Commentary on the Koran: Surah 44 (No. Q044)

Pickthall Translation; English Standard Version Bible quotes unless otherwise noted.

Introduction

Al Dukban or “The Smoke” takes its name from a word in verse 10 that reportedly came from the conditions of dust and haze at Becca during the drought that occurred just before the conquest of Becca by the forces of the Prophet and the church.

Unless this text was to be a prophecy of the destruction of Becca many years later and the pseduo-conversion of its people then it could not have been written at Mecca many years prior as a Ha Mim text of the Middle Group of Beccan Surahs. It is in reality a prophecy of the Last Days under the pseudo-Muslims and applies to the penalty of the people of Egypt under Pharaoh when they rejected Moses (vv. 17ff.). The text then refers to the Children of Israel in their deliverance at verse 30 and their selection as the chosen of God (v. 32). The text then refers also to the Arabs as the people of Tubb’a as successors to the Amalekites in the last days and the fate of the idolatrous Arabs (see S 15 Al Hijr above).

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44.1. Ha. Mim.

Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.

44.2. By the Scripture that maketh plain

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Isaiah 42:21 The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.

44.3. Lo! We revealed it on a blessed night - Lo! We are ever warning –

44.4. Whereon every wise command is made clear

44.5. As a command from Our presence - Lo! We are ever sending –

44.6. A mercy from thy Lord. Lo! He, even He is the Hearer, the Knower,

Jeremiah 7:25-26 From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. ²⁶Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

2Chronicles 36:15 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

Daniel 2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Hebrews 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

44.7. Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if ye would be sure.

44.8. There is no God save Him. He quickeneth and giveth death; your Lord and Lord of your forefathers.

44.9. Nay, but they play in doubt.

Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.

Nehemiah 9:6 You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Hebrews 4:2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Romans 3:3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

44.10. But watch thou (O Muhammad) for the day when the sky will produce visible smoke

44.11. That will envelop the people. This will be a painful torment.

44.12. (Then they will say): Our Lord relieve us of the torment. Lo! we are believers.

This does not refer to the times in drought in Becca. This refers to the Day of the Lord and the envelopment of the earth with smoke.

Joel 2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

Acts 2:19-20 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; ²⁰the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."

44.13. How can there be remembrance for them, when a messenger making plain (the Truth) had already come unto them,

44.14. And they had turned away from him and said: One taught (by others), a madman?

44.15. Lo! We withdraw the torment a little. Lo! ye return (to disbelief).

44.16. On the day when We shall seize them with the greater seizure, (then) in truth We shall punish.

2Chronicles 36:15-16 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy.

Malachi 4:1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

44.17. And verily We tried before them Pharaoh's folk, when there came unto them a noble messenger,

44.18. Saying: Give up to me the slaves of Allah. Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you.

44.19. And saying: Be not proud against Allah. Lo! I bring you a clear warrant.

Exodus 8:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Numbers 12:7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.

Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go."

Nehemiah 9:10 You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all of his officials, and against all the people of his land, because you knew they acted arrogantly against your people. So you established your name with them, as it remains to this day. (ISV)

44.20. And lo! I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest ye stone me to death.

Earlier in his life the Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses for taking the life of an Egyptian. So also the bani Qureysh wanted to kill the Prophet but he was under protection as were the Churches of God as the Children of Israel (cf. also S 19 Maryiam above).

Exodus 2:14-16 He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." ¹⁵When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. ¹⁶Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

44.21. And if ye put no faith in me, then let me go.

44.22. And he cried unto his Lord, (saying): These are guilty folk.

44.23. Then (his Lord commanded): Take away My slaves by night. Lo! ye will be followed,

44.24. And leave the sea behind at rest, for lo! they are a drowned host.

Exodus 12:31-32 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. ³²Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!"

Exodus 14:4, 27-28 ⁴And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And they did so.

²⁷So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. ²⁸The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.

44.25. How many were the gardens and the watersprings that they left behind,

44.26. And the cornlands and the goodly sites

44.27. And pleasant things wherein they took delight!

44.28. Even so (it was), and We made it an inheritance for other folk;

44.29. And the heaven and the earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved.

44.30. And We delivered the Children of Israel from the shameful doom;

44.31. (We delivered them) from Pharaoh. Lo! he was a tyrant of the wanton ones.

Exodus 16:3 and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

Acts 13:17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.

Deuteronomy 15:15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.

44.32. And We chose them, purposely, above (all) creatures.

44.33. And We gave them portents wherein was a clear trial.

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; ⁶and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

Our possessions or the lack of them, the way we live, become trials unto us in this physical life.

These idolaters were denying the Resurrection of the Dead as did the Sudducees.

44.34. Lo! these, forsooth, are saying:

44.35. There is naught but our first death, and we shall not be raised again.

44.36. Bring back our fathers, if ye speak the truth!

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

44.37. Are they better, or the folk of Tubb'a and those before them? We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty.

Tubb’a was a name applied to the Himyar of Southern Arabia as a name of the Kings as was Pharaoh of the Egyptians.

The evildoers will surely be destroyed as they do not heed the warnings of their messengers and turn away from the evil ways.

The creation was for a purpose and is God’s plan.

44.38. And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in play.

44.39. We created them not save with truth; but most of them know not.

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Job 38:7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

A joyous occasion for the heavenly beings must be for some good reason. They believed that the creation was very good and was for a purpose yet to be disclosed.

44.40. Assuredly the Day of Decision is the term for all of them,

44.41. A day when friend can in naught avail friend, nor can they be helped,

44.42. Save him on whom Allah hath mercy. Lo! He is the Mighty, the Merciful.

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. ¹⁴Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Isaiah 59:16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Zechariah 7:9 Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,

44.43. Lo! the tree of Zaqqum,

See also Surahs XXXVII :62 and LVI: 52.

44.44. The food of the sinner!

44.45. Like molten brass, it seetheth in their bellies

44.46. As the seething of boiling water.

44.47. (And it will be said): Take him and drag him to the midst of hell,

44.48. Then pour upon his head the torment of boiling water.

44.49. (Saying): Taste! Lo! thou wast forsooth the mighty, the noble!

44.50. Lo! this is that whereof ye used to doubt.

They will be purged with Hyssop.

Psalm 28:4 Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

1Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

44.51. Lo! those who kept their duty will be in a place secured.

44.52. Amid gardens and watersprings,

44.53. Attired in silk and silk embroidery, facing one another.

44.54. Even so (it will be). And We shall wed them unto fair ones with wide, lovely eyes.

This is a reference to the Brides of Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

This text referring to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb does not refer back to the statement of Christ in Luke 20:35 where the elect neither marry nor are they given in marriage like the angels in heaven.

44.55. They call therein for every fruit in safety.

44.56. They taste not death therein, save the first death. And He hath saved them from the doom of hell,

44.57. A bounty from thy Lord. That is the supreme triumph.

Revelation 20:4-6 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

44.58. And We have made (this Scripture) easy in thy language only that they may heed.

44.59. Wait then (O Muhammad). Lo! they (too) are waiting.

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Isaiah 42:21 The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.

Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Revelation 22:12 Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

And so again the Arabs are warned and they will not repent. It is the Last Days and the Wrath of God will be upon them soon.

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