Hadith #193

Arabic Text

English Translation

It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) — via Abu Mu'awiya, from al-A'mash, from Muslim, from Masruq — that he said: 'A man came to 'Abdullah and said: I left a man in the mosque who is interpreting the Quran with his own opinion — he says about the verse: On the day the sky brings a manifest smoke [44:10] — that smoke will envelop the people on the Day of Resurrection, seizing their breath until they are afflicted by something like a cold [zukkam]. 'Abdullah said: Whoever has knowledge, let him speak by it; whoever does not know, let him say: Allah knows best — for part of a man's understanding is to say about what he does not know: Allah knows best. This [verse] was because when Quraysh were obstinate toward the Prophet ﷺ, he supplicated against them with years of drought like the years of Yusuf. Drought struck them and they were in dire straits — until they ate bones — and a man would look at the sky and see between himself and it what appeared to be smoke from the hardship [of hunger]. Allah (عز وجل) then revealed: So watch for the day when the sky brings a manifest smoke enveloping the people — this is a painful punishment [44:10-11]. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was then told: O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah for Mudar — for they have perished. He prayed for them, and Allah (عز وجل) revealed: Indeed We will remove the punishment [44:15]. But when the second [trial] struck them, they returned [to disbelief], and then was revealed: On the day We will strike with the greatest assault — We will exact retribution [44:16] — meaning the day of Badr.'