Day 281 · Surah Ad-Dukhan Verses 1-39

Ad-Dukhan 1–39

The Qur'an was revealed on a blessed night; then the polytheists are described, who forgot their promise after being freed from drought, and Pharaoh who was destroyed in the sea after Musa complained to Allah.

The surah opens with separated letters whose meaning was not explained by the Messenger nor the Companions, so the majority of scholars leave it to Allah.
The Qur'an was first revealed on the Night of Power (Lailat al-Qadr), a blessed night, when every matter is determined with wisdom.
The polytheists once asked the Messenger to save them from drought, but after being saved they returned to associating partners with Allah and accused him of learning from a madman.
Musa demanded that Pharaoh release the Children of Israel, and as a human being he feared Pharaoh's evil, so he sought refuge and complained to Allah.
Musa and his followers were commanded to depart by night toward the sea, where Pharaoh and his army were finally destroyed, and his power was left as an inheritance for the generation after them.

Verse 1 of Surah Ad-Dukhan consists of 2 Arabic letters, namely Ha and Mim. In the Qur'an there are 29 surahs that begin with combinations of letters like this. None knows their meaning except Allah alone. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) never explained their purpose. Likewise, the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to whom the Qur'an was first revealed, never explained what they mean. For this reason, the majority of scholars do not dare to interpret them. They only say: Allah alone knows their meaning.

Verses 2-18 of Surah Ad-Dukhan explain several things:

The Qur'an was first revealed on the Night of Power, a blessed night. On that night Allah explained every matter with wisdom, as happened also with the messengers before him. The Qur'an is Allah's greatest mercy for humanity until the end of time. He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Creator of the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them.
Whoever understands Allah's power will certainly believe that there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Giver of Life and the Bringer of Death. Allah is the Lord and Creator of all humans. Yet these polytheists doubted Him. Strangely, they came to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to be saved from the drought season. After Allah saved them from the drought, they returned to associating partners with Allah, accusing the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) of learning from a madman. Then Allah punished them with something worse at the Battle of Badr. Before them, Pharaoh had defied Musa, a noble and trustworthy Messenger. Musa asked that Pharaoh release the Children of Israel who had been oppressed for centuries, returning them to Him, because he is a trustworthy messenger.

Verses 19-32 explain the following three things:

Continuing the story of the Prophet Musa with Pharaoh mentioned before. From this story can be understood:

Pharaoh was arrogant toward Allah, despite seeing the greatness of Allah through the miracles brought by Musa.
As a human being, Musa feared Pharaoh's evil. Therefore he sought protection only from Allah and complained to Him of Pharaoh's oppression.
Allah devised punishment for Pharaoh and his soldiers in a way they did not expect, namely by commanding Musa and his followers to flee by night toward the Red Sea. At the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his soldiers were destroyed. Thus ended the story of his arrogance. Rank, wealth, and power of Pharaoh were of no use in escaping Allah's punishment. All of it

Allah left as an inheritance for the next generation. Thus was the way Allah saved the Children of Israel from Pharaoh's oppression. Verses 34-39 explain that the polytheists of Mecca did not believe that humans are resurrected on the Day of the Hour. They asked for proof, demanding that the Messenger bring their dead parents back to life. Before them, Allah destroyed the people of Tubba' for the same sin. Allah did not create the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them in play, but with truth. Most of humanity does not know this.

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