The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City — Verse 73
15:73 · al-Hijr
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فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّیۡحَةُ مُشۡرِقِینَ ٧٣
fa-akhadhathumu l-ṣayḥatu mush'riqīn
The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City / al-Hijr (15:73)
Connections 2 single-source 1 commentator
Multi-source connections
No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mentions (2) cited by only one commentator
By commentator who cites how many verses on this ayah
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 2 verses
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
and the blast overtook them at sunrise
fa-akhadhathumu l-ṣayḥatu mush'riqīn
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Tafsir Commentary
The Destruction of the People of Lut
Allah said;
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ
(So the Sayhah overtook them) This is the piercing sound that came to them when the sun rose, which was accompanied by the city being flipped upside down, and stones of baked clay (As-Sijjil) raining down upon them. The discussion of As-Sijjil in Surah Hud is a sufficient explanation. Allah said:
إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ
(Surely, in this are signs for those who see.) meaning that the traces of the destruction of that city are easily visible to any one who ponder about it, whether they look at it with physical eyesight or mental and spiritual insight, as Mujahid said concerning the phrase,
لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ
(those who see) he said, "those who have insight and discernment." It was reported from Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak that it referred to those who look. Qatadah said: "those who learn lessons".
لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ
(those who see) therefore the meaning is "those who ponder".
The City of Sodom on the Highroad
وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ
(And verily, they were right on the highroad.) meaning that the city of Sodom, which was physically and spiritually turned upside down, and pelted with stones until it became a foul smelling lake (the Dead Sea), is on a route that is easily accessible until the present day. This is like the Ayah,
وَإِنَّكُمْ لَّتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُّصْبِحِينَ - وَبِالَّيْلِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ
(Verily, you pass by them in the morning, and at night. Will you not then reflect) (37:137-138).
إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(Surely, there is indeed a sign in that for the believers.) meaning, `All that We did to the people of Lut, from the destruction and the vengeance, to how We saved Lut and his family, these are clear signs to those who believe in Allah and His Messengers.'
Then the Cry the Cry of Gabriel seized them at sunrise.
يقسم الخالق بمن يشاء وبما يشاء، أما المخلوق فلا يجوز له القسم إلا بالله، وقد أقسم الله تعالى بحياة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم تشريفًا له. إن قوم لوط في غفلة شديدة يترددون ويتمادون، حتى حلَّتْ بهم صاعقة العذاب وقت شروق الشمس.
يقول تعالى " فأخذتهم الصيحة " وهي ما جاءهم به من الصوت القاصف عند شروق الشمس وهو طلوعها وذلك مع رفع بلادهم إلى عنان السماء.
وقوله - سبحانه - : ( لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِي سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ) يرى جمهور المفسرين أنه كلام معترض بين أجزاء قصة لوط - عليه السلام - مع قومه ، لبيان أن الموعظة لا تجدى مع القوم الغاوين ، ولتسلية الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم عما أصابه من سفهاء قومه .فالخطاب فيه للنبى صلى الله عليه وسلم واللام فى ( لعمرك ) لام القسم ، والمقسم به حياته صلى الله عليه وسلم والعمر - بفتح العين - لغة فى العمر - بضمها ، ومعناهما : مدة حياة الإِنسان وبقائه فى هذه الدنيا ، إلا أنهم ألزموا مفتوح العين فى القسم ، وهو مبتدأ وخبره محذوف وجوبا والتقدير لعمرك قسمى أو يمبنى .
وقوله ( فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فأخذتهم صاعقة العذاب، وهي الصيحة مشرقين: يقول: إذ أشرقوا، ومعناه: إذ أشرقت الشمس ، ونصب مشرقين ومصبحين على الحال بمعنى: إذا أصبحوا، وإذ أشرقوا، يقال منه: صيح بهم، إذا أهلكوا.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك ، قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج ( فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ ) قال: حين أشرقت الشمس ذلك مشرقين.
( فأخذتهم الصيحة مشرقين ) أي : حين أضاءت الشمس ، فكان ابتداء العذاب حين أصبحوا ، وتمامه حين أشرقوا .
وجملة { فأخذتهم الصيحة مشرقين } تفريع على جملة { وقضينا إليه ذلك الأمر } [ سورة الحجر : 66 ].{ والصيحة } : صعْقة في الهواء ، وهي صواعق وزلازل وفيها حجارة من سجّيل . وقد مضى بيانها في سورة هود .وانتصب { مشرقين } على الحال من ضمير الغيبة . وهو اسم فاعل من أشرقوا إذا دخلوا في وقت شروق الشمس .
فلما بينت له الرسل حالهم، زال عن لوط ما كان يجده من الضيق والكرب، فامتثل أمر ربه وسرى بأهله ليلا فنجوا، وأما أهل القرية { فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ } أي: وقت شروق الشمس حين كانت العقوبة عليهم أشد
قوله تعالى : فأخذتهم الصيحة مشرقينقوله تعالى : فأخذتهم الصيحة مشرقين نصب على الحال ، أي وقت شروق الشمس . يقال : أشرقت الشمس أي أضاءت ، وشرقت إذا طلعت . وقيل : هما لغتان بمعنى . وأشرق القوم أي دخلوا في وقت شروق الشمس . مثل أصبحوا وأمسوا ، وهو المراد في الآية . وقيل : أراد شروق الفجر . وقيل : أول العذاب كان عند الصبح وامتد إلى شروق الشمس ، فكان تمام الهلاك عند ذلك . والله أعلم .والصيحة العذاب .
Why did the community of Lot go beyond all limits of arrogance? The reason for this was that they saw this matter in relation to Lot. Since they were more powerful than Lot, they thought that they could do anything they liked and there was nobody to prevent them. Had they seen this matter in relation to God, the situation would have been just the opposite. Then they would have come to know that their arrogance was absolutely ridiculous, because nobody has any standing before the power of God. As a consequence, early in the morning, they were struck by a severe storm of thunder and lightning. At the command of God, the winds started showering pebbles on the towns of Lot’s community (Sodom and Gomorrah). In a very short time, the whole community was destroyed. There is a lesson in this event for those who give it serious consideration, i.e. in this world one’s dealings in reality are with God and not with human beings. If a man realises this fact, all his arrogance will come to an end.
Commentary
A Great Honour for the Holy Prophet ﷺ
About the word of Allah: لَعَمرُکَ (la'amruk : By your life), the majority of commentators, as reported in Ruh al-Ma’ ani, have said that the addressee of 'la'amruka' is the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It is his life that Allah Ta’ ala has sworn by. Al-Baihaqi in Dala'ilun-Nubuwwah, and Abu Nu'aym, Ibn Marduwayh and others have reported from Sayyidna ` Ab-dullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that Allah Ta’ ala has not bestowed on anyone in the whole creation an honour and rank higher than that of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mutafa ﷺ . This is the reason why Allah Ta’ ala has never sworn by the life of any prophet or angel, while in this verse, He has sworn by the age and life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - which is the highest conceivable honour and deference accorded to him.
Swearing by Non-Allah
To swear by anyone or anything, other than the names and attributes of Allah Ta` ala, is not permissible for any human being because one would only swear by whoever is held in the highest of esteem - and, as obvious, Allah alone can be the highest.
According to Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Do not swear by your mothers, fathers and idols. And do not swear by anyone except Allah - and if you have to swear by Allah, do it only when you are truthful in your statement. (Reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah~aow )
It appears in the Sahihayn (the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and the Sahih of Muslim) that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once saw Sayyidna ` Umar ibn al-Khattab ؓ swearing by his father. He called out to him and said: 'Watch out! Allah Ta’ ala forbids swearing by fathers. Whoever has to take an oath, let him do it in the name of Allah, otherwise, let him be silent. (Al-Qurtubi under the commentary on Surah al-Ma'idah)
But, this injunction applies to Allah's creation in general. As for Allah Ta’ ala Himelf, He swears by different things He has created. This is particular to Him. Its purpose is to state the sublimity and beneficence of something from the desired angle. Then, the cause of forbidding common people from swearing by anyone other than Allah is not present here - because, in the Word of Allah there is no probability that He would take someone from His creation to be the highest and the best. Again, the reason is that absolute greatness is particular only with Allah Ta’ ala.
(Then the (Awful) Cry) of chastisement (overtook them at the sunrise) when the sun was rising.