دخن

Core meaning

Smoke: a matter that rises and envelops, without settled form.

Uses

1. دُخَان → "smoke" : the state of the sky at the beginning, and the sign that will come from the sky at the end.

   • «ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌۭ» — "Then He proceeded toward the sky, which was smoke" (41:11)
   • «يَوْمَ تَأْتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ يَغْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ» — "the day when the sky brings a clear smoke that covers mankind" (44:10)

Evidence from the text

The two uses answer each other. At the beginning, the sky is smoke when God establishes Himself toward it and says to it and to the earth: "Come, both of you, willingly or unwillingly" (41:11): a matter still without order, which receives its form. At the end, the sky brings a smoke that covers mankind (44:10-11): the same matter returns, no longer to be ordered, but to envelop; and those it envelops cry out: "Our Guardian, remove the punishment from us" (44:12).

See also

سمو (the sky)