Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Thamud Allah states here that the people of Thamud denied their Messenger Salih, فَقَالُواْ أَبَشَراً مِّنَّا وَحِداً نَّتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّآ إِذاً لَّفِى ضَلَـلٍ وَسُعُرٍ (And they said: "A man, alone among us -- shall we follow him Truly, then we should be in error and distress!") They said, `We would have earned failure and loss if we all submitted to a man from among us.' They were amazed that the Reminder was sent to him alone among them, and therefore, accused him of being a liar, بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ (Nay, he is an insolent liar!), means, he has tresspassed the limits in his lies. Allah the Exalted responded, سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَداً مَّنِ الْكَذَّابُ الاٌّشِرُ (Tomorrow they will come to know who is the liar, the insolent one!), thus warning and threatening them and delivering a sure promise to them, إِنَّا مُرْسِلُواْ النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَّهُمْ (Verily, We are sending the she-camel as a test for them.) To test and try the people of Thamud, Allah sent to them a superb, pregnant female camel that emerged from solid rock, according to their request, so that it would become a proof against them from Allah, the Exalted. Thereafter, they were supposed to believe in what was brought to them by Salih, peace be upon him. Allah ordered His servant and Messenger Salih, فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ (So watch them, and be patient!) Allah commanded, `await, O Salih, and see what will become of them and be patient; verily the better end will be yours and you will have success in this life and the Hereafter,' وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ (And inform them that the water is to be shared between them) one day for her to drink and one day for them to drink, قَالَ هَـذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ (He said: "Here is a she-camel: it has a right to drink, and you have a right to drink (water) on a day, known.") (26:155) Allah's statement, كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ (each one's right to drink being established.) Mujahid said, "When she did not drink, they would drink the water, and when she drank, they would drink her milk." Allah the Exalted said; فَنَادَوْاْ صَـحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ (But they called their comrade and he took and killed.) According to the Scholars of Tafsir, his name was Qudar bin Salif; he was the evilest among them, إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَـهَا (When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).)(91:12) Allah said here, فَتَعَاطَى (and he took) meaning to harm, فَعَقَرَفَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ (and killed (her). Then, how was My torment and My warnings), `I tormented them, so how was the torment I sent on them because of their disbe- lief in Me and denying My Messenger' إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً فَكَانُواْ كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ (Verily, We sent against them a single Sayhah, and they became like straw Al-Muhtazir.) They all perished and none of them remained. They were no more, they died out, just as plants and grass dry and die out. As-Suddi said that they became like the dry grass in the desert when it becomes burned and the wind scatters it all about. Ibn Zayd said, "The Arabs used to erect fences (Hizar, from which the word, Al-Muhtazir, is derived) made of dried bushes, around their camels and cattle, so Allah said, كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ (like straw Al-Muhtazir.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Thamud Allah states here that the people of Thamud denied their Messenger Salih, فَقَالُواْ أَبَشَراً مِّنَّا وَحِداً نَّتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّآ إِذاً لَّفِى ضَلَـلٍ وَسُعُرٍ (And they said: "A man, alone among us -- shall we follow him Truly, then we should be in error and distress!") They said, `We would have earned failure and loss if we all submitted to a man from among us.' They were amazed that the Reminder was sent to him alone among them, and therefore, accused him of being a liar, بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ (Nay, he is an insolent liar!), means, he has tresspassed the limits in his lies. Allah the Exalted responded, سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَداً مَّنِ الْكَذَّابُ الاٌّشِرُ (Tomorrow they will come to know who is the liar, the insolent one!), thus warning and threatening them and delivering a sure promise to them, إِنَّا مُرْسِلُواْ النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَّهُمْ (Verily, We are sending the she-camel as a test for them.) To test and try the people of Thamud, Allah sent to them a superb, pregnant female camel that emerged from solid rock, according to their request, so that it would become a proof against them from Allah, the Exalted. Thereafter, they were supposed to believe in what was brought to them by Salih, peace be upon him. Allah ordered His servant and Messenger Salih, فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ (So watch them, and be patient!) Allah commanded, `await, O Salih, and see what will become of them and be patient; verily the better end will be yours and you will have success in this life and the Hereafter,' وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ (And inform them that the water is to be shared between them) one day for her to drink and one day for them to drink, قَالَ هَـذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ (He said: "Here is a she-camel: it has a right to drink, and you have a right to drink (water) on a day, known.") (26:155) Allah's statement, كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ (each one's right to drink being established.) Mujahid said, "When she did not drink, they would drink the water, and when she drank, they would drink her milk." Allah the Exalted said; فَنَادَوْاْ صَـحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ (But they called their comrade and he took and killed.) According to the Scholars of Tafsir, his name was Qudar bin Salif; he was the evilest among them, إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَـهَا (When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).)(91:12) Allah said here, فَتَعَاطَى (and he took) meaning to harm, فَعَقَرَفَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ (and killed (her). Then, how was My torment and My warnings), `I tormented them, so how was the torment I sent on them because of their disbe- lief in Me and denying My Messenger' إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً فَكَانُواْ كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ (Verily, We sent against them a single Sayhah, and they became like straw Al-Muhtazir.) They all perished and none of them remained. They were no more, they died out, just as plants and grass dry and die out. As-Suddi said that they became like the dry grass in the desert when it becomes burned and the wind scatters it all about. Ibn Zayd said, "The Arabs used to erect fences (Hizar, from which the word, Al-Muhtazir, is derived) made of dried bushes, around their camels and cattle, so Allah said, كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ (like straw Al-Muhtazir.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of the People of the Prophet Lut Allah the Exalted states that the people of Lut defied and denied their Messenger and committed sodomy, the awful immoral sin that no people in the history of mankind had committed before. This is why Allah destroyed them with a type of torment that He never inflicted upon any nation before them. Allah the Exalted commanded Jibril, peace be upon him, to raise their cities to the sky and then turn them upside down over them, followed by stones made of marked Sijjil. So He said here: إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَـصِباً إِلاَّ آلَ لُوطٍ نَّجَّيْنَـهُم بِسَحَرٍ (Verily, We sent against them Hasib (a violent storm of stones) except the family of Lut, them We saved in the last hour of the night.) They left the city in the last part of the night and were saved from the torment that struck their people, none of whom believed in Lut. And even Lut's wife suffered the same end as her people. Allah's Prophet Lut left Sodom with his daughters in safety, unharmed. Allah said, كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَوَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا (Thus do We reward him who gives thanks. And he indeed had warned them of Our punishment,) meaning, before the torment struck his people, he warned them of Allah's torment and punishment. They did not heed the warning, nor listen to Lut, but instead doubted and disputed the warning. وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they indeed sought to shame his guests) that is the night the angels Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to him in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for Lut's people. Lut hosted his guests, while his wife, the evil old one, sent a message to her people informing them of Lut's guests. They came to him in haste from every direction, and Lut had to close the door in their faces. They came during the night and tried to break the door; Lut tried to fend them off, while shielding his guests from them, saying, هَـؤُلآءِ بَنَاتِى إِن كُنْتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ (These are my daughters, if you must act (so).) (15:71), in reference to their women, قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ (They said: "Surely, you know that we have neither any desire nor need of your daughters!")(11:79), meaning, `we do not have any desire for women,' وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (and indeed you know well what we want!)(11:79) When the situation became serious and they insisted on coming in, Jibril went out to them and struck their eyes with the tip of his wing, causing them to lose their sight. They went back feeling for the walls to guide them, threatening Lut with what would befall him in the morning. Allah the Exalted said, وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ (And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.) meaning, a torment that they had no way of escaping or avoiding, فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ (Then taste you My torment and My warnings. And indeed, We have made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there any that will remember)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of the People of the Prophet Lut Allah the Exalted states that the people of Lut defied and denied their Messenger and committed sodomy, the awful immoral sin that no people in the history of mankind had committed before. This is why Allah destroyed them with a type of torment that He never inflicted upon any nation before them. Allah the Exalted commanded Jibril, peace be upon him, to raise their cities to the sky and then turn them upside down over them, followed by stones made of marked Sijjil. So He said here: إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَـصِباً إِلاَّ آلَ لُوطٍ نَّجَّيْنَـهُم بِسَحَرٍ (Verily, We sent against them Hasib (a violent storm of stones) except the family of Lut, them We saved in the last hour of the night.) They left the city in the last part of the night and were saved from the torment that struck their people, none of whom believed in Lut. And even Lut's wife suffered the same end as her people. Allah's Prophet Lut left Sodom with his daughters in safety, unharmed. Allah said, كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَوَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا (Thus do We reward him who gives thanks. And he indeed had warned them of Our punishment,) meaning, before the torment struck his people, he warned them of Allah's torment and punishment. They did not heed the warning, nor listen to Lut, but instead doubted and disputed the warning. وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they indeed sought to shame his guests) that is the night the angels Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to him in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for Lut's people. Lut hosted his guests, while his wife, the evil old one, sent a message to her people informing them of Lut's guests. They came to him in haste from every direction, and Lut had to close the door in their faces. They came during the night and tried to break the door; Lut tried to fend them off, while shielding his guests from them, saying, هَـؤُلآءِ بَنَاتِى إِن كُنْتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ (These are my daughters, if you must act (so).) (15:71), in reference to their women, قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ (They said: "Surely, you know that we have neither any desire nor need of your daughters!")(11:79), meaning, `we do not have any desire for women,' وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (and indeed you know well what we want!)(11:79) When the situation became serious and they insisted on coming in, Jibril went out to them and struck their eyes with the tip of his wing, causing them to lose their sight. They went back feeling for the walls to guide them, threatening Lut with what would befall him in the morning. Allah the Exalted said, وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ (And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.) meaning, a torment that they had no way of escaping or avoiding, فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ (Then taste you My torment and My warnings. And indeed, We have made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there any that will remember)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of the People of the Prophet Lut Allah the Exalted states that the people of Lut defied and denied their Messenger and committed sodomy, the awful immoral sin that no people in the history of mankind had committed before. This is why Allah destroyed them with a type of torment that He never inflicted upon any nation before them. Allah the Exalted commanded Jibril, peace be upon him, to raise their cities to the sky and then turn them upside down over them, followed by stones made of marked Sijjil. So He said here: إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَـصِباً إِلاَّ آلَ لُوطٍ نَّجَّيْنَـهُم بِسَحَرٍ (Verily, We sent against them Hasib (a violent storm of stones) except the family of Lut, them We saved in the last hour of the night.) They left the city in the last part of the night and were saved from the torment that struck their people, none of whom believed in Lut. And even Lut's wife suffered the same end as her people. Allah's Prophet Lut left Sodom with his daughters in safety, unharmed. Allah said, كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَوَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا (Thus do We reward him who gives thanks. And he indeed had warned them of Our punishment,) meaning, before the torment struck his people, he warned them of Allah's torment and punishment. They did not heed the warning, nor listen to Lut, but instead doubted and disputed the warning. وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they indeed sought to shame his guests) that is the night the angels Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to him in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for Lut's people. Lut hosted his guests, while his wife, the evil old one, sent a message to her people informing them of Lut's guests. They came to him in haste from every direction, and Lut had to close the door in their faces. They came during the night and tried to break the door; Lut tried to fend them off, while shielding his guests from them, saying, هَـؤُلآءِ بَنَاتِى إِن كُنْتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ (These are my daughters, if you must act (so).) (15:71), in reference to their women, قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ (They said: "Surely, you know that we have neither any desire nor need of your daughters!")(11:79), meaning, `we do not have any desire for women,' وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (and indeed you know well what we want!)(11:79) When the situation became serious and they insisted on coming in, Jibril went out to them and struck their eyes with the tip of his wing, causing them to lose their sight. They went back feeling for the walls to guide them, threatening Lut with what would befall him in the morning. Allah the Exalted said, وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ (And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.) meaning, a torment that they had no way of escaping or avoiding, فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ (Then taste you My torment and My warnings. And indeed, We have made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there any that will remember)