Overview
The Smoke (Ad-Dukhan) is one of the ten major signs of the Hour, mentioned in both the Quran and Sunnah. A great smoke will descend from the sky and cover the entire earth. For the believers, it will be like a common cold, but for the disbelievers, it will cause immense suffering — their heads will swell and they will be engulfed.
Primary Hadith
Scholarly Context
Allah says in Surah Ad-Dukhan (44:10-16): "Watch for the Day when the sky brings a visible smoke, enveloping the people — this is a painful punishment." Scholars differed on whether this sign has a partial past fulfilment (the famine during the Prophet's ﷺ time) and a greater future fulfilment. The majority position, held by Ibn Katheer, Ibn Abbas (in one narration), and others, is that the major Dukhan is yet to come.