The Smoke

حمٓ ١

H. M.

وَٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢

And this enlightening scripture.

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةٍ۬ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ٣

We have sent it down in a blessed night, for we are to warn.

فِيہَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِيمٍ ٤

In it (the Quran), every matter of wisdom is clarified.

أَمۡرً۬ا مِّنۡ عِندِنَآ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِينَ ٥

It is a predetermined command from us that we send messengers.

رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّن رَبِّكَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٦

This is a mercy from your Lord. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.

رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ‌ۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ ٧

Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, and everything between them. If only you could be certain!

لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحۡىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ‌ۖ رَبُّكُمۡ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآٮِٕكُمُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٨

There is no other god beside Him. He controls life and death; your Lord and the Lord of your ancestors.

بَلۡ هُمۡ فِى شَكٍّ۬ يَلۡعَبُونَ ٩

Indeed, they are doubtful, heedless.

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ يَوۡمَ تَأۡتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ ١٠

Therefore, watch for the day when the sky brings a profound smoke.

يَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ‌ۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ ١١

It will envelope the people; this is a painful retribution.

رَبَّنَا ٱكۡشِفۡ عَنَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤۡمِنُونَ ١٢

"Our Lord, relieve this retribution for us; we are believers."

أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ وَقَدۡ جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُولٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ ١٣

Now that it is too late, they remember! An enlightening messenger had come to them.

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡاْ عَنۡهُ وَقَالُواْ مُعَلَّمٌ۬ مَّجۡنُونٌ ١٤

But they turned away from him, saying, "Well educated, but crazy!"

إِنَّا كَاشِفُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابِ قَلِيلاً‌ۚ إِنَّكُمۡ عَآٮِٕدُونَ ١٥

We will relieve the retribution for awhile; you will soon revert.

يَوۡمَ نَبۡطِشُ ٱلۡبَطۡشَةَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰٓ إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ ١٦

The day we strike the big stroke, we will avenge.

وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَجَآءَهُمۡ رَسُولٌ۬ ڪَرِيمٌ ١٧

We have tested before them the people of Pharaoh; an honorable messenger went to them.

أَنۡ أَدُّوٓاْ إِلَىَّ عِبَادَ ٱللهِ‌ۖ إِنِّى لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ۬ ١٨

(Proclaiming:) "Listen to me, servants of ALLAH. I am an honest messenger to you."

وَأَن لَّا تَعۡلُواْ عَلَى ٱللهِ‌ۖ إِنِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم بِسُلۡطَـٰنٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ ١٩

And, "Do not transgress against ALLAH. I bring to you powerful proofs.

وَإِنِّى عُذۡتُ بِرَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمۡ أَن تَرۡجُمُونِ ٢٠

"I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord, if you oppose me.

وَإِن لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُواْ لِى فَٱعۡتَزِلُونِ ٢١

"If you do not wish to believe, then simply leave me alone."

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ ۥۤ أَنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمٌ۬ مُّجۡرِمُونَ ٢٢

Subsequently, he implored his Lord: "These are wicked people."

فَأَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِى لَيۡلاً إِنَّڪُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ ٢٣

(Allah said,) "Travel with My servants during the night; you will be pursued.

وَٱتۡرُكِ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ رَهۡوًا‌ۖ إِنَّہُمۡ جُندٌ۬ مُّغۡرَقُونَ ٢٤

"Cross the sea quickly; their troops will be drowned."

كَمۡ تَرَكُواْ مِن جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ وَعُيُونٍ۬ ٢٥

Thus, they left behind many gardens and springs.

وَزُرُوعٍ۬ وَمَقَامٍ۬ كَرِيمٍ۬ ٢٦

Crops and a luxurious life.

وَنَعۡمَةٍ۬ كَانُواْ فِيہَا فَـٰكِهِينَ ٢٧

Blessings that they enjoyed.

كَذَٲلِكَ‌ۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَـٰهَا قَوۡمًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٢٨

All these we caused to be inherited by other people.

فَمَا بَكَتۡ عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنظَرِينَ ٢٩

Neither the Heaven, nor the Earth wept over them, and they were not respited.

وَلَقَدۡ نَجَّيۡنَا بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡمُهِينِ ٣٠

Meanwhile, we saved the Children of Israel from the humiliating persecution.

مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ عَالِيً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٣١

From Pharaoh; he was a tyrant.

وَلَقَدِ ٱخۡتَرۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ ٣٢

We have chosen them from among all the people, knowingly.

وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَـٰٓؤٌ۬اْ مُّبِينٌ ٣٣

We showed them so many proofs, which constituted a great test.

إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَيَقُولُونَ ٣٤

The present generations say,

إِنۡ هِىَ إِلَّا مَوۡتَتُنَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُنشَرِينَ ٣٥

"We only die the first death; we will never be resurrected!

فَأۡتُواْ بِـَٔابَآٮِٕنَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ ٣٦

"Bring back our forefathers, if you are truthful."

أَهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعٍ۬ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ‌ۚ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهُمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّہُمۡ كَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ ٣٧

Are they better than the people of Tubba` and others before them? We annihilated them for their crimes.

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَہُمَا لَـٰعِبِينَ ٣٨

We did not create the Heavens and the Earth, and everything between them, just to play.

مَا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٩

We created them for a specific purpose, but most of them do not know.

إِنَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ مِيقَـٰتُهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٤٠

The Day of Decision awaits them all.

يَوۡمَ لَا يُغۡنِى مَوۡلًى عَن مَّوۡلً۬ى شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٤١

That is the day when no friend can help his friend in any way; no one can be helped.

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ٱللَّهُ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٤٢

Only those who attain mercy from ALLAH. He is the Almighty, Most Merciful.

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ ٱلزَّقُّومِ ٤٣

Surely, the tree of bitterness –

طَعَامُ ٱلۡأَثِيمِ ٤٤

will provide the food for the sinful.

كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ يَغۡلِى فِى ٱلۡبُطُونِ ٤٥

Like lye, it will boil in the stomachs.

كَغَلۡىِ ٱلۡحَمِيمِ ٤٦

Like the boiling of hellish drinks.

خُذُوهُ فَٱعۡتِلُوهُ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٤٧

Take him and throw him into the center of Hell.

ثُمَّ صُبُّواْ فَوۡقَ رَأۡسِهِۦ مِنۡ عَذَابِ ٱلۡحَمِيمِ ٤٨

Then pour upon his head the retribution of the Inferno.

ذُقۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡڪَرِيمُ ٤٩

"Taste this; you were so powerful, so honorable."

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا مَا كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَمۡتَرُونَ ٥٠

This is what you used to doubt.

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِى مَقَامٍ أَمِينٍ۬ ٥١

The righteous will be in a secure position.

فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ وَعُيُونٍ۬ ٥٢

Enjoying gardens and springs.

يَلۡبَسُونَ مِن سُندُسٍ۬ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقٍ۬ مُّتَقَـٰبِلِينَ ٥٣

Wearing velvet and satin; close to each other.

ڪَذَٲلِكَ وَزَوَّجۡنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ۬ ٥٤

We grant them wonderful spouses.

يَدۡعُونَ فِيهَا بِكُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍ ءَامِنِينَ ٥٥

They enjoy in it all kinds of fruits, in perfect peace.

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوۡتَةَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ‌ۖ وَوَقَٮٰهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٥٦

They do not taste death therein – beyond the first death – and He has spared them the retribution of Hell.

فَضۡلاً۬ مِّن رَبِّكَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ٥٧

Such is the blessing from your Lord. Such is the great triumph.

فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرۡنَـٰهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَڪَّرُونَ ٥٨

We have thus clarified it in your language, that they may take heed.

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ إِنَّهُم مُّرۡتَقِبُونَ ٥٩

Therefore, wait; they too will have to wait.