We came upon ʿAbdullah bin Masʿud 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), Messenger of Allah 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?" ʿAbdullah 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)  

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 ﷻ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِ الدُّخَانِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷻ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} قَالَ فَدَعَوْا {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}  

It is a sign of having knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: 'Allah knows better.' Allah said to his Prophet: 'Say: 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) When the Quraish troubled and stood against the Prophet ﷺ he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by afflicting them with seven years of famine like the seven years of Joseph." So they were stricken with a year of famine during which they ate bones and dead animals because of too much suffering, and one of them would see something like smoke between him and the sky because of hunger. Then they said: Our Lord! Remove the torment from us, really we are believers. (44.12) And then it was said to the Prophet (by Allah), "If we remove it from them. they will revert to their ways (of heathenism)." So the Prophet ﷺ invoked his Lord, who removed the punishment from them, but later they reverted (to heathenism), whereupon Allah punished them on the day of the Battle of Badr, and that is what Allah's Statement indicates: 'Then watch for the day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible...we will indeed (then) exact retribution.' (44.10).  

أَنْ تَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ تَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} إِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا غَلَبُوا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَاسْتَعْصَوْا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ أَكَلُوا فِيهَا الْعِظَامَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ مِنْ الْجَهْدِ حَتَّى جَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَرَى مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ مِنْ الْجُوعِ قَالُوا  رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ  فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَادُوا فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ فَكَشَفَ عَنْهُمْ فَعَادُوا فَانْتَقَمَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى  فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ  

Allah sent (the Prophet) Muhammad and said:-- 'Say, No wage do I ask of you for this (Qur'an) nor am I one of the pretenders (i.e. a person who pretends things which do not exist). (38.68) When Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw Quraish standing against him, he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by afflicting them with seven years of famine similar to the seven years (of famine) of Joseph. So they were afflicted with a year of drought that destroyed everything, and they ate bones and hides. (One of them said), "And they ate hides and dead animals, and (it seemed to them that) something like smoke was coming out of the earth. So Abu Sufyan came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Muhammad! Your people are on the verge of destruction! Please invoke Allah to relieve them." So the Prophet ﷺ invoked Allah for them (and the famine disappeared). He said to them. "You will revert (to heathenism) after that." ʿAbdullah then recited: 'Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible.......but truly you will revert (to disbelief).' He added, "Will the punishment be removed from them in the Hereafter? The smoke and the grasp and the Al-Lizam have all passed." One of the sub-narrater said, "The splitting of the moon." And another said, "The defeat of the Romans (has passed).  

عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ وَقَالَ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا رَأَى قُرَيْشًا اسْتَعْصَوْا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ السَّنَةُ حَتَّى حَصَّتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْعِظَامَ وَالْجُلُودَ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْجُلُودَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ وَجَعَلَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ أَىْ مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَكْشِفَ عَنْهُمْ فَدَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعُودُوا بَعْدَ هَذَا فِي حَدِيثِ مَنْصُورٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ} إِلَى {عَائِدُونَ} أَيُكْشَفُ عَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ فَقَدْ مَضَى الدُّخَانُ وَالْبَطْشَةُ وَاللِّزَامُ وَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمُ الْقَمَرُ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الرُّومُ  

We were sitting in the company of Abdullah and he was lying on the bed that a person came and said: Abd Abd al-Rabmin, a story-teller at the gates of Kinda says that the verse (of the Qur'an) which deals with the" smoke" implies that which is about to come and it would hold the breath of the infidels and would inflict the believers with cold. Thereupon Abdullah got up and said in anger. O people, fear Allah and say only that which one knows amongst you and do not say which he does not know and he should simply say: Allah has the best knowledge for He has the best knowledge amongst all of you. It does not behove him to say that which he does not know. Allah has the best knowledge of it. Verily Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said to His Prophet ﷺ to state:" I do not ask from you any remuneration and I am not the one to put you in trouble," and when Allah's Mesqenger ﷺ saw people turning back (from religion) he said: O Allah, afflict thern with seven famines as was done in the case of Yusuf, so they were afflicted with famine by which they were forced to eat everything until they were obliged to eat the hides and the dead bodies because of hunger, and every one of them looked towards the sky and he found a smoke. And Abu Sufyan came and he said: Muhammad, you have come to command us to obey Allah and cement the ties of blood- relation whereas your people are undone; supplicate Allah for tlicm. Thereupon Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:" Wait for the day when there would be clear smoke from the sky which would envelop people and that would be grievous torivent" up to the words:" you are going to return to (evil)." (if this verse implied the torment of the next life) could the chastisement of the next (life) be averted (as the Qur'an states): On the day when We seize (them) with the most violent seizing; surely We shall exact retribution" (xliv. 16)? The seizing (in the hadith) implies that of the Day of Badr. And so far as the sign of smoke, seizing, inevitability and signs of Rome are concern- ed, they have become things of the past now.  

كُنَّا عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جُلُوسًا وَهُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ بَيْنَنَا فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَّ قَاصًّا عِنْدَ أَبْوَابِ كِنْدَةَ يَقُصُّ وَيَزْعُمُ أَنَّ آيَةَ الدُّخَانِ تَجِيءُ فَتَأْخُذُ بِأَنْفَاسِ الْكُفَّارِ وَيَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَجَلَسَ وَهُوَ غَضْبَانُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَنْ عَلِمَ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ لأَحَدِكُمْ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ { قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا رَأَى مِنَ النَّاسِ إِدْبَارًا فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ سَبْعٌ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ قَالَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَصَّتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْجُلُودَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ وَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ أَحَدُهُمْ فَيَرَى كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّكَ جِئْتَ تَأْمُرُ بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَبِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ} قَالَ أَفَيُكْشَفُ عَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ { يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} فَالْبَطْشَةُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَقَدْ مَضَتْ آيَةُ الدُّخَانِ وَالْبَطْشَةُ وَاللِّزَامُ وَآيَةُ الرُّومِ  

I have left behind in the mosque a man who explains the Qur'an according to his personal discretion and he explained this verse:" So wait for the day when the Heaven brings a clear smoke." He says that a smoke would come to the people on the Day of Resurrection anl it will withhold breath and they would be inflicted with cold. 'Abdullah said: He who has knowledge should say something and he who has no knowledge should simply say: Allah is best aware. This reflects the understanding of a person that he should say about that which he does not know that it is Allah who knows best. The fact is that when the Quraish disobeyed Allah's Apostle ﷺ he supplicated Allah that they should be afflicted with famine and starvation as was done in case of Yusuf. And they were so much hard pressed that a person would ace the sky and he would see between him and the sky something like smoke and they were so much hard pressed that they began to cat the bones, and a person came to Allah's Apostle ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah. seek forgiveness for the tribe of Mudar for (its people) have been undone. The Messenger ﷺ said: For Mudar? You are overbold, but he supplicated Allah for them. It was upon this that this verse was revealed:" We shall remove the chastisement a little, but they will surely return to evil" (xliv. 15). lie (the narrator) said: There was a downpoor of rain upon them. When there was some relief for them they returned to the same position as they had been before, and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" So wait for the day when the heaven brings a clear smoke enveloping people. This is a grievous torment on the day when We seize them with the most violent seizing; surely, We shall exact retribution." And this (seizing) implied (Battle) of Badr.  

قَالَ جَاءَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ تَرَكْتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ رَجُلاً يُفَسِّرُ الْقُرْآنَ بِرَأْيِهِ يُفَسِّرُ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ { يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ} قَالَ يَأْتِي النَّاسَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ دُخَانٌ فَيَأْخُذُ بِأَنْفَاسِهِمْ حَتَّى يَأْخُذَهُمْ مِنْهُ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ مَنْ عَلِمَ عِلْمًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ مِنْ فِقْهِ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ عِلْمَ لَهُ بِهِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ هَذَا أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا اسْتَعْصَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ بِسِنِينَ كَسِنِي يُوسُفَ فَأَصَابَهُمْ قَحْطٌ وَجَهْدٌ حَتَّى جَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَرَى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ مِنَ الْجَهْدِ وَحَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْعِظَامَ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ لِمُضَرَ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَقَالَ لِمُضَرَ إِنَّكَ لَجَرِيءٌ قَالَ فَدَعَا اللَّهَ لَهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ} قَالَ فَمُطِرُوا فَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْهُمُ الرَّفَاهِيَةُ قَالَ عَادُوا إِلَى مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} { يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} قَالَ يَعْنِي يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ  

"A man came to 'Abdullah and said: 'A story teller has said that a smoke will appear from the earth, taking the hearing of disbelievers and manifesting as a cold for the believers.'" He became angry, and since he was reclining, he sat up then said: 'When one of you is asked about something he knows, then let him speak accordingly' - Mansur (one of the narrators) narrated it as: "Then let him inform of it" - "And when asked about what he does not know, then let him say: "Allah knows best." For indeed, it is part of a man's knowledge, that when he is asked about something he does not know, he says: "Allah knows best." For verily Allah, Most High said to His Prophet: Say: "No wage do I ask of you for this, nor am I one of the pretenders (38:86)." When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw that the Quraish were behaving stubbornly with him, he said: "O Allah! Assist me against them with seven (years of famine) like the seven of Yusuf." So He punished them with drought making everything barren, until they ate skins and carcasses" - one of them said: "bones." He said: 'And it appeared that smoke was coming out of the earth. So Abu Sufyan came to him and said: "Verily your people are being destroyed, so supplicate to Allah for them." He said: "So this is about His saying: 'The Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke, covering the people, this is a painful torment (44:10 & 11).'" Mansur narrated it as: "So this is about His saying: Our Lord! Remove the torment from us, really we shall become believers (44:12)." - "So shall the punishment be removed from them in the Hereafter? Al-Batshah (humiliated defeat in Badr), Al-Lizam (disbeliever captives from Badr), the smoke," - one of them said: "The moon" the other said: "The Romans have all passed."  

عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ وَمَنْصُورٍ سَمِعَا أَبَا الضُّحَى يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ قَاصًّا يَقُصُّ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ الدُّخَانُ فَيَأْخُذُ بِمَسَامِعِ الْكُفَّارِ وَيَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنَ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَجَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِذَا سُئِلَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَمَّا يَعْلَمُ فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ قَالَ مَنْصُورٌ فَلْيُخْبِرْ بِهِ وَإِذَا سُئِلَ عَمَّا لاَ يَعْلَمُ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ مِنْ عِلْمِ الرَّجُلِ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَمَّا لاَ يَعْلَمُ أَنْ يَقُولَ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ (قلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ ) إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا رَأَى قُرَيْشًا اسْتَعْصَوْا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ فَأَحْصَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْجُلُودَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ وَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الْعِظَامَ قَالَ وَجَعَلَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ قَالَ فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ قَالَ إِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ قَالَ فَهَذَا لِقَوْلِهِ ( يوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ) قَالَ مَنْصُورٌ هَذَا لِقَوْلِهِ ( رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ ) فَهَلْ يُكْشَفُ عَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ قَالَ مَضَى الْبَطْشَةُ وَاللِّزَامُ الدُّخَانُ وَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الْقَمَرُ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الرُّومُ  

I have left behind in the mosque a man who explains the Qur'an according to his personal discretion and he explained this verse:" So wait for the day when the Heaven brings a clear smoke." He says that a smoke would come to the people on the Day of Resurrection anl it will withhold breath and they would be inflicted with cold. 'Abdullah said: He who has knowledge should say something and he who has no knowledge should simply say: Allah is best aware. This reflects the understanding of a person that he should say about that which he does not know that it is Allah who knows best. The fact is that when the Quraish disobeyed Allah's Apostle ﷺ he supplicated Allah that they should be afflicted with famine and starvation as was done in case of Yusuf. And they were so much hard pressed that a person would ace the sky and he would see between him and the sky something like smoke and they were so much hard pressed that they began to cat the bones, and a person came to Allah's Apostle ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah. seek forgiveness for the tribe of Mudar for (its people) have been undone. The Messenger ﷺ said: For Mudar? You are overbold, but he supplicated Allah for them. It was upon this that this verse was revealed:" We shall remove the chastisement a little, but they will surely return to evil" (xliv. 15). lie (the narrator) said: There was a downpoor of rain upon them. When there was some relief for them they returned to the same position as they had been before, and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" So wait for the day when the heaven brings a clear smoke enveloping people. This is a grievous torment on the day when We seize them with the most violent seizing; surely, We shall exact retribution." And this (seizing) implied (Battle) of Badr. (Using translation from Muslim 2798b)   

إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ رَجُلًا يُفَسِّرُ الْقُرْآنَ بِرَأْيِهِ يَقُولُ فِي هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍمُبِينٍ} [الدخان 10] إِلَى آخِرِهَا يَغْشَاهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ دُخَانٌ يَأْخُذُ بِأَنْفَاسِهِمْ حَتَّى يُصِيبَهُمْ مِنْهُ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ قَالَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ مَنْ عَلِمَ عِلْمًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلْ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ مِنْ فِقْهِ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ هَذَا لِأَنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا اسْتَعْصَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ بِسِنِينَ كَسِنِي يُوسُفَ فَأَصَابَهُمْ قَحْطٌ وَجَهْدٌ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْعِظَامَ وَجَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَنْظُرُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ مِنَ الْجَهْدِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} [الدخان 11] فَأَتَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ اسْتَسْقِ اللهَ لِمُضَرَ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ هَلَكُوا قَالَ فَدَعَا لَهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ} [الدخان 15] فَلَمَّا أَصَابَهُمُ الْمَرَّةَ الثَّانِيَةَ عَادُوا فَنَزَلَتْ {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} [الدخان 16] يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ  

[Machine] While a man was speaking in the grand mosque, he said, "On the Day of Judgment, smoke will come down from the sky and it will seize the ears and sight of the hypocrites, while the believers will be affected by it like a common cold." Masrouq said, "I entered upon Abdullah and mentioned this to him. He was reclining and he sat up straight and began speaking. He said, 'O people, whoever has knowledge about something should speak about it, and if he does not have knowledge, he should say, "Allah knows best." Indeed, part of knowledge is to say about something you do not know, "Allah knows best." Surely, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet ﷺ , "Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it, nor am I one of the pretentious.'" (Surah As-Saba, 34:86) When the Quraysh defeated the Prophet ﷺ and disobeyed him, he supplicated, "O Allah, help me against them with seven years of famine like the one experienced by Prophet Joseph ﷺ ." He then narrated that they endured a year in which they ate bones and carrion from hunger, to the point that one of them could see what was between him and the sky due to extreme hunger. They proclaimed, "Our Lord, remove from us the punishment; indeed, we are believers." (Surah Ad-Dukhan, 44:12) It was said to him, "If we remove it from them, they will return." So, he supplicated to his Lord and He removed it from them, and they returned to their old ways. Then, Allah took revenge on them on the Day of Badr. That is what He, the Most High, said: 'So wait for the Day when the heaven will bring forth a visible smoke.' (Surah Ad-Dukhan, 44:10) until: 'On the Day the punishment will cover them from above them and from below their feet and it is said, "Taste [the result of] what you used to do."' (Surah Ad-Dukhan, 44:16) Ibn Numayr said in his narration, "Abdullah said, 'If it were the Day of Judgment, it would not be removed from them.'"  

بَيْنَا رَجُلٌ يُحَدِّثُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَعْظَمِ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ نَزَلَ دُخَانٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَأَخَذَ بِأَسْمَاعِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ وَأَخَذَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ قَالَ مَسْرُوقٌ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَاسْتَوَى جَالِسًا فَأَنْشَأَ يُحَدِّثُ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْسُئِلَ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ عِلْمٍ هُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ تَقُولَ لِمَا لَا تَعْلَمُ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} [ص 86] إِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا غَلَبُوا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَاسْتَعْصَوْا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ اللهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عليهم بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ قَالَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ أَكَلُوا فِيهَا الْعِظَامَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ مِنَ الْجَهْدِ حَتَّى جَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَرَى ما بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ مِنَ الْجُوعِ فَقَالُوا {رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ} [الدخان 12] قَالَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّا إِنْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَادُوا فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ فَكَشَفَ عَنْهُمْ فَعَادُوا فَانْتَقَمَ اللهُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ} [الدخان 10] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} [الدخان 16] قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ فَلَوْ كَانَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كَشَفَ عَنْهُمْ  

[Machine] Smoke will appear on the Day of Judgment and it will seize the ears and eyes of the hypocrites. It will also affect the believers like a cold. We became terrified, so I went to Ibn Masud who was reclining. He got angry, sat up, and said, "O people, whoever knows something, let him speak, and whoever does not know something, let him say 'Allah knows best.' For it is from knowledge that a man should say when he does not know something, 'I do not know.' Indeed, Allah, the Most High, said to His Prophet ﷺ , 'Say, I do not ask you any payment for it, nor am I one of the pretentious.'" The Quraysh invoked a curse upon themselves, so the Prophet ﷺ said, "O Allah, help me against them with seven years of famine like the years of Joseph." So they were afflicted with a year of famine in which they ate dead animals and bones. A man will see something between the sky and the earth, like the appearance of smoke. Then Abu Sufyan ibn Harb came and said, "O Muhammad, you have come to command the maintaining of family ties, and your people have perished. So invoke Allah." He recited this verse, "Then wait for the Day when the sky will bring clear smoke, covering the people; this is a painful torment." Until the end of the verse "Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little, indeed, you [disbelievers] will return [to disbelief]." Then the torment will be lifted from them when that happens, and they will return to their disbelief. That is the meaning of His statement, "On the Day the major blast will occur." That is the Day of Badr. "Their retreating was not averted from them." That is the Day of Badr. "The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land. But they, after their defeat, will overcome." The Romans have already been defeated and so have the Arabs after their victory.  

يَجِيءُ دُخَانٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيَأْخُذُ بِأَسْمَاعِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنَ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ قَالَ فَفَزِعْنَا فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَغَضِبَ فَجَلَسَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ لَا أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَعَلَا قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} إِنَّ قُرَيْشًا دَعَا عَلَيْهِمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسِنِي يُوسُفَ» فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَتَّى هَلَكُوا فِيهَا فَأَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْعِظَامَ وَيَرَى الرَّجُلُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ فَجَاءَهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ جِئْتَ تَأْمُرُ بِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَقَوْمُكَ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ فَقَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِيَ السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ} فَيَكْشِفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا جَاءَ ثُمَّ عَادُوا إِلَى كُفْرِهِمْ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى} فَذَلِكَ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ {فَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ لِزَامًا} يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَ {الم غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ} وَالرُّومُ قَدْ مَضَى وَقَدْ مَضَتِ الْأَرْبَعُ  

We were sitting in the company of Abdullah and he was lying on the bed that a person came and said: Abd Abd al-Rabmin, a story-teller at the gates of Kinda says that the verse (of the Qur'an) which deals with the" smoke" implies that which is about to come and it would hold the breath of the infidels and would inflict the believers with cold. Thereupon Abdullah got up and said in anger. O people, fear Allah and say only that which one knows amongst you and do not say which he does not know and he should simply say: Allah has the best knowledge for He has the best knowledge amongst all of you. It does not behove him to say that which he does not know. Allah has the best knowledge of it. Verily Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said to His Prophet ﷺ to state:" I do not ask from you any remuneration and I am not the one to put you in trouble," and when Allah's Mesqenger ﷺ saw people turning back (from religion) he said: O Allah, afflict thern with seven famines as was done in the case of Yusuf, so they were afflicted with famine by which they were forced to eat everything until they were obliged to eat the hides and the dead bodies because of hunger, and every one of them looked towards the sky and he found a smoke. And Abu Sufyan came and he said: Muhammad, you have come to command us to obey Allah and cement the ties of blood- relation whereas your people are undone; supplicate Allah for tlicm. Thereupon Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:" Wait for the day when there would be clear smoke from the sky which would envelop people and that would be grievous torivent" up to the words:" you are going to return to (evil)." (if this verse implied the torment of the next life) could the chastisement of the next (life) be averted (as the Qur'an states): On the day when We seize (them) with the most violent seizing; surely We shall exact retribution" (xliv. 16)? The seizing (in the hadith) implies that of the Day of Badr. And so far as the sign of smoke, seizing, inevitability and signs of Rome are concern- ed, they have become things of the past now. (Using translation from Muslim 2798a)   

كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ بَيْنَنَا فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ قَاصًّا يَقُصُّ عِنْدَ أَبْوَابِ كِنْدَةَ وَيَزْعُمُ أَنَّ آيَةَ الدُّخَانِ تَجِيءُ فَتَأْخُذُ بِأَنْفَاسِ الْكُفَّارِ وَيَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ فَجَلَسَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ غَضْبَانُ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فَمَنْ عَلِمَ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ لِأَحَدِكُمْ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا رَأَى مِنَ النَّاسِ إِدْبَارًا قَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ سَبْعًا كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ» فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْجُلُودَ وَيَنْظُرُ أَحَدُهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَرَى كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ فَجَاءَهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّكَ جِئْتَ تَأْمُرُ بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا مِنْ جُوعٍ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ} {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} فَالْبَطْشَةُ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ وَقَدْ مَضَى آيَةُ الدُّخَانِ وَالْبَطْشَةِ وَاللِّزَامِ وَالرُّومِ  

[Machine] We were sitting in the mosque when a man entered and started speaking. He said, "On the Day of Judgment, there will be smoke that will grab the ears of the hypocrites and will affect the believers like a cold. We then went to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and informed him about what the man said. He was reclining but sat up and said, "O people, whoever knows something should speak about it, and whoever doesn't know should say, 'Allah knows best'. For it is not appropriate for a person to say something that he doesn't know, while Allah has said to his Prophet, 'Say: I ask no reward of you for this (Quran), nor am I one of the pretenders.' Now, I will tell you about the smoke. When the Quraysh became stubborn and delayed accepting Islam, the Prophet ﷺ invoked against them, saying, 'O Allah, help me against them with seven years like the years of Prophet Yusuf.' So they were struck with a drought for a year until they ate dead animals and bones, to the extent that a person could see the smoke between them and the sky. That is what Allah says: 'Therefore watch for the day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke, covering the people: this is a grievous punishment. "Our Lord! Remove the torment from us, really we shall become believers!" So He turned away their punishment... but then they returned to disbelief. And on the Day of Badr, Allah seized them. That is what Allah says: ‘The day we shall seize the greatest seizure, truly, we will indeed exact retribution’. Abdullah said, "The greatest seizure was on the Day of Badr."  

كُنَّا جُلُوسًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ يُحَدِّثُ قَالَ يَجِيءُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ دُخَانٌ فَيَأْخُذُ بِأَسْمَاعِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَيَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَهَيْئَةِ الزُّكَامِ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فَحَدَّثْنَاهُ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ فَجَلَسَ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَلِمَ عِلْمًا فَلْيَتَكَلَّمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلْ اللهُ أعْلَمُ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ عِلْمِ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ وَقَدْ قَالَ اللهُ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِ الدُّخَانِ إِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا اسْتَعْصَوْا وَأَبْطَئُوا عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «اللهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ» فَأَصَابَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ حَتَّى حَصَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْعِظَامَ حَتَّى جَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَرَى مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ دُخَانًا فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ} فَكَشَفَ عَنْهُمْ فَعَادُوا فِي كُفْرِهِمْ فَأَخَذَهُمْ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ} قَالَ الْبَطْشَةُ الْكُبْرَى يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ