his men drowned in the sea. (2/5, 10/90; I. KARAGOZ, 7/84)

 

(25-28). ‘Pharaoh and his people had left behind many gardens and springs’—wells and rivers. They also abandoned every kind of ‘many crops and magnificent dwellings’—beautiful residences and beautiful places. Mujahid and Said b. Jubayr explained the expression ‘magnificent dwellings’ as the ‘pulpits/platforms’ they used to climb to make speeches among the people. That is, it means they were forced to leave many things of this kind. ‘And many blessings in which they took pleasure and comfort.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘They lost all of their dominance over the country where they lived as they wished, ate what they wished, wore what they wished, and possessed many goods and positions (...). They departed from the world and went to Hell. What an evil destination it is.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/279)

 

‘Thus it was. And We caused to inherit it another people.’According to Hasan al-Basri, this community refers to the Children of Israel who became dominant in Egypt after Pharaoh. Qatada, however, said: ‘By this community, the tribes that dominated Egypt after the House of Pharaoh are meant. For there is no historical evidence that the Children of Israel returned after their departure from Egypt.’ (MAWDUDI, 5/288)

 

‘The heaven and earth wept not for them, nor were they given respite (they were drowned and gone).’Upon the death of a person they valued, the Arabs used to say, ‘the world darkened for him,’ ‘the moon and sun were eclipsed for him,’ ‘the wind, heaven, and earth wept for him.’ In this verse, Almighty Allah used this same stylistic method to describe the worthlessness of Pharaoh and his men, stating that no one wept behind them. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/103, from Razi)

 

That is, during their reign, their fame ruled everywhere and everyone spoke of them with admiration. So much so that, as if no equal to them could be found in the world, everyone was crushed under their favors. However, when their sovereignty was leveled to the ground, no one shed tears behind them. On the contrary, they were even pleased with their collapse. It was as if they had been saved from a great calamity. It is understood that they did not perform even a single good deed toward Allah's creation that would require anyone to be sad for them. Likewise, they could not perform any good deed for the sake of Allah for which those in the heavens would feel sorrow at their downfall. During the time Allah gave them opportunity, they caused corruption on earth, and finally, when they exceeded the limits, the punishment came, and they were crushed and thrown aside like a piece of trash. (MAWDUDI, 5/289)

 

44/30-42 WE DID NOT CREATE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH FOR AMUSEMENT

 

Translation

 

30, 31- And We certainly delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment—from Pharaoh. Indeed, he was a haughty tyrant among the transgressors. [cf. 2/49]

 

32- And We certainly chose them knowingly over the worlds (of their time and made them dominant over their surroundings).

 

33- And We gave them signs (miracles such as the parting of the sea, the cloud providing shade, manna, and quails) in which there was a clear trial.

 

34-35-36- (O My Messenger!) Indeed, these (Meccan disbelievers) say: ‘There is nothing but our first death, and we will not be resurrected. 36. So bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.’ [cf. 45/24]

 

37- (O My Prophet!) Are they better than the people of Tubba' and those before them? We destroyed them, [for] indeed, they were criminals (disbelievers, pagans, and wrongdoers).

 

38- And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them for ‘amusement’ (in vain).

 

39- We did not create the beings in the heavens and the earth except with truth (with a real reason, wisdom, and purpose). But most of them do not know. [cf. 10/5; 21/16; 23/115; 38/27]

 

40, 41, 42- Indeed, the Day of Judgment (the Day of sorting truth from falsehood) is the appointed time for all of them. 41. The Day when no protector/relative can avail a protector/relative at all (cannot avert any punishment), nor will they be helped. 42. Except those on whom Allah has mercy (the believers). Indeed, He (Allah) is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.

 

Commentary

 

(30, 31). ‘And We certainly delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment.’(We delivered them) from a torment that renders one base/humiliating. We saved the sons of Jacob by drowning the Copts in the sea, freeing them from Pharaoh's enslavement, his killing of their men and sons, his use of their women and daughters as servants, and his sentencing them to heavy labor. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/544)

 

‘From Pharaoh. Indeed, he was a haughty’—arrogant, tyrannical, and stubborn—’and a transgressor who exceeded the limits.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, he was one who went to extremes in his actions and possessed low-level views in essence.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/279)

 

(32). ‘And We certainly chose them knowingly over the worlds.’Qatada says: ‘It means they were made distinguished over the people of their own period.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/279)

 

(....) The preference of the Children of Israel over the worlds does not express permanence. This superiority belongs only to the early periods when they followed Prophet Moses. Otherwise, it does not mean they are superior forever. History bears witness that the reality is not so. (O. CELIK, 4/492)

 

(33). ‘We gave the Children of Israel certain signs’—proofs, evidences, the parting of the sea, the shading by the cloud, the sending down of manna and quail meat, and similar extraordinary things—’in which there was a clear trial.’There was a clear blessing. Or, it means We made this an overt trial for them to see how they would work. (S. HAWWA, 13/279, 280)

 

By giving them both abundance and blessing as well as calamity and distress, Allah the Almighty tested them, asking for gratitude from them in times of abundance and patience in times of calamity. Man is sometimes wounded by the arrow of calamity and sometimes overwhelmed with grace and favor. The Truth (cc) asks for gratitude during times of ease and patience during times of calamity and distress. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/548)

 

(34, 35, 36). ‘(O My Messenger!) Indeed, these (Quraysh disbelievers) say: 'There is nothing but our first death. We will not be resurrected.'‘That is, they say the end, the conclusion of the matter, is the first and only death that removes worldly life, and there is no resurrection again. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/549)

 

‘So bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.’This address is to the prophet and the believers who promised resurrection after death to the disbelievers. ‘Then bring our fathers out from the grave and give them life.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/550)

 

Ibn Kathir says the following: ‘This is a false argument and an inconsistent doubt. Because resurrection after death will occur on the Day of Judgment, not in this world. After the annihilation and exhaustion of the world, Almighty Allah will recreate all the worlds and make the wrongdoers fuel for Hell. Then Almighty Allah threatens them by reminding them of His punishment that cannot be turned back. Indeed, He threatens them by reminding them of the irreversible punishment that befell the pagans like them who denied the resurrection. Almighty Allah destroyed the people of Tubba' (who are the people of Saba). When He destroyed their country, scattered them, and tore them to pieces, their denial was of no benefit to them.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/280)

 

To believe that the Resurrection will occur, that the dead will be resurrected, that Allah will hold people to account, and that believers will go to Paradise while disbelievers go to Hell is one of the pillars of faith. A person who does not believe in these realities cannot be a believer or a Muslim. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/88)

 

(37). ‘Are they better than the people of Tubba' and those before them? We destroyed them, indeed, they were criminals.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘Almighty Allah threatens and warns them by reminding them of His punishment that is never turned back once it comes. Indeed, He sent such punishment to the people of Saba, known as the people of Tubba', and their likes among the pagans who denied the resurrection. Almighty Allah destroyed them, ruined their countries, scattered them to the four winds, and tore them apart.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/293)

 

(38). ‘And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them for 'amusement' (in vain and without purpose).’Nasafi says the following: ‘If there were no resurrection after death, no account, and no reward, all creatures would have been created specifically to vanish, which would be a game.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/281)

 

The beings in the heavens—the Sun, Moon, stars, galaxies, clouds, winds, and angels—air, water, soil, seas, trees, animals, fruits, vegetables, and all beings known and unknown to us. Almighty Allah created no being in vain, without purpose, or for play and amusement. Every single being is proof of Allah's existence, oneness, and power. At the same time, these beings have been placed at the service of humans, who are the caliphs of the earth (2/29, 31/20). Humans are not created without aim or purpose; the purpose of their creation is to worship Allah (51/56). (I. KARAGOZ, 7/90)

 

‘We did not create them except with truth (with a real reason and a wise purpose). But most of them do not know.’Consequently, they do not believe in the resurrection after death. If these deniers knew that Almighty Allah is transcendent above doing vain work and that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth with truth, they would believe in the resurrection and the account; but they do not know. (S. HAWWA, 13/281)

 

(39). ‘We created them (the beings in the heavens and the earth) only for a real reason.’Allah the Almighty created the heavens, the earth, and all the beings between them not for play and amusement, but upon a great purpose and unique wisdom. He brought them into existence to establish the truth, to show the oneness of Allah and the necessity of obedience to Him, and to uphold the truth. The full granting of rights will take place in the hereafter. (cf. Mu’minun 23/115; Sad 38/27; O. CELIK, 4/494)

 

(40, 41, 42). ‘Indeed, the Day of Judgment (the Day of sorting truth from falsehood) is the appointed time for all of them.’What is meant by the ‘Day of Judgment’ is the time when the questioning and trial following the Resurrection will be held. At the end of this trial, the good and the bad, the guilty and the innocent, the oppressors and the oppressed, those of Paradise and those of Hell will be separated from each other, and everyone will receive the recompense for what they did in the world. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/799)

 

One name for the Resurrection is the ‘Day of Separation’ (Yawm al-Fasl). Because everyone will be brought together on that day, accounts will be settled, and truth will be separated from falsehood, and the justified from the unjustified. Furthermore, individuals will be separated from their relatives; they will try to distance themselves and flee from them due to the terror of the account. Ultimately, everyone will be divided into groups according to their deeds and will be placed either in the high degrees of Paradise or the low depths of the pit of Hell. (O. CELIK, 4/494)

 

Hadith: ‘On the Day of Resurrection, rights will certainly be paid to their owners. Even the hornless sheep will take its right from the horned sheep (as recompense for the butting).’ (I. KARAGOZ, 7/91, from Muslim Birr wa Sila 60)

 

Hadith: ‘Whoever has a debt regarding the honor or property of his brother or something similar, let him settle it before the day comes when there is no dinar or dirham (gold and silver money). On that day, if this person has righteous deeds, his debt is taken from these deeds and given to the right holder. If he has no righteous deeds, it is taken from the creditor's evils and sins and loaded onto the neck of the one who owed the right.’ (I. KARAGOZ, 7/91, from Bukhari Mazalim 11)

 

‘The Day when no friend can avail a friend/relative at all. Nor will they be helped.’Just as a relative cannot help his relative, no help will reach him from outside either. (S. HAWWA, 13/281)

 

‘No friend's benefit will be for any friend.’The friends who will not benefit each other in the hereafter are the disbeliever friends. This matter is clearly proven both by verse 42 of this surah and verse 67 of Surah Az-Zukhruf, meaning ‘On the Day of Resurrection, friends will be enemies to each other except for the God-fearing believers.’ (..) A friend is someone who stands by a person in good and bad days, sharing joys, successes, troubles, grief, and sorrows. In this sense, no one will have a friend in the hereafter; no one will bear the sin of another, give their reward, or waive their claim. (14/31, 3/68, 6/51; I. KARAGOZ, 7/92, 93)

 

‘Except those on whom Allah has mercy (the believers).’No one can stay away from the punishment or be saved except the people Allah has mercy on and protects. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, on that day, nothing will benefit except Allah's mercy toward His creation.’ ‘Indeed, He’is the ‘Aziz’who prevails over His enemies and the ‘Rahim’who has mercy on His friends and allies. (S. HAWWA, 13/281)

 

44/43-59 FOOD AND CLOTHING OF THE PEOPLE OF PARADISE AND HELL

 

Translation

 

43, 44, 45, 46- Indeed, the tree of zaqqum 44. Is the food of the sinful. [cf. 37/62-64] 45. Like murky oil/molten metal, it boils within bellies 46. Like the boiling of scalding water.

 

47, 48, 49, 50- (It will be commanded to the angels of punishment:) ‘Seize him and drag him into the midst of Hell.’ 48. ‘Then pour over his head from the torment of scalding water.’ 49. (And it will be said to him:) ‘Taste (this)! Indeed, you were (as you thought) the mighty, the noble.’ 50. ‘Indeed, this is what you used to doubt.’

 

51, 52, 53- Indeed, the righteous (who lived according to Allah's commands) will be in a secure place. 52. Within gardens and springs. 53. Wearing (garments) of fine silk and heavy brocade, facing each other.

 

54- Thus it will be. And We will marry them to fair women with large, (beautiful) eyes (houris).

 

55, 56, 57- They will call therein for every (kind of) fruit, safe and secure. 56. They will not taste death therein except the first death (in the world). And He will have protected them from the punishment of Hellfire. 57. As a bounty from your Lord. That is what is the great attainment (and happiness).

 

58- (O My Messenger!) And indeed, We have eased the Qur'an in your tongue only that they might take heed.

 

59- (O My Prophet!) So watch; indeed, they are watching (for your destruction).

 

Commentary

 

(43). ‘Indeed, the tree of zaqqum is the food of the sinful’—meaning those who are sinful in their words, deeds, and beliefs, namely the disbelievers. It means they have no food other than that. ‘It is like molten metal’—meaning the dregs of oil; ‘it boils within bellies, like the boiling of scalding water.’It boils like water boiling at the highest degree. The purpose is to express how scalding and how base the tree of Zaqqum is. (S. HAWWA, 13/282)

 

The ‘tree of zaqqum’in the 43rd verse is a tree found in Hell and used for punishment. (cf. Saffat 37/62; QUR’AN WAY, 4/799)

 

(46). ‘Like the boiling of scalding water’—the temperature and boiling are at the ultimate point due to the intensity of that water's heat. It is loathsome for the stomach. (...) ‘Galy’ and ‘galeyan’ refer to a pot boiling over. The expression in the verse is taken as a metaphor from this. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/574)

 

(47). ‘(To the angels of punishment:) 'Seize him.'‘Ibn Kathir says: ‘According to a narration, when Almighty Allah says to the angels of punishment, 'Seize him,' seventy thousand angels will seize him.’ ‘Drag him into the midst of Hell.’That is, take him away violently, rudely, and harshly. Ibn Kathir says: It means take him by dragging and also pushing him from his back. (S. HAWWA, 13/282)

 

(48). ‘Then pour over his head from the torment of scalding water’ is said.’ Seize him tightly. Drag him toward Hell. Bind him without showing respect, without pity, by humiliating and acting rudely. Pour over his head from that scalding, burning water. Along with being bound, pushed and shoved, dragged, and burned, he is also scolded and disgraced. (S. KUTUB, 9/169)

 

Ibn Kathir says: ‘As mentioned before, the angel strikes his head with a physical iron sledgehammer. His head is split, his brain is exposed, and then that scalding water is poured over his head. It descends to his whole body. Whatever is in his belly comes out from his intestines until it flows from his heels. May Almighty Allah protect us from this.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/282)

 

(49). ‘(To him:) 'Taste (this)! Indeed, you were (as you thought) the mighty, the noble.'‘That is, say this to him in a scolding and domineering/tyrannical style. That is, it means you are not actually powerful. (S. HAWWA, 13/282)

 

Ibn Kathir says: ‘Al-Amawi narrates in his Maghazi that Ikrima said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) met Abu Jahl—may Allah's curse be upon him—and said to him: '(Severe punishment) is worthy of you, worthy of you. Then again it is worthy of you, worthy of you.' (Al-Qiyamah, 75/34-35). Pulling his garment, he said: 'Neither you nor your master can do anything to me. You know that I am the most powerful and valuable one of this desert!' However, Almighty Allah decreed his killing on the day of Badr, humiliated him, and because of these words he spoke, He revealed the command: 'Taste it! So you were the only powerful and valuable one, eh!'‘ (S. HAWWA, 13/296)

 

(...) The words ‘So you were powerful and valuable in your own mind,’spoken about Abu Jahl, express humiliation. However, his people had described him as mighty and noble, and he himself had believed this from the heart. Therefore, with the relevant words, Almighty Allah means for both Abu Jahl and those who carry the same denier characteristics: O person or persons who trust in your strength and power, lineage and honor! Let these attributes you possessed and took pride in during the world save you from that severe fire now, so we may see. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/105)

 

(50). ‘Indeed, this is what you used to doubt!’Just as you mocked the prophets and made fun of the verses they presented, you also doubted the coming of this day. (S. KUTUB, 9/169)

 

(51, 52). ‘Indeed, the righteous’will be ‘in a secure place’in the hereafter. They are in Paradise. There, they are in security regarding death, being removed, every kind of sorrow, grief, and anxiety; boredom, fatigue, and getting tired; Satan and the traps and tricks of Satan; and other disasters and calamities. (S. HAWWA, 13/283)

 

Hadith: It will be said to the people of Paradise, ‘You will never be sick here, you will remain healthy forever. There is no death, you will live eternally. You will feel no distress, you will always be in peace. You will not age, you will always remain young.’ (O. CELIK, 4/497, from Muslim Paradise 22)

 

Hadith: When he said, ‘Follow the middle path in your deeds. Know that none of you can reach salvation by means of your deeds,’ the noble companions asked: ‘Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?’ Upon this, our Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Yes, not even I. Only that if Allah forgives me with His mercy, that is different.’ (O. CELIK, 4/497, from Muslim Munafiqin 76, 78)

 

(....) Both entering Paradise and being safe from the punishment of Hell depend entirely on Allah's will. For the Qur'an expresses that salvation depends solely on divine will with the verse, ‘He who is averted from it that Day - He has given him mercy. And that is the clear attainment’ (An'am 6/16). Because He is the doer of what He wills. This means that what brings a person to the blessing of Paradise is not only the person's own worship, but along with these, Allah's mercy, grace, and bounty. This is because man cannot worship Allah as He deserves and cannot fulfill the gratitude for the blessings He gives in the true sense. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/107)

 

‘They are in gardens and by springs.’This is a reward to be given to the people of Paradise in exchange for the punishment described as the Zaqqum tree and drinking scalding water that the people of Hell are in. (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

(53). ‘(They) will wear (garments) of fine silk and heavy brocade, facing each other.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, they do not sit on the thrones they are settled on with one turning his back to the other.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

(54). ‘Thus it will be. And We will marry them to fair women with large eyes (houris).’Houri’ means the black of the eye is very black and the white is very white. The word ‘Iyn’ is the plural of ‘al-ayna,’ meaning wide-eyed. Ibn Kathir says: ‘Just as We made beautiful houris with large eyes their partners, it means We will have given these favors along with them.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

There is a state of marriage and partnership in Paradise. However, there is no marriage contract (nikah). Because the benefit brought by nikah is that the opposite sex becomes halal to the person. However, since Paradise is not a land of obligation (taklif), there is no need for this. There is no such thing as something being made halal or haram there. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/581)

 

(55, 56, 57). ‘They will call therein for every fruit, safe and secure.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, whenever they want various types of fruit, it is brought to them secure from being cut off or withheld. Whenever they want, it is made ready as they wish.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

‘They will call for every fruit’—while they are seemingly occupied with the pleasure of large-eyed houris and the blessings their souls desire, they are in a state of contemplating the beauty (jamal) of the Supreme Being, with their hearts turned toward that Being. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/583)

 

‘They will not taste death therein except the first death.’That is, other than their first death they tasted in the world, there will be no death for them. Ibn Kathir says: The meaning of this is that they will never taste death in Paradise eternally. (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

Hadith: According to what is established in Bukhari and Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Death will be brought in the form of a white ram and stopped between Paradise and Hell. Then it will be slaughtered and it will be said: 'O people of Paradise, you are now eternal and there will be no more death, and O people of Hell, you are now eternal and there will be no death.'‘ (S. HAWWA, 13/296, from Muslim Paradise 40)

 

‘He will have protected them from the punishment of Hellfire.’This is a grace from Almighty Allah toward them. Because salvation from punishment is possible only with His grace and His mercy. (S. KUTUB, 9/170)

 

‘As a bounty from your Lord. That is what is the great attainment.’This will be given because of your Lord's grace upon them and His bounty to them. Nasafi says: ‘This is a grace from Allah to them. Because it is out of the question for the servant to have a right to receive from Allah.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/284)

 

Hadith: ‘The deeds of none of you can make you enter Paradise or save you from Hell. Even I can enter Paradise not with my deeds, but only with Allah's mercy.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/586, from Muslim Munafiqin 77)

 

(58). ‘(O My Messenger!) And indeed, We have eased the Qur'an only that they might take heed.’That is, We have (also) eased this Qur'an, which We sent down as easy, clear, and distinct in your tongue, which is the most eloquent, clearest, sweetest, and most superior of tongues.’ ‘Only that they might take heed.’So that they understand and act accordingly. (S. HAWWA, 13/285, from Ibn Kathir)

 

(59). ‘(If they still do not listen to admonition,) watch (for what will happen to them). Indeed, they are also watching (for your destruction).’In Mecca, the pagans were oppressing the Prophet and the believers. In the verse, Almighty Allah commands the Prophet to wait for His help. ‘Indeed, We will help Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand’(40/51, 52). ‘Allah has written: 'I will surely overcome, I and My messengers'‘(58/21). (I. KARAGOZ, 7/101)

 

They are also waiting for the time when you will fall weak. However, this does not harm you. Very soon your deed will be realized, and their deed will come to naught. That is, divine help for you from Allah and an eternal punishment for them will come; for His friends, a new conquest at every moment, and for His enemies, an indescribable distress will come. To those who follow him, ‘the best place of return’ will be given; to the deniers, it will be said, ‘taste the punishment.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/588)