Volume 6, Book 60, Number 346:
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
It (i.e., the imagined smoke) was because, when the Quraish refused to obey the Prophet, he asked
Allah to afflict them with years of famine similar to those of (Prophet) Joseph. So they were stricken
with famine and fatigue, so much so that they ate even bones. A man would look towards the sky and
imagine seeing something like smoke between him and the sky because of extreme fatigue. So Allah
revealed:–
‘Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering
the people; this is a painfull of torment.’ (44.10-11)
Then someone (Abu Sufyan) came to Allah’s Apostle and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Invoke Allah to
send rain for the tribes of Mudar for they are on the verge of destruction.” On that the Prophet said
(astonishingly) “Shall I invoke Allah) for the tribes of Mudar? Verily, you are a brave man!” But the
Prophet prayed for rain and it rained for them. Then the Verse was revealed.
‘But truly you will return (to disbelief).’ (44.15) (When the famine was over and) they restored
prsperity and welfare, they reverted to their ways (of heathenism) whereupon Allah revealed:
‘On the Day when We shall seize you with a Mighty Grasp. We will indeed (then) exact retribu –
tion.’ (44.16) The narrator said, “That was the day of the Battle of Badr.”
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 347:
Narrated Abdullah:
It is a sign of having knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: ‘Allah knows
better.’ Allah said to his Prophet:
Volume 6 – 1070 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 6 > BOOK 60: PROPHETIC COMMENTARY ON THE QUR’AN (TAFSEER OF THE PROPHET (PBUH))
‘Say: No wage do I ask of you for this (Qur’an), nor am I one of the pretenders (a person who pre –
tends things which do not exist)’ (38.86) When the Quraish troubled and stood against the Prophet
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 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 in –
deed (then) exact retribution.’ (44.10).
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.”
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 349:
Narrated Abdullah:
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 Allah’s Apostle 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
Volume 6 – 1071 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 6 > BOOK 60: PROPHETIC COMMENTARY ON THE QUR’AN (TAFSEER OF THE PROPHET (PBUH))
to the Prophet and said, “O Muhammad! Your people are on the verge of destruction! Please invoke
Allah to relieve them.” So the Prophet invoked Allah for them (and the famine disappeared). He said
to them. “You will revert (to heathenism) after that.” ‘Abdullah 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).”
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 350:
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
Five things have passed: Al-Lizam, the defeat of the Romans, the mighty grasp, the splitting of the
moon, and the smoke.
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 351:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “Allah said, ‘The son of Adam hurts me for he abuses Time though I am Time:
in My Hands are all things, and I cause the revolution of day and night.’
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 352:
Narrated Yusuf bin Mahak:
Marwan had been appointed as the governor of Hijaz by Muawiya. He delivered a sermon and
mentioned Yazid bin Muawiya so that the people might take the oath of allegiance to him as the suc –
cessor of his father (Muawiya). Then ‘Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr told him something whereupon
Marwan ordered that he be arrested. But ‘Abdur-Rahman entered ‘Aisha’s house and they could not
arrest him. Marwan said, “It is he (‘AbdurRahman) about whom Allah revealed this Verse:–
‘And the one who says to his parents: ‘Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me..?'”
On that, ‘Aisha said from behind a screen, “Allah did not reveal anything from the Qur’an about us
except what was connected with the declaration of my innocence (of the slander).”
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 353:
Narrated ‘Aisha:
(the wife of the Prophet), I never saw Allah’s Apostle laughing loudly enough to enable me to see
his uvula, but he used to smile only. And whenever he saw clouds or winds, signs of deep concern
would appear on his face. I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! When people see clouds they usually feel happy,
Volume 6 – 1072 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 6 > BOOK 60: PROPHETIC COMMENTARY ON THE QUR’AN (TAFSEER OF THE PROPHET (PBUH))
hoping that it would rain, while I see that when you see clouds, one could notice signs of dissatisfac –
tion on your face.” He said, “O ‘Aisha! What is the guarantee for me that there will be no punishment
in it, since some people were punished with a wind? Verily, some people saw (received) the punish –
ment, but (while seeing the cloud) they said, ‘This cloud will give us rain.’ “