Surah Ad Dukhan Summary

By Published On: March 7, 2019Last Updated: October 28, 2025719 words3.7 min read
Infographic Showing Surah Dukhan Understanding At A Glance

NAME:  الدخان, Ad-Dukhan.

Name taken from Verse 10 where there is a mention of the word “Dukhan”.

١٠  فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ
10  Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke.

But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.

ENGLISH NAME: Smoke.

CHAPTER NUMBER: 44

SURAH DUKHAN TOTAL VERSES: 59

SURAH DUKHAN TOTAL WORDS: 346

TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 243

TOTAL LETTERS: 1,474

REVELATION PERIOD:

Meccan, Approx. 614 – 617 AD.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

God, Moses, Pharaoh, Israelites, People Of Tubba, Tree Of Zaqum, Wrongdoers, Hurst’s/Hoors.

SURAH DUKHAN MAIN TOPICS:

Quran Revealed In A Blessed Night In Which Different Matters Decided Wisely, Moses Story, Doubts In Resurrection, Last Day: No Friend Will Help His Other Friend, Tree Of Zaqum, Description Of Paradise.

SURAH DUKHAN KEY VERSES:

٣  إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ

3  Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].

٤  فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

4  On that night is made distinct every precise matter –

١٠  فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ

10  Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke.

١١  يَغْشَى النَّاسَ ۖ هَٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

11  Covering the people; this is a painful torment.

٥٦  لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا الْمَوْتَ إِلَّا الْمَوْتَةَ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَوَقَاهُمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ

56  They will not taste death therein except the first death, and He will have protected them from the punishment of Hellfire

SUMMARY OF TOPICS

1-12(Quran Revealed In A Blessed Night In Which Different Matters Decided Wisely, But People Are In Doubt, Then Wait Till When Sky Will Bring Visible Smoke), 17-33(Moses Story: Sent To Pharaoh, Moses Seek Refuge From Stoning, Moses Request God Punishment For Pharaoh People, All Drowned Verse24, God Inherit Their Land To Others, Neither Did The Heavens Weep For Them Nor The Earth Verse29), 32(We(God) Purposely Chose Israelites Over Others), 34-39( Doubts In Resurrection, Mention Of People Of Tubba, God Did not Create All This In Play But In Truth), 40-50(Last Day: No Friend Will Help His Other Friend, Tree Of Zaqum, This Is The Food For Wrongdoers, On Their Heads Will Be Poured Boiling Water, Taste This; You Were Indeed The Mighty And Noble), 51-59(Paradise: Gardens, Springs, Silk Garments, God Wed Them With Women Having Beautiful Large Eyes, Never Die Again After First Death, Wait They Are Also Waiting)

SURAH DUKHAN BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACK GROUND:

This Surah has 59 verses divided into 3 Rukus/Sections. Name of the Surah comes from the word “دُخَانٍ” in verse 10, which means Smoke.  Dukhan is one among those seven Surahs of Quran which starts with the word “حم” Starting from Surah/chapter 40 to Surah 46 that is Surah Ghafir to Surah Ahqaf. The letters “حم”.  are called Mystery Abbreviated Letters OR Hurrof Al Muqattat. A brief introduction of which is already given in Quran Statistics & Facts.

This Surah revealed in Mecca almost the same time as of Surah Ghafir, Fussilat, Shura and Surah Zukhuruf around 4th to 7th year of Prophethood.  There is a Narration from Masruq bin al Ajda that Abdullah bin Masud said: Upon constant denial of Meccans one day Prophet prayed O God, help me with a famine like the famine of Joseph. Allah accepted his prayer, and the whole land was caught by a famine that the people were extremely distressed. Then some chiefs of the tribe along with Abu Sufyan, came to the Holy Prophet and requested him to pray to Allah to rescue his people from the disaster. On this occasion, Allah sent down this Surah. The Surah admonish about the punishment of God. When the punishment of God comes, then no one can avoid it.

Narrated in Tirmizi that Abu Hurairah reported Messenger of God PBUH said, “If anyone recites Hamim Dukhan any night, 70 thousand angels will ask forgiveness for him in the morning.

Abu Umamah said: I have heard the  Messenger of God PBUH  saying, “Whoever prays Surah Dukhan on the eve of Friday God makes for him a home in paradise.

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