Volume 6, Book 60, Number 348:
Narrated Masruq:
I came upon ‘Abdullah and he said, “When Allah’s Apostle invited Quraish (to Islam), they disbe –
lieved him and stood against him. So he (the Prophet) said, “O Allah! Help me against them by afflict –
ing them with seven years of famine similar to the seven years of Joseph.’ So they were stricken with
a year of drought that destroyed everything, and they started eating dead animals, and if one of them
got up he would see something like smoke between him and the sky from the severe fatigue and
hunger.” Abdullah then recited:–
‘Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering
the people. This is a painful torment… (till he reached) …….. We shall indeed remove the punishment
for a while, but truly you will revert (to heathenism): (44.10-15) ‘Abdullah added: “Will the punish –
ment be removed from them on the Day of Resurrection?” He added,” The severe grasp” was the Day
of the Battle of Badr.”