189فَكَذَّبوهُ فَأَخَذَهُم عَذابُ يَومِ الظُّلَّةِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كانَ عَذابَ يَومٍ عَظيمٍMuhammad AsadBut they gave him the lie. And thereupon suffering overtook them on a day dark with shadows:1 and, verily, it was the suffering of an awesome day!This may refer either to the physical darkness which often accompanies volcanic eruptions; and earthquakes (which, as shown in 7:91, overtook the people of Madyan), or to the spiritual darkness and gloom which comes in the wake of belated regrets.