What does Surah ad-Dukhaan (The Smoke) say?

In short

The surah says: it opens with letters and an oath by the Book, revealed on a blessed night (44:1-3); a day will come when the sky produces a visible smoke, and those it covers ask to have the torment lifted (44:10-12); a noble messenger came to Pharaoh's people and set out with God's servants by night, and the renderings differ on what he was told about the sea (44:17-24); and the sinner's food is a tree, while the righteous will be in a secure place (44:43-52).
The surah does not say: which night the blessed night at 44:3 was; it says the Book was sent down on it, and gives no month and no date.
The rest comes from: another surah tells of a sending down on a night it names, which the renderings name differently (97:1), and another says the Qur'an was revealed in the month of Ramadan (2:185); this study reads ad-Dukhaan alone.

Where the renderings split

44:24, Itani: "cross the sea quickly"

44:24, Pickthall: "leave the sea behind at rest"

44:24, Palmer: "leave the sea in quiet"

44:24, Rodwell: "the cleft sea"

44:24, Sale: "leave the sea divided"

Key findingsEditorial

One finding for each passage this study carries, in the order the study reads them. Each is the reason that passage was signed into the study, in full and unedited - including, where the renderings disagree, the disagreement.

01 44:1 Ha. Mim. This is here because it opens the surah with two letters, printed as the letters H and M, each with a full stop, in Sale and Palmer, Ha and Mim with a stop between them in Rodwell and Pickthall and "Ha, Meem" in Itani. No rendering says what they stand for.
02 44:2 By the Scripture that maketh plain. This is here because it swears by the Book: "the perspicuous book of the Koran" in Sale, "this clear Book" in Rodwell, "the perspicuous Book" in Palmer, "the Scripture that maketh plain" in Pickthall and "the Enlightening Scripture" in Itani. Sale alone names it the Koran. Also carried by the study What does the Qur'an say about the night it was first revealed?, with a different reason there.
03 44:3 Lo! We revealed it on a blessed night - Lo! We are ever warning. This is here because it says the Book was sent down on a blessed night: "sent down the same on a blessed night" in Sale, "on a blessed night have we sent it down" in Rodwell, "sent it down on a blessed night" in Palmer and "revealed it on a blessed night" in Pickthall. What follows differs: "for We had engaged so to do" in Sale, where Rodwell has "for we would warn mankind", Palmer "we had given warning", Pickthall "We are ever warning" and Itani "We have warned". This study does not choose between them. Also carried by the studies What does the Qur'an say about the night it was first revealed?, What does the Qur'an say about the Night of Decree - and what does the sura not say? and Is worship on Shab-e-Barat (the night of 15 Sha'ban, the eighth Islamic month) more rewarding?, with different reasons there.
04 44:4 Whereon every wise command is made clear. This is here because it says what is made distinct on that night: "the decree of every determined thing" in Sale, "all things are disposed in wisdom" in Rodwell, "decided every wise affair" in Palmer, "every wise command is made clear" in Pickthall and "distinguished every wise command" in Itani. Also carried by the studies What does the Qur'an say about the night it was first revealed? and Is worship on Shab-e-Barat (the night of 15 Sha'ban, the eighth Islamic month) more rewarding?, with different reasons there.
05 44:5 As a command from Our presence - Lo! We are ever sending. This is here because it calls it a command from God and says He has been sending: "By virtue of our behest" in Rodwell, "as an order from us" in Palmer, "As a command from Our presence" in Pickthall and "A decree from Us" in Itani, where Sale has the command at the end of the verse before. Whom He sends is "apostles with revelations" in Sale, "Apostles" in Rodwell and "messages" in Itani; the bracket in "sending (apostles)" in Palmer is his own, and Pickthall has "We are ever sending". Also carried by the study What does the Qur'an say about the night it was first revealed?, with a different reason there.
06 44:6 A mercy from thy Lord. Lo! He, even He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is here because it says this is a mercy from the Lord who hears and knows: "a mercy from thy Lord" in Sale and Palmer, "A mercy from thy Lord" in Rodwell and Pickthall and "mercy from your Lord" in Itani, and "the Hearer, the Knower" in Pickthall and Itani.
07 44:7 Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if ye would be sure. This is here because it names Him Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, "if ye are men of sure knowledge" in Sale, "if ye be firm in faith" in Rodwell, "if ye were but sure" in Palmer, "if ye would be sure" in Pickthall and "if you know for sure" in Itani.
08 44:8 There is no Allah save Him. He quickeneth and giveth death; your Lord and Lord of your forefathers. This is here because it says there is no god but He, who gives life and death, Lord of the hearers and of "your fore-fathers" in Sale, "your sires of old" in Rodwell, "your fathers of yore" in Palmer, "your forefathers" in Pickthall and "your ancestors of old" in Itani.
09 44:9 Nay, but they play in doubt. This is here because it turns to those who doubt: "amuse themselves with doubt" in Sale, "with doubts do they disport them" in Rodwell, "in doubt do play" in Palmer, "play in doubt" in Pickthall and "play around in doubt" in Itani.
10 44:10 But watch thou (O Muhammad) for the day when the sky will produce visible smoke. This is here because it tells the addressee to watch for the day the heaven brings smoke: "a visible smoke" in Sale and Itani, "a palpable SMOKE" in Rodwell, "obvious smoke" in Palmer and "visible smoke" in Pickthall. The bracket "(O Muhammad)" in Pickthall is his own. Also carried by the study What does the Qur'an say about the signs of the Last Hour?, with a different reason there.
11 44:11 That will envelop the people. This will be a painful torment. This is here because it says the smoke covers mankind and names it a torment: "a tormenting plague" in Sale, "an afflictive torment" in Rodwell, "grievous torment" in Palmer, "a painful torment" in Pickthall and "a painful punishment" in Itani. Also carried by the study What does the Qur'an say about the signs of the Last Hour?, with a different reason there.
12 44:12 (Then they will say): Our Lord relieve us of the torment. Lo! we are believers. This is here because it gives their cry to the Lord: "take this plague from off us" in Sale, "relieve us from this torment" in Rodwell, "remove from us the torment" in Palmer, "relieve us of the torment" in Pickthall and "lift the torment from us" in Itani, with the promise that they believe. The bracket "(Then they will say)" in Pickthall is his own.
13 44:13 How can there be remembrance for them, when a messenger making plain (the Truth) had already come unto them. This is here because it asks how a reminder can help them now, when "a manifest apostle" in Sale, "an undoubted apostle" in Rodwell, "a plain apostle" in Palmer, "a messenger making plain (the Truth)" in Pickthall and "An enlightening messenger" in Itani had already come to them.
14 44:14 And they had turned away from him and said: One taught (by others), a madman. This is here because it says they turned from him and spoke of him: "this man is instructed by others, or is a distracted person" in Sale, "Taught by others, possessed" in Rodwell, "One taught (by others), a madman" in Pickthall and "Educated, but crazy" in Itani; Palmer has "mad". Also carried by the study Did the Qur'an simply borrow its stories from the Bible?, with a different reason there.
15 44:15 Lo! We withdraw the torment a little. Lo! ye return (to disbelief). This is here because it says the torment will be eased a little and they will go back: "take the plague from off you, a little" in Sale, "relieve you from the plague even a little" in Rodwell, "remove the torment a little" in Palmer, "withdraw the torment a little" in Pickthall and "ease the punishment a little" in Itani. What they return to is "your infidelity" in Sale alone, and the bracket "(to disbelief)" in Pickthall is his own.
16 44:16 On the day when We shall seize them with the greater seizure, (then) in truth We shall punish. This is here because it names the day of the great assault: "fiercely assault them with great power" in Sale, "fiercely put forth our great fierceness" in Rodwell, "assault with the great assault" in Palmer, "seize them with the greater seizure" in Pickthall and "launch the Great Assault" in Itani, and on it God will "take vengeance" in Sale, Rodwell and Palmer.
17 44:17 And verily We tried before them Pharaoh's folk, when there came unto them a noble messenger. This is here because it begins the telling of Pharaoh's people, tested before them, and the messenger who came to them: "an honourable messenger" in Sale, "a noble apostle" in Rodwell and Palmer and "a noble messenger" in Pickthall and Itani.
18 44:18 Saying: Give up to me the slaves of Allah. Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you. This is here because it gives his first words: "send unto me the servants of God" in Sale, "Send away with me" in Rodwell, "Send back to me God's servants" in Palmer, "Give up to me the slaves of Allah" in Pickthall and "Hand over God's servants to me" in Itani, and he calls himself "a faithful messenger" in Sale and Pickthall.
19 44:19 And saying: Be not proud against Allah. Lo! I bring you a clear warrant. This is here because it adds that they are not to exalt themselves against God: "lift not yourselves up against God" in Sale, "exalt not yourselves against God" in Rodwell, "not yourselves above God" in Palmer, "Be not proud against Allah" in Pickthall and "Do not exalt yourselves above God" in Itani.
20 44:20 And lo! I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest ye stone me to death. This is here because it gives his refuge in his Lord and theirs "that ye stone me not" in Sale, Rodwell and Palmer, "lest ye stone me to death" in Pickthall and "lest you stone me" in Itani.
21 44:21 And if ye put no faith in me, then let me go. This is here because it gives his last words to them: "at least depart from me" in Sale, "at least separate yourselves from me" in Rodwell, "let me alone" in Palmer, "let me go" in Pickthall and "keep away from me" in Itani.
22 44:22 And he cried unto his Lord, (saying): These are guilty folk. This is here because it says he called on his Lord against them: "a wicked people" in Sale and Rodwell, "a sinful people" in Palmer and Itani and "guilty folk" in Pickthall. Sale alone has "when they accused him of imposture".
23 44:23 Then (his Lord commanded): Take away My slaves by night. Lo! ye will be followed. This is here because it gives the command to go out by night: "march forth with my servants by night" in Sale, "March forth then, said God, with my servants by night" in Rodwell, "journey with my servants by night" in Palmer, "Take away My slaves by night" in Pickthall and "Set out with My servants by night" in Itani, for they will be pursued.
24 44:24 And leave the sea behind at rest, for lo! they are a drowned host. This is here because it tells what to do with the sea, and the renderings differ: "leave the sea divided" in Sale and "the cleft sea" in Rodwell, where Palmer has "leave the sea in quiet", Pickthall "leave the sea behind at rest" and Itani "cross the sea quickly". All five say the host will be drowned, and it is named "the Egyptians" in Sale alone. This study does not choose between them.
25 44:25 How many were the gardens and the watersprings that they left behind. This is here because it turns to what they left: "gardens, and fountains" in Sale, "a garden and fountain" in Rodwell, "gardens and springs" in Palmer, "the gardens and the watersprings" in Pickthall and "gardens and fountains" in Itani.
26 44:26 And the cornlands and the goodly sites. This is here because it adds "fields of corn, and fair dwellings" in Sale, "corn fields and noble dwellings" in Rodwell, "corn lands and a noble place" in Palmer, "the cornlands and the goodly sites" in Pickthall and "plantations, and splendid buildings" in Itani.
27 44:27 And pleasant things wherein they took delight. This is here because it adds the comforts they enjoyed: "advantages which they enjoyed" in Sale, "pleasures in which they rejoiced them" in Rodwell, "comfort wherein they did enjoy themselves" in Palmer, "pleasant things wherein they took delight" in Pickthall and "comforts they used to enjoy" in Itani.
28 44:28 Even so (it was), and We made it an inheritance for other folk. This is here because it says these passed to another people: "for an inheritance unto another people" in Sale, "as a heritage to another people" in Rodwell, "for an inheritance to another people" in Palmer, "an inheritance for other folk" in Pickthall and "passed it on to another people" in Itani. Sale alone has "Thus We dispossessed them thereof".
29 44:29 And the heaven and the earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved. This is here because it closes the telling: heaven and earth did not weep for them, and they were not "respited" in Sale and Palmer, "nor was their sentence respited" in Rodwell and not "reprieved" in Pickthall and Itani.
30 44:30 And We delivered the Children of Israel from the shameful doom. This is here because it opens the section by saying the children of Israel were delivered from "a shameful affliction" in Sale, "a degrading affliction" in Rodwell, "shameful woe" in Palmer, "the shameful doom" in Pickthall and "the humiliating persecution" in Itani.
31 44:31 (We delivered them) from Pharaoh. Lo! he was a tyrant of the wanton ones. This is here because it names whom they were delivered from, Pharaoh, "haughty, and a transgressor" in Sale, "haughty, given to excess" in Rodwell, "haughty, one of the extravagant" in Palmer, "a tyrant of the wanton ones" in Pickthall and "a transgressing tyrant" in Itani. The bracket "(We delivered them)" in Pickthall is his own.
32 44:32 And We chose them, purposely, above (all) creatures. This is here because it says they were chosen "knowingly, above all people" in Sale, "in our prescience, above all peoples" in Rodwell, "wittingly, above the worlds" in Palmer, "purposely, above (all) creatures" in Pickthall and "knowingly over all other people" in Itani.
33 44:33 And We gave them portents wherein was a clear trial. This is here because it says they were shown "several signs" in Sale, "miracles" in Rodwell, "signs" in Palmer, "portents" in Pickthall and "many signs" in Itani, in which was "an evident trial" in Sale, "their clear trial" in Rodwell, "an obvious trial" in Palmer, "a clear trial" in Pickthall and "an obvious test" in Itani.
34 44:34 Lo! these, forsooth, are saying. This is here because it turns to those who speak now: "these Meccans say" in Sale, "these infidels say" in Rodwell, "these say" in Palmer, "these, forsooth, are saying" in Pickthall and "These people say" in Itani. Sale alone names them as Meccans, and Rodwell alone as infidels.
35 44:35 There is naught but our first death, and we shall not be raised again. This is here because it gives their saying that there is but the first death: "our first natural death" in Sale, "our first death" in Rodwell, Palmer, Pickthall and Itani, and that they will not be raised, "neither shall we be raised again" in Sale and Rodwell and "we will not be resurrected" in Itani. Palmer has "It is but our first death" and no more.
36 44:36 Bring back our fathers, if ye speak the truth. This is here because it gives their challenge to bring back "our forefathers" in Sale, "our sires" in Rodwell, "our fathers" in Palmer and Pickthall and "our ancestors" in Itani.
37 44:37 Are they better, or the folk of Tubb'a and those before them? We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty. This is here because it asks whether they are better than "the people of Tobba" in Sale, "the people of Tubbah" in Palmer, "the folk of Tubb'a" in Pickthall and "the people of Tubba" in Itani, and those before them, who were destroyed: "because they wrought wickedness" in Sale, "for their evil deeds" in Rodwell, "they were sinners" in Palmer, "they were guilty" in Pickthall and "They were evildoers" in Itani.
38 44:38 And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in play. This is here because it says the heavens and the earth were not created "by way of sport" in Sale, "in sport" in Rodwell and Palmer, "in play" in Pickthall and "to play" in Itani.
39 44:39 We created them not save with truth; but most of them know not. This is here because it says they were created "in truth" in Sale and Palmer, "for a serious end" in Rodwell, "with truth" in Pickthall and "for a specific purpose" in Itani, though "the greater part of them" in Sale and Rodwell and "most of them" in Palmer, Pickthall and Itani do not know it.
40 44:40 Assuredly the Day of Decision is the term for all of them. This is here because it names the day that is the appointed time for all: "the day of separation" in Sale and Palmer, "the day of severing" in Rodwell, "the Day of Decision" in Pickthall and "The Day of Sorting Out" in Itani.
41 44:41 A day when friend can in naught avail friend, nor can they be helped. This is here because it says that on that day none avails another, and the renderings differ on who: "the master and the servant" in Sale, "the master shall not at all be aided by the servant" in Rodwell and "master shall not avail client" in Palmer, where Pickthall has "friend can in naught avail friend" and Itani "no friend will avail a friend". This study does not choose between them.
42 44:42 Save him on whom Allah hath mercy. Lo! He is the Mighty, the Merciful. This is here because it closes the section with the exception of those on whom God has mercy: "the mighty, the merciful" in Sale, Rodwell and Palmer and "the Mighty, the Merciful" in Pickthall and Itani.
43 44:43 Lo! the tree of Zaqqum. This is here because it opens the section with the tree: "the fruit of the tree of al Zakkum" in Sale, "the tree of Ez-Zakkoum" in Rodwell, "the Zaqqum tree" in Palmer, "the tree of Zaqqum" in Pickthall and "The Tree of Bitterness" in Itani.
44 44:44 The food of the sinner. This is here because it says the tree is food: "the food of the impious" in Sale, "the sinner's food" in Rodwell, "the food of the sinful" in Palmer and "The food of the sinner" in Pickthall and Itani.
45 44:45 Like molten brass, it seetheth in their bellies. This is here because it says what that food is like, and the renderings differ: "As the dregs of oil" in Sale and "Like dregs of oil" in Rodwell, where Palmer has "as it were melting", Pickthall "Like molten brass" and Itani "Like molten lead". This study does not choose between them.
46 44:46 As the seething of boiling water. This is here because it says it boils "like the boiling of the hottest water" in Sale, "Like the boiling of scalding water" in Rodwell, "like the boiling of hot water" in Palmer, "As the seething of boiling water" in Pickthall and "Like the boiling of seething water" in Itani.
47 44:47 (And it will be said): Take him and drag him to the midst of hell. This is here because it gives the command to seize the sinner and drag him "into the midst of hell" in Sale, "into the mid-fire" in Rodwell, "into the midst of hell" in Palmer, "to the midst of hell" in Pickthall and "into the midst of Hell" in Itani. Whom it is said to is "the tormentors" in Sale alone.
48 44:48 Then pour upon his head the torment of boiling water. This is here because it adds what is poured on his head: "the torture of boiling water" in Sale, "the tormenting boiling water" in Rodwell, "the torment of hot water" in Palmer, "the torment of boiling water" in Pickthall and "the suffering of the Inferno" in Itani.
49 44:49 (Saying): Taste! Lo! thou wast forsooth the mighty, the noble. This is here because it gives the words said to him: "thou art that mighty and honourable person" in Sale, "thou forsooth art the mighty, the honourable" in Rodwell, "thou art the mighty, the honourable" in Palmer, "thou wast forsooth the mighty, the noble" in Pickthall and "You who were powerful and noble" in Itani.
50 44:50 Lo! this is that whereof ye used to doubt. This is here because it says this is what they doubted: "the punishment of which ye doubted" in Sale, "that of which ye doubted" in Rodwell, "that whereon ye did dispute" in Palmer, "that whereof ye used to doubt" in Pickthall and "what you used to doubt" in Itani.
51 44:51 Lo! those who kept their duty will be in a place secured. This is here because it turns to the pious, in "a place of security" in Sale, "a secure place" in Rodwell and Itani, "a safe place" in Palmer and "a place secured" in Pickthall; they are "those who kept their duty" in Pickthall and "the righteous" in Itani.
52 44:52 Amid gardens and watersprings. This is here because it places them "among gardens and fountains" in Sale, "Amid gardens and fountains" in Rodwell, "in gardens and springs" in Palmer, "Amid gardens and watersprings" in Pickthall and "Amidst gardens and springs" in Itani.
53 44:53 Attired in silk and silk embroidery, facing one another. This is here because it says how they are clothed: "fine silk, and in satin" in Sale, "silk and richest robes" in Rodwell, "satin and stout silk" in Palmer, "silk and silk embroidery" in Pickthall and "silk and brocade" in Itani, facing one another.
54 44:54 Even so (it will be). And We shall wed them unto fair ones with wide, lovely eyes. This is here because it says they will be wed: "fair damsels, having large black eyes" in Sale, "the virgins with large dark eyes" in Rodwell, "bright and large-eyed maids" in Palmer, "fair ones with wide, lovely eyes" in Pickthall and "lovely companions" in Itani. Also carried by the studies What does the Qur'an say about the companions of paradise (hur)? and What does the Qur'an actually say about paradise - and where does the '72 virgins' figure come from?, with different reasons there.
55 44:55 They call therein for every fruit in safety. This is here because it says they call for fruit in safety: "all kinds of fruits, in full security" in Sale, "secure, for every kind of fruit" in Rodwell, "every fruit in safety" in Palmer and Pickthall and "every kind of fruit, in peace and security" in Itani.
56 44:56 They taste not death therein, save the first death. And He hath saved them from the doom of hell. This is here because it says they will not taste death there beyond the first death, and are kept from "the pains of hell" in Sale, "the pains of Hell" in Rodwell, "the torment of hell" in Palmer, "the doom of hell" in Pickthall and "the torment of Hell" in Itani.
57 44:57 A bounty from thy Lord. That is the supreme triumph. This is here because it calls this a favour from the Lord: "the gracious bounty of thy Lord" in Sale and Rodwell, "Grace from thy Lord" in Palmer, "A bounty from thy Lord" in Pickthall and "A favor from your Lord" in Itani, and "great felicity" in Sale, "the great felicity" in Rodwell, "the grand bliss" in Palmer, "the supreme triumph" in Pickthall and "the supreme salvation" in Itani.
58 44:58 And We have made (this Scripture) easy in thy language only that they may heed. This is here because it turns to the addressee and says it was made easy in his tongue: "rendered the Koran easy for thee" in Sale, "made this Koran easy for thee" in Rodwell, "made it easy for thy tongue" in Palmer, "easy in thy language" in Pickthall and "easy in your language" in Itani, so that "they may be admonished" in Sale, "they may take the warning" in Rodwell, "they may be mindful" in Palmer, "they may heed" in Pickthall and "they may remember" in Itani. The bracket "(this Scripture)" in Pickthall is his own.
59 44:59 Wait then (O Muhammad). Lo! they (too) are waiting. This is here because it closes the surah by telling the addressee to wait, for they are waiting: "do thou wait the event" in Sale, "wait thou, for they are waiting" in Rodwell, "watch thou; verily, they are watching too" in Palmer, "Wait then (O Muhammad)" in Pickthall and "So wait and watch" in Itani. Sale alone has "some misfortune befall thee", and the brackets in Pickthall are his own.

In plain wordsEditorial written by the editors, not a translation

Written by the editors. Not a translation, and not a source. It is an editorial restatement of the verses in this study and carries their name because someone has to answer for it.

Surah ad-Dukhaan runs from 44:1 to 44:59. It opens with two letters and an oath by the Book, and says the Book was sent down on a blessed night as a mercy from the Lord of the heavens and the earth. It tells the hearers to watch for a day when the heaven brings a smoke that covers mankind, and gives the cry of those who ask for the torment to be lifted. It tells how Pharaoh's people were tested by a noble messenger who went out by night with God's servants, and how they left their gardens to another people. It answers those who say there is only a first death, sets the tree whose fruit is the sinner's food against the gardens of the pious, and closes by telling the addressee to wait, for they too are waiting.

44:1-29, a section in Tanzil's division of the text. At 44:1 the opening letters are printed as the letters H and M, each with a full stop, in Sale and Palmer, Ha and Mim with a stop between them in Rodwell and Pickthall and "Ha, Meem" in Itani. At 44:2-6 an oath is sworn by the Book, sent down on a blessed night as a mercy from the Lord. At 44:10-12 the hearers are told to watch for the day when the heaven brings "a visible smoke" in Sale and Itani, "a palpable SMOKE" in Rodwell, "obvious smoke" in Palmer and "visible smoke" in Pickthall, and those it covers ask their Lord to lift the torment. At 44:14 they say of the messenger "this man is instructed by others" in Sale and "One taught (by others), a madman" in Pickthall. At 44:17-24 a noble messenger comes to Pharaoh's people, asks for God's servants and goes out with them by night, and at 44:24 the renderings differ on the sea: "leave the sea divided" in Sale and "the cleft sea" in Rodwell, where Palmer has "leave the sea in quiet", Pickthall "leave the sea behind at rest" and Itani "cross the sea quickly". This study does not choose between them. At 44:25-29 they leave gardens and fountains to another people, and neither heaven nor earth weeps for them.

44:30-42, a section in Tanzil's division of the text. At 44:30-33 the children of Israel are delivered from Pharaoh and chosen, and shown signs that held a trial. At 44:34-36 those who are spoken of say there is but their first death and ask for their fathers to be brought back. At 44:37 they are asked whether they are better than "the people of Tobba" in Sale, "the people of Tubbah" in Palmer, "the folk of Tubb'a" in Pickthall and "the people of Tubba" in Itani. At 44:38-39 the heavens and the earth were not created "by way of sport" in Sale, "in sport" in Rodwell and Palmer, "in play" in Pickthall and "to play" in Itani. At 44:40-42 the day of decision is the appointed time for all, and at 44:41 the renderings differ: "the master and the servant" in Sale and "master shall not avail client" in Palmer, where Pickthall has "friend can in naught avail friend" and Itani "no friend will avail a friend". This study does not choose between them.

44:43-59, a section in Tanzil's division of the text. At 44:43-46 a tree is the sinner's food: "the tree of al Zakkum" in Sale, "the tree of Ez-Zakkoum" in Rodwell, "the Zaqqum tree" in Palmer, "the tree of Zaqqum" in Pickthall and "The Tree of Bitterness" in Itani, and at 44:45 it boils in the bellies "As the dregs of oil" in Sale, "Like dregs of oil" in Rodwell, "as it were melting" in Palmer, "Like molten brass" in Pickthall and "Like molten lead" in Itani. This study does not choose between them. At 44:47-50 the sinner is dragged into the midst of hell and told to taste. At 44:51-57 the pious are in a secure place among gardens and springs, clothed in silk and facing one another, and wed to "fair damsels" in Sale, "the virgins with large dark eyes" in Rodwell, "bright and large-eyed maids" in Palmer, "fair ones with wide, lovely eyes" in Pickthall and "lovely companions" in Itani. The surah closes at 44:58-59 by saying it was made easy in the addressee's tongue, and by telling him to wait, for they are waiting.

AALAMIN Editor · signed 25 October 2026

not a scholar — what this signature means

I am not a scholar, and nothing here asks you to treat me as one. The plain words on this site are my restatement of what the five translations shown above say, together with counts derived from the text itself — nothing more. I sign them so that a named person is accountable for every sentence, not so you'll take my word for anything. The authority on this page is the text and its translators. If my words don't match theirs, mine are the ones that are wrong.

Scope of this study

This platform shows the verse, its easy-read line, its translations, a plain-words reading, and each verse among its neighbours. It does not supply occasion of revelation, interpretation (tafsir) or history, and it never invents them.

What this study does not answer about meaning, and which source would be needed. It does not say what the letters at its opening stand for, or what the blessed night and the smoke are, in the sense the words carry in Arabic: that would need a commentary (), a layer this platform does not hold or show.

What this rests on

Opens with 44:1, widening across 59 passages in all.

Easy-read is a simplified pronunciation, not authoritative — a rule-by-rule romanisation, not a reading. Each verse ends in its pause form, as it is said when you stop there. Pauses inside a verse and other tajwid rules are not shown. It is derived from the Tanzil Simple edition, while the Arabic above is the Uthmani edition; both are cleared, but they are not the same edition and their orthography differs.

The versesSource fact 59 passages, each with every cleared translation

59 passages, chosen for this question and signed as part of it. Each carries the reason it is here, and each renders in full: the Arabic, then every cleared translation of that verse under its translator's name.

Each verse opens on the translation that comes first in the site's fixed order, which runs from the newest translation to the oldest. The order is not a preference. Open Compare translations on any verse to read the others.

44:1

Why this passage is in the study finding 01

حمٓ

Easy-read line: a pronunciation guide, not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)haa meem

DIN 31635ḥā mīm

EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

The translators spell these letters differently

Talal Itani published 2012

Ha, Meem.

Compare translations (4)

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall published 1930

Ha. Mim

Edward Henry Palmer published 1880

‘H. M.

John Medows Rodwell published 1861

Ha. Mim

George Sale published 1734

H. M.

Sources

EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Receipts Tanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) · Uthmani, Version 1.1

Edition: Uthmani, Version 1.1
Custodian: Tanzil Project
Layer: canonical text
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Licence URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Commercial use: yes
Modification: contradictory
Licence text: read verbatim
Review state: cleared
Retrieved: 24 August 2026
Digest: 203f0f1bf3158b1e5be4ab9f8f6870e5…
Located at: https://tanzil.net/pub/download/index.php?quranType=uthmani&outType=xml
Convention: Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 ayahs. The bismillah is delivered as a separate `bismillah` attribute on ayah 1 and is NOT fused into the ayah text. 112 surahs carry one: every surah except al-Fatiha, where the bismillah is ayah 1:1 itself, and at-Tawba, which has none. Sourced from the XML output; the plain-text output of the same release DOES fuse it, which is defect D1.

CLEARED. Licence read verbatim from the block embedded in this very file. Ingested exactly as shipped: no normalisation, no stripping of marks, no Unicode recomposition.

Every source and rights decision →

Other languages (18)

Shqip · Albanian

Ha, mim.[1]

Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5

বাংলা · Bengali

হা-মীম।(১)

Translator's note

(১) এই অক্ষরগুলো এবং এর অনুরূপ অন্যান্য অক্ষরসমূহ, যা কুরআনের কিছু সূরার শুরুতে এসেছে, এগুলোকে হুরূফে মুকাত্তা‘আত তথা কতগুলো বিচ্ছিন্ন বর্ণ দ্বারা গঠিত এক-একটা বাক্য বলে। এগুলো আল-কুরআনের অলৌকিকতার প্রতি ইঙ্গিত করে। মুশরিকরা এর দ্বারা চ্যালেঞ্জের সম্মুখীন হয়েছিল এবং তারা এর মোকাবিলা করতে অক্ষম ছিল; যদিও এগুলো আরবী ভাষার কতগুলো অক্ষর দিয়েই গঠিত। আরবদের – তারা সর্বাধিক বিশুদ্ধ বাগ্মী হওয়া সত্ত্বেও - এর অনুরূপ কিছু রচনা করতে অক্ষমতাই প্রমাণ করে যে কুরআন আল্লাহর পক্ষ থেকে নাযিলকৃত।

Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Dawah Association in Rabwah, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.2

Bosanski · Bosnian

Hā Mīm. [1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 2.0.4

Hrvatski · Croatian

Hā-Mīm.[1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1

Fulfulde · Fulani

Haa, miim.[1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

ქართული · Georgian

ჰაა. მიიმ [1]

Translator's note

[1] ეს ასოები და სურების დასაწყისში არსებული სხვა მოწყვეტილი ასოები (الحروف المقطعة) მიუთითებს ყურანის სასწაულებრივ ბუნებაზე. მათი მეშვეობით მრავალღმერთიანებს გამოწვევა მიეცათ, მაგრამ მათ ვერ შეძლეს მისი მსგავსი რამის მოტანა, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყურანი სწორედ იმ ასოებისგან შედგება, რომლებისგანაც არაბული ენაა შექმნილი. ამიტომ ის ფაქტი, რომ არაბებმა — მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ისინი ყველაზე მჭევრმეტყველნი იყვნენ — ვერ შეძლეს მისი მსგავსი რამის შექმნა, მოწმობს, რომ ყურანი ალლაჰის გამოცხადებაა.

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.7

Deutsch · German

Ha-Mim. [1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.15

Ελληνικά · Greek

Χ, Μ [Χα-Μείμ, δύο ξεχωριστά αραβικά γράμματα που δεν συνθέτουν καμία λέξη, αλλά έχουν σημασία, καθώς δεν υπάρχει τίποτα στο Κορ’άν που δεν έχει σημασία. Μόνο ο Αλλάχ γνωρίζει τη σημασία τους. Μπορεί να είναι μια ένδειξη ότι το Κορ’άν αποτελείται από αραβικά γράμματα τα οποία ξέρουν και μιλούν οι Άραβες, και έτσι ο Αλλάχ τους προκάλεσε και προκαλεί οποιονδήποτε άλλον που αμφιβάλλει για το Κορ’άν, να παρουσιάσει οποιοδήποτε παρόμοιο βιβλίο].

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

हिन्दी · Hindi

ह़ा, मीम।

Translated by Azizul Haq Al-Omari

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.5

Italiano · Italian

Ħæ, Mī-īm ﴿حمٓ﴾

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

Lietuvių · Lithuanian

1. Ha, Mym. [Šios raidės yra vienas iš Korano stebuklų ir niekas kitas nežino jų reikšmės, tik Allahas (Vienintelis)].

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.8

Afaan Oromoo · Oromo

Haa Miim. [1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.0

Русский · Russian

Ха. Мим.

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1

Српски · Serbian

Ха-мим.[1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4

Kiswahili · Swahili

Ha Mim.[1]

Issued by the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5

Svenska · Swedish

Hā Mīm.[1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

Türkçe · Turkish

Hâ, Mîm.[1]

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4

اردو · Urdu

حٰم.

Translated by Muhammad Ibrahim Junagarhi, developed under the supervision of the Rowwad Translation Center. The original translation is available for the purpose of expressing opinion, evaluation, and continuous development.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.3

Show context

The verses around this oneSource fact

shown so it's never read alone

44:1 — the verse above

44:2

وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

Easy-read (simplified)wal-kitaabi l-mubeen

DIN 31635wal-kitābi l-mubīni

The translators word this verse differently

Talal Itani2012 By the Enlightening Scripture.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 By the Scripture that maketh plain

Edward Henry Palmer1880 By the perspicuous Book

John Medows Rodwell1861 By this clear Book

George Sale1734 By the perspicuous book of the Koran

44:3

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ

Easy-read (simplified)innaa anzalnaahu fee laylatin mubaarakatin innaa kunnaa mundhireen

DIN 31635ʾinnā ʾanzalnāhu fī laylatin mubārakatin ʾinnā kunnā munḏirīna

Talal Itani2012 We have revealed it on a Blessed Night-We have warned.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 Lo! We revealed it on a blessed night - Lo! We are ever warning

Edward Henry Palmer1880 verily, we have sent it down on a blessed night;- verily, we had given warning

John Medows Rodwell1861 See! on a blessed night have we sent it down, for we would warn mankind

George Sale1734 verily We have sent down the same on a blessed night, -- for We had engaged so to do

44:2

Why this passage is in the study finding 02

وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

Easy-read line: a pronunciation guide, not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)wal-kitaabi l-mubeen

DIN 31635wal-kitābi l-mubīni

The translators word this verse differently

Talal Itani published 2012

By the Enlightening Scripture.

Compare translations (4)

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall published 1930

By the Scripture that maketh plain

Edward Henry Palmer published 1880

By the perspicuous Book

John Medows Rodwell published 1861

By this clear Book

George Sale published 1734

By the perspicuous book of the Koran

Sources

EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Receipts Tanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) · Uthmani, Version 1.1

Edition: Uthmani, Version 1.1
Custodian: Tanzil Project
Layer: canonical text
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Licence URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Commercial use: yes
Modification: contradictory
Licence text: read verbatim
Review state: cleared
Retrieved: 24 August 2026
Digest: 203f0f1bf3158b1e5be4ab9f8f6870e5…
Located at: https://tanzil.net/pub/download/index.php?quranType=uthmani&outType=xml
Convention: Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 ayahs. The bismillah is delivered as a separate `bismillah` attribute on ayah 1 and is NOT fused into the ayah text. 112 surahs carry one: every surah except al-Fatiha, where the bismillah is ayah 1:1 itself, and at-Tawba, which has none. Sourced from the XML output; the plain-text output of the same release DOES fuse it, which is defect D1.

CLEARED. Licence read verbatim from the block embedded in this very file. Ingested exactly as shipped: no normalisation, no stripping of marks, no Unicode recomposition.

Every source and rights decision →

Other languages (18)

Shqip · Albanian

Betohem në Librin e qartë!

Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5

বাংলা · Bengali

সুস্পষ্ট কিতাব আল-কুরআনের শপথ।

Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Dawah Association in Rabwah, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.2

Bosanski · Bosnian

Tako Mi Knjige jasne,

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 2.0.4

Hrvatski · Croatian

Tako Mi Knjige jasne,

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1

Fulfulde · Fulani

Mi wooɗndirii defere ɓanngunde nde !

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

ქართული · Georgian

ვფიცავ, ცხად წიგნს!

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.7

Deutsch · German

Bei dem deutlichen Buch!

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.15

Ελληνικά · Greek

(Ορκίζομαι) μα το ξεκάθαρο Βιβλίο (που διασαφηνίζει την αλήθεια)!

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

हिन्दी · Hindi

क़सम है स्पष्ट करने वाली पुस्तक की।

Translated by Azizul Haq Al-Omari

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.5

Italiano · Italian

Per il chiaro Libro!

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

Lietuvių · Lithuanian

2. (Prisiekiu) Aiškia Knyga (šiuo Koranu), kuris viską išaiškina.

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.8

Afaan Oromoo · Oromo

Kitaaba addeessaa ta’eenin (qur'aanaan) (kakadha).

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.0

Русский · Russian

Клянусь ясным Писанием.

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1

Српски · Serbian

Тако ми јасне Књиге,

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4

Kiswahili · Swahili

Ninaapa kwa Kitabu kinachobainisha.

Issued by the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5

Svenska · Swedish

Vid den klargörande skriften!

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2

Türkçe · Turkish

Apaçık kitaba andolsun ki.

Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4

اردو · Urdu

قسم ہے اس وضاحت والی کتاب کی.

From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.3

Show context

The verses around this oneSource fact

shown so it's never read alone

44:1

حمٓ

Easy-read (simplified)haa meem

DIN 31635ḥā mīm

The translators spell these letters differently

Talal Itani2012 Ha, Meem.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 Ha. Mim

Edward Henry Palmer1880 ‘H. M.

John Medows Rodwell1861 Ha. Mim

George Sale1734 H. M.

44:2 — the verse above