The Smoke

حمٓ

H. M.

وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

And this enlightening scripture.

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ

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

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

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

أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ

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

رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

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

رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ

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

لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

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

بَلْ هُمْ فِى شَكٍّ يَلْعَبُونَ

Indeed, they are doubtful, heedless.

فَٱرْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُّبِينٍ

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

يَغْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ هَٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

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

رَّبَّنَا ٱكْشِفْ عَنَّا ٱلْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ

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

أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ وَقَدْ جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ

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

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا۟ عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا۟ مُعَلَّمٌ مَّجْنُونٌ

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

إِنَّا كَاشِفُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ عَآئِدُونَ

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

يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ ٱلْبَطْشَةَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰٓ إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ

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

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَجَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ كَرِيمٌ

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

أَنْ أَدُّوٓا۟ إِلَىَّ عِبَادَ ٱللَّه2275ِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ

Proclaiming: "Listen to me, servants of GOD2275. I am an honest messenger to you."

وَأَن لَّا تَعْلُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّه2276ِ إِنِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم بِسُلْطَٰنٍ مُّبِينٍ

And, "Do not transgress against GOD2276. I bring to you powerful proofs.

وَإِنِّى عُذْتُ بِرَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ أَن تَرْجُمُونِ

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

وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ لِى فَٱعْتَزِلُونِ

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

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوْمٌ مُّجْرِمُونَ

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

فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى لَيْلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ

"Travel with My servants during the night; you will be pursued.

وَٱتْرُكِ ٱلْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا إِنَّهُمْ جُندٌ مُّغْرَقُونَ

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

كَمْ تَرَكُوا۟ مِن جَنَّٰتٍ وَعُيُونٍ

Thus, they left behind many gardens and springs.

وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ

Crops and a luxurious life.

وَنَعْمَةٍ كَانُوا۟ فِيهَا فَٰكِهِينَ

Blessings that they enjoyed.

كَذَٰلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَٰهَا قَوْمًا ءَاخَرِينَ

All these we caused to be inherited by other people.

فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنظَرِينَ

Neither the heaven, nor the earth wept over them, and they were not respited.

وَلَقَدْ نَجَّيْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ

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

مِن فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَالِيًا مِّنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

From Pharaoh; he was a tyrant.

وَلَقَدِ ٱخْتَرْنَٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

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

وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَٰٓؤٌا۟ مُّبِينٌ

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

إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَيَقُولُونَ

The present generations say,

إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا مَوْتَتُنَا ٱلْأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُنشَرِينَ

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

فَأْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

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

أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ أَهْلَكْنَٰهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ

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

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ

We did not create the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, just to play.

مَا خَلَقْنَٰهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

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

إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ مِيقَٰتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

The Day of Decision awaits them all.

يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِى مَوْلًى عَن مَّوْلًى شَيْـًٔا وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ

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

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ٱللَّه2277ُ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Only those who attain mercy from GOD2277. He is the Almighty, Most Merciful.

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ ٱلزَّقُّومِ

Surely, the tree of bitterness—

طَعَامُ ٱلْأَثِيمِ

will provide the food for the sinful.

كَٱلْمُهْلِ يَغْلِى فِى ٱلْبُطُونِ

Like lye, it will boil in the stomachs.

كَغَلْىِ ٱلْحَمِيمِ

Like the boiling of hellish drinks.

خُذُوهُ فَٱعْتِلُوهُ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

Take him and throw him into the center of Hell.

ثُمَّ صُبُّوا۟ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِۦ مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱلْحَمِيمِ

Then pour upon his head the retribution of the Inferno.

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْكَرِيمُ

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

إِنَّ هَٰذَا مَا كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَمْتَرُونَ

This is what you used to doubt.

إِنَّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ فِى مَقَامٍ أَمِينٍ

The righteous will be in a secure position.

فِى جَنَّٰتٍ وَعُيُونٍ

Enjoying gardens and springs.

يَلْبَسُونَ مِن سُندُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُّتَقَٰبِلِينَ

Wearing velvet and satin; close to each other.

كَذَٰلِكَ وَزَوَّجْنَٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ

We grant them wonderful spouses.

يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِكُلِّ فَٰكِهَةٍ ءَامِنِينَ

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

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا ٱلْمَوْتَ إِلَّا ٱلْمَوْتَةَ ٱلْأُولَىٰ وَوَقَىٰهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

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

فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكَ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

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

فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَٰهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

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

فَٱرْتَقِبْ إِنَّهُم مُّرْتَقِبُونَ

Therefore, wait; they too will have to wait.