Sūrah 44 · Meccan

How Sūrah Ad-Dukhaan was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read Ad-Dukhaan → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #64

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 59 ayahs

3 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This Makkan surah affirms the divine origin of the Quran and the reality of the Resurrection. It warns the polytheists by detailing the punishment that befell Pharaoh's people. The surah centrally features the terrifying prophecy of smoke or a dust cloud (dukhān) as a sign of impending cosmic and worldly judgment against those who mock the Prophet's call.

Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah affirms the divine origin of the Quran and the reality of the Resurrection. It warns the polytheists by detailing the punishment that befell Pharaoh's people. The surah centrally features the terrifying prophecy of smoke or a dust cloud (dukhān) as a sign of impending cosmic and worldly judgment against those who mock the Prophet's call.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan according to the majority view.

Context: The surah was revealed when the polytheists’ prolonged mockery of the Prophet (ﷺ) resulted in the Prophet praying for a severe affliction, which manifested as the prophesied famine that struck Makkah after the Muslims had emigrated to Madinah. The revelation serves as Allah's confirmation of the Prophet's answered prayer.

Chronology: It is counted as the 63rd surah in the order of revelation, revealed after Sūrat al-Zukhruf and before al-Jāthiyah.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known by two names: "Sūrat al-Dukhān" (The Smoke), for the unique mention of the “smoke” (dukhān) [10] which Allah sent as a painful warning sign to the disbelievers; and "Sūrat Ḥā-Mīm al-Dukhān" with reference to its opening letters.

Virtue: It is one of the seven Ḥawāmīmsurahs. The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged reciting it, especially on the evening before Friday.

Ayah Count: 56 ayahs (Madīnah/Makkah/Shām) or 59 (Kūfah).

Surah Overview:

  • Prophetic Affirmation: Affirming the Quran's divine origin and the Prophet Muḥammad’s (ﷺ) truthfulness. [1-4]
  • The Blessed Night: Highlighting the virtue of the night the Quran was first revealed (i.e. Laylat al-Qadr). [3]
  • The Prophecy of Smoke: Warning the mockers with the physical sign of the Smoke (al-dukhān) and famine as a punishment. [9-16]
  • Historical Warning: Detailing the destruction that befell Pharaoh and his people as a clear example for the polytheists. [17-33]
  • Monotheism and Creation: Proving Allah's exclusive divinity by citing the flawless creation of the heavens and earth. [7-8]
  • The Hereafter: Establishing the reality of the Resurrection and detailing the terrors awaiting the deniers and the bliss reserved for the pious. [34-59]
  • Consolation: Concluding with a command to the Prophet (ﷺ) to be steadfast and to await the final victory against the deniers. [59]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 16 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah10–16
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1007

    حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمَّا رَأَى مِنَ النَّاسِ إِدْبَارًا قَالَ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ سَبْعٌ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَصَّتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْجُلُودَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ وَالْجِيَفَ، وَيَنْظُرَ أَحَدُهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَرَى الدُّخَانَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ، فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّكَ تَأْمُرُ بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَبِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏﴿‏فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ‏﴾‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏﴿‏عَائِدُونَ * يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى‏﴾‏ فَالْبَطْشَةُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ، وَقَدْ مَضَتِ الدُّخَانُ وَالْبَطْشَةُ وَاللِّزَامُ وَآيَةُ الرُّومِ‏.‏

    Narrated Masruq: We were with `Abdullah and he said, "When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw the refusal of the people to accept Islam he said, "O Allah! Send (famine) years on them for (seven years) like the seven years (of famine during the time) of (Prophet) Joseph." So famine overtook them for one year and destroyed every kind of life to such an extent that the people started eating hides, carcasses and rotten dead animals. Whenever one of them looked towards the sky, he would (imagine himself to) see smoke because of hunger. So Abu Sufyan went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Muhammad! You order people to obey Allah and to keep good relations with kith and kin. No doubt the people of your tribe are dying, so please pray to Allah for them." So Allah revealed: "Then watch you For the day that The sky will bring forth a kind Of smoke Plainly visible ... Verily! You will return (to disbelief) On the day when We shall seize You with a mighty grasp. (44.10-16) Ibn Mas`ud added, "Al-Batsha (i.e. grasp) happened in the battle of Badr and no doubt smoke, Al-Batsha, Al-Lizam, and the verse of Surat Ar-Rum have all passed .

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  2. Relates to āyah10
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1020 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4693
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4774

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ، وَالأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يُحَدِّثُ فِي كِنْدَةَ فَقَالَ يَجِيءُ دُخَانٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيَأْخُذُ بِأَسْمَاعِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ، يَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنَ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ‏.‏ فَفَزِعْنَا، فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا، فَغَضِبَ فَجَلَسَ فَقَالَ مَنْ عَلِمَ فَلْيَقُلْ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ‏.‏ فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ لاَ أَعْلَمُ‏.‏ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏﴿‏قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ‏﴾‏ وَإِنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَبْطَئُوا عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَدَعَا عَلَيْهِمِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ، فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَتَّى هَلَكُوا فِيهَا، وَأَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْعِظَامَ وَيَرَى الرَّجُلُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ ‏"‏، فَجَاءَهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ جِئْتَ تَأْمُرُنَا بِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ، فَقَرَأَ ‏﴿‏فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ‏﴾‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏عَائِدُونَ‏}‏ أَفَيُكْشَفُ عَنْهُمْ عَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ إِذَا جَاءَ ثُمَّ عَادُوا إِلَى كُفْرِهِمْ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى ‏﴿‏يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى‏﴾‏ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَلِزَامًا يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ ‏﴿‏الم * غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ‏﴾‏ إِلَى ‏{‏سَيَغْلِبُونَ‏}‏ وَالرُّومُ قَدْ مَضَى‏.‏

    Narrated Masruq: While a man was delivering a speech in the tribe of Kinda, he said, "Smoke will prevail on the Day of Resurrection and will deprive the hypocrites their faculties of hearing and seeing. The believers will be afflicted with something like cold only thereof." That news scared us, so I went to (Abdullah) Ibn Mas`ud while he was reclining (and told him the story) whereupon he became angry, sat up and said, "He who knows a thing can say, it, but if he does not know, he should say, 'Allah knows best,' for it is an aspect of knowledge to say, 'I do not know,' if you do not know a certain thing. Allah said to His prophet. 'Say (O Muhammad): No wage do I ask of you for this (Qur'an), nor I am one of the pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist.)' (38.86) The Qur'aish delayed in embracing Islam for a period, so the Prophet (ﷺ) invoked evil on them, saying, 'O Allah! Help me against them by sending seven years of (famine) like those of Joseph.' So they were afflicted with such a severe year of famine that they were destroyed therein and ate dead animals and bones. They started seeing something like smoke between the sky and the earth (because of severe hunger). Abu Sufyan then came (to the Prophet) and said, "O Muhammad! You came to order us for to keep good relations with Kith and kin, and your kinsmen have now perished, so please invoke Allah (to relieve them).' Then Ibn Mas`ud recited:-- 'Then watch you for the day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible....but truly you will return! (to disbelief) (44.10-15) Ibn Mas`ud added, Then the punishment was stopped, but truly, they reverted to heathenism (their old way). So Allah (threatened them thus): 'On the day when we shall seize you with a mighty grasp.' (44.16) And that was the day of the Battle of Badr. Allah's saying- "Lizama" (the punishment) refers to the day of Badr Allah's Statement: Alif-Lam-Mim, the Romans have been defeated, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious,' (30.1- 3) (This verse): Indicates that the defeat of Byzantine has already passed.

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4824
  3. Relates to āyah10–11
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4809

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ دَخَلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏﴿‏قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ‏﴾‏ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِ الدُّخَانِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَعَا قُرَيْشًا إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ فَأَبْطَئُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ ‏"‏، فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ فَحَصَّتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْجُلُودَ حَتَّى جَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَرَى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ دُخَانًا مِنَ الْجُوعِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏﴿‏فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ‏﴾‏ قَالَ فَدَعَوْا [quran sura="44" aya_start="12" aya_end="15"]‏{‏رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ * أَنَّى لَهُمُ الذِّكْرَى وَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ * ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا مُعَلَّمٌ مَجْنُونٌ * إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ‏}‏ أَفَيُكْشَفُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ فَكُشِفَ ثُمَّ عَادُوا فِي كُفْرِهِمْ، فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏﴿‏يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ‏﴾‏‏.‏

    Narrated Masruq: We came upon `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and he said "O people! If somebody knows something, he can say it, but if he does not know it, he should say, "Allah knows better,' for it is a sign of having knowledge to say about something which one does not know, 'Allah knows better.' Allah said to His Prophet: 'Say (O Muhammad ! ) No wage do I ask of You for this (Qur'an) nor am I one of the pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist).' (38.86) Now I will tell you about Ad- Dukhan (the smoke), Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invited the Quraish to embrace Islam, but they delayed their response. So he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by sending on them seven years of famine similar to the seven years of famine of Joseph." So the famine year overtook them and everything was destroyed till they ate dead animals and skins. People started imagining to see smoke between them and the sky because of severe hunger. Allah said: 'Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering the people. . . This is painful torment.' (44.10-11) (So they invoked Allah) "Our Lord! Remove the punishment from us really we are believers." How can there be an (effectual) reminder for them when an Apostle, explaining things clearly, has already come to them? Then they had turned away from him and said: 'One taught (by a human being), a madman?' 'We shall indeed remove punishment for a while, but truly, you will revert (to disbelief).' (44.12-15) Will the punishment be removed on the Day of Resurrection?" `Abdullah added, "The punishment was removed from them for a while but they reverted to disbelief, so Allah destroyed them on the Day of Badr. Allah said: 'The day We shall seize you with a mighty grasp. We will indeed (then) exact retribution." (44.16)

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4821

The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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