The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City — Verse 74
15:74 · al-Hijr
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فَجَعَلۡنَا عَـٰلِیَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَیۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةࣰ مِّن سِجِّیلٍ ٧٤
fajaʿalnā ʿāliyahā sāfilahā wa-amṭarnā ʿalayhim ḥijāratan min sijjīli
The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City / al-Hijr (15:74)
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
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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.
We turned their city upside down and rained on them a shower of clay stones
fajaʿalnā ʿāliyahā sāfilahā wa-amṭarnā ʿalayhim ḥijāratan min sijjīli
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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.'
And We made their that is their cities’ topmost part their nethermost by Gabriel’s raising them the cities to the heaven and dropping them face down onto the earth and We rained on them stones of baked clay clay baked in fire.
فقلبنا قُراهم فجعلنا عاليها سافلها، وأمطرنا عليهم حجارة من طين متصلب متين.
ثم قلبها وجعل عاليها سافلها وأرسل حجارة السجيل عليهم وقد تقدم الكلام على السجيل في هود بما فيه كفاية.
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 .
يقول تعالى ذكره: فجعلنا عالي أرضهم سافلها، وأمطرنا عليهم حِجارة من سجيل (1) .كما حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، عن عكرمة ( وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ ) أي من طين.------------------------الهوامش:(1) لعل الأصل ( من سجيل) : أي من طين ، كما يظهر بتأمل .
"فجعلنا عاليها سافلها وأمطرنا عليهم حجارة من سجيل".
وضميرَا { عاليَها سافلها } للمدينة . وضمير { عليهم } عائد إلى ما عادت عليه ضمائر الجمع قبله .
{ فَجَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا } أي: قلبنا عليهم مدينتهم، { وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ } تتبع فيها من شذ من البلد منهم.
دليل على أن من فعل فعلهم حكمه الرجم ; وقد تقدم في " الأعراف " .وفي التفسير : أمطرنا في العذاب , ومطرنا في الرحمة .وأما كلام العرب فيقال : مطرت السماء وأمطرت : حكاه الهروي .واختلف في " السجيل " فقال النحاس : السجيل الشديد الكثير ; وسجيل وسجين اللام والنون أختان .وقال أبو عبيدة : السجيل الشديد ; وأنشد : ضربا تواصى به الأبطال سجينا قال النحاس : ورد عليه هذا القول عبد الله بن مسلم وقال : هذا سجين وذلك سجيل فكيف يستشهد به ؟ ! قال النحاس : وهذا الرد لا يلزم ; لأن أبا عبيدة ذهب إلى أن اللام تبدل من النون لقرب إحداهما من الأخرى ; وقول أبي عبيدة يرد من جهة أخرى ; وهي أنه لو كان على قوله لكان حجارة سجيلا ; لأنه لا يقال : حجارة من شديد ; لأن شديدا نعت .وحكى أبو عبيدة عن الفراء أنه قد يقال لحجارة الأرحاء سجيل .وحكى عنه محمد بن الجهم أن سجيلا طين يطبخ حتى يصير بمنزلة الأرحاء .وقالت طائفة منهم ابن عباس وسعيد بن جبير وابن إسحاق : إن سجيلا لفظة غير عربية عربت , أصلها سنج وجيل .ويقال : سنك وكيل ; بالكاف موضع الجيم , وهما بالفارسية حجر وطين عربتهما العرب فجعلتهما اسما واحدا .وقيل هو من لغة العرب .وقال قتادة وعكرمة : السجيل الطين بدليل قوله : " لنرسل عليهم حجارة من طين " [ الذاريات : 33 ] .وقال الحسن : كان أصل الحجارة طينا فشددت .والسجيل عند العرب كل شديد صلب .وقال الضحاك : يعني الآجر .وقال ابن زيد : طين طبخ حتى كان كالآجر ; وعنه أن سجيلا اسم السماء الدنيا ; ذكره المهدوي ; وحكاه الثعلبي عن أبي العالية ; وعن عكرمة : أنه بحر معلق بين السماء والأرض منه نزلت الحجارة .وقيل : هي جبال في السماء , وهي التي أشار الله تعالى إليها بقوله : " وينزل من السماء من جبال فيها من برد " [ النور : 43 ] .وقيل : هو مما سجل لهم أي كتب لهم أن يصيبهم ; فهو في معنى سجين ; قال الله تعالى : " وما أدراك ما سجين .كتاب مرقوم " [ المطففين : 8 - 9 ] قاله الزجاج واختاره .وقيل : هو فعيل من أسجلته أي أرسلته فكأنها مرسلة عليهم .وقيل : هو من أسجلته إذا أعطيته ; فكأنه عذاب أعطوه ; قال : من يساجلني يساجل ماجدا يملأ الدلو إلى عقد الكرب وقال أهل المعاني : السجيل والسجين الشديد من الحجر والضرب ; قال ابن مقبل : ورجلة يضربون البيض ضاحية ضربا تواصى به الأبطال سجينا
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.
(And We utterly confounded them) We turned their location upside down, (and We rained upon them) upon their sodomites and sinners (stones of heated clay) coming down from the first heaven; it is also said that these stones were of manure and mud which were heated up like bricks.