al-Dukhān

بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ يَلْعَبُونَ

فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ

يَغْشَی النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

9. [Disbelievers do not believe in it.] Nay! They play about [with truths] in [unfathomable] doubt.
10. Then await you the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke.
11. Covering [all] the people: this is an excruciating torment.

Both attestations of the word fa-’rtaqib in the Holy Qur’an are to be found in this Chapter. The word is a warning to disbelievers and a consolation to the Prophet (S). There is neither complication nor any ambiguity in the arguments produced for Divine Unity and disbelievers doubts spring from their innermost grudge and animosity;

The blessed Verse says that disbelievers are in doubt regarding what God Almighty imparted to them through prophets assuming that mundane life and possession are permanent, since they are preoccupied with mundane affairs and pass their time in sport until they become entangled with torment and they are rendered desperate. According to the Verse, disbelievers pretend ignorance so that they spend their time in mere play and show unto others that the words of the Noble Prophet (S) are baseless; however any wise individual, thanks to his intellection, perceives that such marvelous systematicity requires the creation of the Omniscient and Omnipotent Creator.

It is so unfortunate that the wise man perceives the facts but pretends ignorance and through his pretence and denial deserves torment. Had he been unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood, he would not have deserved torment. According to the second and third Verses, following an exposition of His Lordship, Godhead, and Creation He warns disbelievers against their chastisement by Him and addressing his Messenger He says O Muhammad (S) against disbelievers’ hostility and animosity await the day on which the recompense of their deeds will be sent down from the heaven as a consequence of their disobedience.

On such day, a visible smoke will embrace people and that will be an excruciating torment.

The Exegets’ Views Regarding the Verse in Question

By smoke famine is intended. As narrated on the authority of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud, when the people of Quraysh did not believe in the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (S) but made many an attempt to harm him, the Noble Prophet (S) cursed the tribe of Banu Nadr and they were afflicted by famine for seven years such that they had to feed on carcass and bones. There was no rain and there was so much dust in the air that they, out of hunger, saw smoke in the sky.

Such dire situation made Abu Sufyan to go to the Noble Prophet (S) and say unto him:

“You enjoined us to care for our kith and kin and your blood relatives are dying of starvation. They have taken an oath that if you invoke God to remove the torment, they will believe in your prophethood.”

As a consequence, their supplication

is narrated in the Holy Qur’an. Upon the removal of the torment, they persisted in their disbelief.⁸ The smoke in question is a reference to the dust in the air resembling smoke on the day of the conquest of Mecca. It refers to the day before the Resurrection Day and the disintegration of the world. According to the Prophet (S), early signs of Resurrection are the smoke, the descent of Jesus (as), and the fire erupting from the depth of the town of Aden driving all people to the gathering place of Resurrection.

Hudhayfa inquired:

“O Messenger of God (S)! What kind of fire is that?”

In reply, the Noble Prophet (S) recited the same Verse saying that:

“The smoke will embrace the East and the West and will last for forty days and nights. On that day, the believer will be like someone who has a cold and the disbeliever will resemble a drunk.”

A similar narration is transmitted from Imam ‘Ali (as).⁹ Taking into consideration the last tradition, the third explanation seems preferable since according to which God Almighty warns disbelievers against the signs appearing before the Resurrection Day.