SURAH (44) AD-DUKHAN (AYA 21 to 40)

وَإِنْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا لِي فَاعْتَزِلُونِ {44:21}

[Q44:21] Wa il lam tu'minoo lee fa’taziloon.
[Q44:21] And if you do not believe in me, then leave me alone.

[Q44:21] Dan sekiranya kamu tidak juga mahu berimankan kerasulanku, maka putuskanlah perhubungan kamu denganku (janganlah mengganggu daku). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:21) But if you do not believe what I say, leave me alone *19 (and desist from laying hands on me).”

*19 This was said at the time when, as against alI the Signs presented by the Prophet Moses, Pharaoh was still showing stubbornness, but was feeling upset and confounded at the realization that all classes of the Egyptian society were rapidly being influenced by those Signs. In that period first of all he made the speech before his full packed court as mentioned in vv. 51-53 of Surah Zukhruf above (see E,N's 45 to 49). Then, when he felt the ground slipping from under his feet, he made up his mind to kill Allah's Messenger. At that time the Prophet said the words as mentioned in Surah AI-Mu'min:27; to the effect: "I have taken refuge in my Lord and your Lord against every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning." Here, the Prophet Moses is referring to that same thing and telling Pharaoh and his chiefs: "Look, I have sought Allah's refuge against aII sorts of violence from you: now you cannot harm me: but if you wish yourselves well, do not harm me. If you do not want to believe what I say, you may not, but you should never lay your hands on me, otherwise you will meet with catastrophic consequences"  

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ مُجْرِمُونَ {44:22}

[Q44:22] Fada'aa rabbahooo anna haaa'ulaaa'i qawmum mujrimoon. 
[Q44:22] Then he called upon his Lord: These are a guilty people.

[Q44:22] (Setelah Nabi Musa berputus asa daripada iman mereka), maka dia pun merayu kepada Tuhannya lalu berkata: Sesungguhnya orang-orang ini adalah kaum yang berdosa, (yang telah sebati dengan kekufurannya dan berhaklah mereka menerima balasan yang seburuk-buruknya). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:22) Then he called upon his Lord: “These are a criminal people.” *20

*20 This is the final report that the Prophet Moses presented before his Lord, saying: "These are criminals." That is, their being the criminals has been confirmed finally and absolutely. They have exhausted every chance of concession and respite for reformation. It is time that the final fatal decision be passed against them. 

فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي لَيْلًا إِنَّكُمْ مُتَّبَعُونَ {44:23}

[Q44:23] Fa asri bi'ibaadee lailan innakum muttaba‘oon. 
[Q44:23] So go forth with My servants by night; surely you will be pursued:

[Q44:23] Lalu (diperintahkan kepadanya): Bawalah hamba-hambaku (pengikut-pengikutmu) keluar pada waktu malam, kerana sesungguhnya kamu akan dikejar (oleh Firaun dan orang-orangnya).  

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:23) (He was told): “Set out with My servants by night *21 for you will certainly be pursued. *22

*21 "With my servants": with aII those people who have believed, including both the Israelites and the Egyptian Copts who had become Muslims since the time of the Prophet Joseph till that of the Prophet Moses, and those also who had been influenced by the Signs shown by Moses and His preaching and accepted Islam from among the Egyptians. (For explanation, see Surah Yusuf: E.N. 68). 
*22 This was the initial command given to the prophet Moses for the migration. (For explanation, see Ta-Hit: 77, Ash-Shu'ara': 52-68 arid the corresponding E.N.'s). 

وَاتْرُكِ الْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا ۖ إِنَّهُمْ جُنْدٌ مُغْرَقُونَ {44:24}

[Q44:24] Watrukil bahra rahwan innahum jundum mughraqoon. 
[Q44:24] And leave the sea intervening; surely they are a host that shall be drowned.

[Q44:24] Dan tinggalkanlah laut itu dalam keadaan tenang terbelah, kerana sesungguhnya mereka (yang mengejarmu itu) ialah tentera yang akan ditenggelamkan (sehingga binasa).  

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:24) And leave the sea behind you as calm as ever. Surely they are an army that is doomed to be drowned.” *23

*23 This command was given when the Prophet Moses had crossed the sea along with his caravan and wanted that he should restore the sea to its former state by smiting it with the staff so that Pharaoh and his hosts should not pursue them on the dry path created by the miracle. At that times it was said: "Leave the sea divided as it is, so that Pharaoh and his armies should descend into it; then the sea will be restored and they will be drowned all together."

كَمْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ {44:25}

[Q44:25] Kam tarakoo min jannaatinw wa 'uyoun, 
[Q44:25] How many of the gardens and fountains have they left!

[Q44:25] Banyak sungguh kebun-kebun dan mata air, mereka tinggalkan, 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:25) How many gardens did they leave behind, and how many fountains

وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ {44:26}

[Q44:26] Wa zuroo'inw wa maqaa min kareem, 
[Q44:26] And cornfields and noble places!

[Q44:26] Dan juga berbagai jenis tanaman serta tempat-tempat kediaman yang indah mulia,  

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:26) and sown fields and splendid mansions,

وَنَعْمَةٍ كَانُوا فِيهَا فَاكِهِينَ {44:27}

[Q44:27] Wa na'matin kaanoo feehaa faakiheen.
[Q44:27] And goodly things wherein they rejoiced;

[Q44:27] Dan juga kemewahan hidup, yang mereka sekian lama menikmatinya.  

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:27) and the life of ease in which they took delight!

كَذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِينَ {44:28}

[Q44:28] Kazaalika wa awrasnaahaa qawman aakhareen.
[Q44:28] Thus (it was), and We gave them as a heritage to another people. 

[Q44:28] Demikianlah keadaannya (hukum Kami ke atas orang-orang yang derhaka) dan Kami jadikan semua peninggalan Firaun dan orang-orangnya: Milik kaum yang lain (kaum Bani Israil). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:28) Thus it was; and We made another people inherit all that. *24

*24 Hadrat Hasan Basri says that "others" here implies the children of Israel, whom Allah made heirs of the land of Egypt after Pharaoh's people, and Qatadah says it implies the other people who inherited Egypt after the people of Pharaoh, for the Histories do not make any mention that the Israelites ever returned to Egypt after the exodus and inherited it. This same point has been disputed by the later commentators also. (For a detailed discussion, see AshShua'ra: 57-59 and the E.N.'s on it). 

فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا مُنْظَرِينَ {44:29}

[Q44:29] Famaa bakat 'alaihimus samaaa'u wal ardu wa maa kaanoo munzareen. 
[Q44:29] So the heaven and the earth did not weep for them, nor were they respited.

[Q44:29] Mereka (ketika dibinasakan) itu tidak ditangisi oleh langit dan bumi (atau penduduk keduanya) dan mereka pula tidak diberi tempoh lagi. 

IT COULD BE NATURALLY INFERRED THAT THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WEEP OR MOURN FOR THOSE WHO LAY THEIR LIVES IN THE WAY OF ALLAH (SWT) AND not for the dead who taste death as the punishment for their own disbelief and wickedness.

§  History relates of instances when signs extraordinary manifesting in the heavens and fresh blood having been found under each ‘stone’ that was removed from the earth on the occasion of the martyrdom of Ali and Husain.

§  According to Shahih Muslim, when Husain was martyred at Karbala the heavens wept by getting blood-red, AND

§  According to Ibne Hajr Asqalani in his Sawaique Mohriqa when once Ali passed the spot in Mesopotamia he pointed out the spots where the various heart-rending events of the great Martyrdom of Husain, would take place and said: “This is the place where the innocent blood of the children of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) would be shed upon which the heavens and the earth would weep.”

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(44:29) Then neither the sky shed tears over them nor the earth. *25 They were granted no respite.

*25 That is, "When they were the rulers, they werc known for their glory and grandeur: hymns were sung of their praise, flatterers flatterted them to such an extent as if the whole world was devoted to them for their excellences and indebted to them for their favours and there was none more popular in the world than they. But when they fell there was none to shed a tear on their fall; rather the world felt relieved that a cause of distress had been removed. Obviously, they had neither done any good to the people that the dwellers of the earth might weep on them, nor anything for the sake of Allah's pleasure that the dwellers of the heavens might grieve over their ruin. As long as AIlah continued to give them rope by His will, they enjoyed life as they pleased; but when they transgressed aII limits in their crimes, they were cast aside like so much rubbish. 

SECTION 2

The Day of Judgment, a certainty

The children of Israel saved---Pharaoh’s people perished---Heavens and earth not created in vain---None, not even a friend, shall be of any avail on the Day of Judgment, except those whom ALLAH (SWT) has blessed with His mercy.

وَلَقَدْ نَجَّيْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ {44:30}

[Q44:30] Wa laqad najjainaa Baneee Israaa'eela minal'azaabil muheen. 
[Q44:30] And certainly We delivered the children of Israel from the abasing chastisement,

[Q44:30] Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami telah selamatkan kaum Bani Israil, dari azab yang menghina;  

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:30) Thus did We deliver the Children of Israel from the humiliating chastisement,

مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَالِيًا مِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ {44:31}

[Q44:31] Min Fir'awn; innahoo kaana 'aaliyam minal musrifeen. 
[Q44:31] From Firon; surely he was haughty, (and) one of the extravagant.

[Q44:31] Dari penindasan Firaun, sesungguhnya dia adalah seorang yang sombong takbur lagi terbilang dari orang-orang yang melampaui batas (dalam keganasan dan kekejamannya). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:31) from Pharaoh *26 who was most prominent among the prodigals. *27

*26 That is, Pharaoh by himself was an abasing torment for them and aII other torments wen indeed offshoots of the same great torment . 
*27 There is a subtle satire in it on the chiefs of the disbelieving Quraish. It means to say this: "You do not enjoy any place of distinction among the transgressors against AIlah. Pharaoh indeed was a rebel of the highest order who was ruling on the throne of the largest kingdom of the time as a god. When he was swept away like straw, how can you prevent the Divine wrath?" 

وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ {44:32}

[Q44:32] Walaqadi ikhtarnaahum 'alaa 'ilmin 'alal ‘aalameen,
[Q44:32] And certainly We chose them, having knowledge, above the nations.

[Q44:32] Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami telah memilih mereka dengan berdasarkan pengetahuan (Kami) menjadi lebih pangkatnya dari penduduk dunia (pada zaman itu),  

In choosing prophets from among them AND having a greater number of prophets from among them. However this verse is governed and restricted by the verse 21:107.

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(44:32) We knowingly exalted them (i.e., the Children of Israel) above other peoples of the world *28

*28 That is, 'Allah was well aware both of the qualities and of the weaknesses of the children of Israel. He had not chosen them blindly. For when he chose them from among the contemporary nations to become the standard-bearers of His message and His Tauhid, they werc the most suitable people in His knowledge for the purpose." 

وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَاءٌ مُبِينٌ {44:33}

[Q44:33] Wa aatainaahum minal aayaati maa feehi balaaa'um mubeen.
[Q44:33] And We gave them of the communications wherein was clear blessing.

[Q44:33] Dan Kami berikan kepada mereka (melalui Nabi Musa) berbagai mukjizat yang mengandungi ujian yang jelas nyata (untuk melahirkan sikap mereka). 

(see commentary for verse 17)

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(44:33) and bestowed upon them the Signs wherein lay an evident test for them. *29

*29 For explanation, sec Al-Baqarah :49-74, An-Nisa: 153-160, AlMa'idah: 20-26, Al-A'raf: 138-171, Ta-Ha: 80-97 and the corresponding E.N.'s 

إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ لَيَقُولُونَ {44:34}

[Q44:34] Inna haaa'ulaaa'i la yaqooloon, 
[Q44:34] Most surely these do say:

[Q44:34] (Berbalik kepada kisah kaum musyrik penduduk Mekah, ALLAH (SwT) berfirman): Sesungguhnya mereka ini akan berkata (kepadamu wahai Muhammad dan kepada pengikut-pengikutmu): 

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(44:34) Indeed these people say:

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا مَوْتَتُنَا الْأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُنْشَرِينَ {44:35}

[Q44:35] In hiya illaa mawtatunal oolaa wa maa nahnu bimun shareen. 
[Q44:35] There is naught but our first death and we shall not be raised again.

[Q44:35] Mati, hanyalah mati kita yang pertama (di dunia) dan kita tidak sekali-kali akan dibangkitkan hidup lagi (sesudah itu);  

This is what the disbelievers claimed saying that there is nothing beyond death; there is no life after the death of this body.

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(44:35) “This is our first and only death, and we shall never be raised again. *30

*30 That is, "When we die the first time, we shall be annihilated: there will be no other lift after that". 

فَأْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ {44:36}

[Q44:36] Faatoo bi aabaaa'inaaa inkuntum saadiqeen. 
[Q44:36] So bring our fathers (back), if you are truthful.

[Q44:36] (Jika tidak) maka bawakanlah datuk nenek kami (yang telah mati) kalau betul kamu orang-orang yang benar! 

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(44:36) Bring back to us our fathers if you are truthful.” *31

*31 This was their reasoning: We have never seen a dead person resurrected to life. Therefore, we believe that there will be no other life after death. If you claim that there will be another life, then resurrect our forefathers from their graves, so that we are convinced of the life-after-death. If you do not do this, we would think that your claim is false. This was, as they thought, a very strong argument for the refutation of life-after-death, whereas it was absurd. Nobody had told them that the dead would return to this very world after being raised back to life, nor the Holy Prophet, nor any Muslim, had ever claimed that he could raise the dead back to life.

أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ {44:37}

[Q44:37] Ahum khayrun am qawmu Tubba'inw wallazeena min qablihim; ahlaknaahum innahum kaanoo Muhreemin. 
[Q44:37] Are they better or the people of Tubba and those before them? We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty.

[Q44:37] (Mengapa mereka masih berdegil dalam kekufurannya?) Adakah mereka yang lebih kekuatan dan kehandalannya atau "kaum Tubba'" dan orang-orang yang terdahulu dari mereka? Orang-orang itu semuanya Kami telah binasakan, kerana sesungguhnya mereka adalah orang-orang yang berdosa. 

TUBBA WAS AN APPELLATION OF EACH OF THE KINGS OF YEMEN, KNOWN AS HIMAYARITE KINGS. A one-time the Himayarite kingdom extended over all Arabia and beyond. First they were Sabians then professed the Jewish and the Christian religion.

Among the embassies sent by the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in 9-10 Hijra was one to the Himyar of Yemen, which led to their coming into Islam.

§  It is mentioned in Minhaj ul Sadiqin that about 1000 years before the advent of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Asad bin Malka abu Ayub, the then Himyarite king, after conquering many lands invaded Madina to take revenge of his slain son. He was a noble and god-fearing man. He used to begin all his letters with "in the name of ALLAH (SWT), the Lord of the land, the seas, the sun and the wind."

To prevent him from destroying the city of Madina two men from the tribe of Bani Qurayza went to him and said: "Do not destroy this city because the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT), one day, will come here to preach the divine religion." He not only spared the town but also wrote a letter of felicitation and welcome to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND handed it over to a Jew named Shamul with instructions to deliver it to him if he comes in his times, OR LET it be given to him by whosoever be his heir in the times of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). Abu Ayub Ansari, the 21st offspring in the progeny of Shamul, gave this letter to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) who said: "Thank you O righteous Tubba."

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(44:37) Are these better or the people of Tubba *32 and those who went before them? We destroyed them for they were a criminal people. *33

*32 Tubba was the title of the kings of the Himyarites, like the titles of Khosroes, Caesar, Pharaoh etc. which have been associated with the kings of different countries. They were a branch of the Sabaeans, who attained domination over Saba in 115 B.C. and puled it till 300 A.D. They have been a well known people of Arabia for centuries. (For details, see E.N. 37 of Surah Saba). 
*33 This is the first answer to the disbelievers' objection; it means: No individual group or nation which denies the Hereafter can help becoming criminal. Perversion of the morals is its inevitable result, and human history bears evidence that whichever nation adopted this view of life ultimately perished. As for the question: Are they better or the people of Tubba' or the people before them? ii means this: The disbelievers of Makkah have not been able to attain to the prosperity and splendour that became the lot of the people of Tubba' and of the people of Saba and of the people of Pharaoh and others before them. But this material prosperity and worldly splendour could not save them from the consequences of their moral degeneration. How will then the chiefs of the Quraish be saved from destruction on the strength of their puny resources and wealth? (For details, see E.N.'s 25 to 36 of Surah Saba).

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ {44:38}

[Q44:38] Wa maa khalaqnas samaawaati wal arda wa maa baina humaa laa'ibeen. 
[Q44:38] And We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them in sport.

[Q44:38] Dan tidaklah Kami menciptakan langit dan bumi serta segala yang ada di antara keduanya, secara main-main;

Refer to the commentary of Anbiya 21:16 and 17 and Saffat 37:21.

HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD) says:

In verse 42 "except such as receive ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy" implies INTERCESSION. Refer to Baqarah 2:48 and other verses mentioned therein.

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(44:38) It was not in idle sport that We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them.

مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {44:39}

[Q44:39] Maa khalaqnaahumaaa illaa bilhaqqi wa laakinna aksarahum laa ya'lamoon.
[Q44:39] We did not create them both but with the truth, but most of them do not know.

[Q44:39] Tidaklah Kami menciptakan keduanya (serta segala yang ada di antaranya) melainkan kerana menzahirkan perkara-perkara yang benar; akan tetapi kebanyakan mereka tidak mengetahui (hakikat itu).  

(see commentary for verse 38)

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(44:39) We did not create them except in Truth. But most of them do not know. *34

*34 This is the second answer to their objection; it means: "Whoever denies life-after-death and the rewards and punishments of the hereafter, in fact, regards this world as a plaything and its Creator as a foolish child. This is why he has formed the view that tnan, after raising aII sorts of the storms in the world, will end up in the dust one day and none of his good or bad acts will bear any fruit. The fact, however, is that this universe is the creation of an AlI-Wise Creator and not of a frivolous being, and it cannot be expected from an AlI-Wise Creator that he would perform a useless and vain act." (For a detailed explanation, see AI-An'am: 73, Yunus: 5-6, Al-Anbiya: 16-18, AI-Mu'minun: 115, Ar-Rum: 8-9 and the corresponding E.N.'s). 

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ مِيقَاتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ {44:40}

[Q44:40] Inna yawmal fasli meeqaatuhum ajma‘een, 
[Q44:40] Surely the day of separation is their appointed term, of all of them.

[Q44:40] Sesungguhnya hari pemutusan hukum untuk memberi balasan, ialah masa untuk mereka semua berhimpun; 

(see commentary for verse 38)

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(44:40) The Day of Final Decision is the appointed time for all; *35

*35 This is the answer to their demand: "Bring back our forefathers if you are truthful." It means: 'Life-after-death is not a trivial matter; it cannot be that whenever somebody denies it, a dead person may he raised immediately from the graveyard and presented before him. For it a time has been fixed by the Lord of the worlds, when He will resurrect to life all the former and the latter generations, gather them together in His Court and will decide their cases. You may believe in it or may not, but this will in any case happen on its own pre ordained time. If you believe in it, it will be to your own advantage, for, being forewarned, you will make preparations to fare well in that Court. If you do not believe in it, you will incur loss for yourselves, for you will expend your whole life in the misunderstanding that good and evil are confined only to this worldly lift; after death there is going to be no court where our good or bad deeds might have to be judged for any permanent results."