The Poets — Verse 142
26:142 · ash-Shu`ara`
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إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ أَخُوهُمۡ صَـٰلِحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ١٤٢
idh qāla lahum akhūhum ṣāliḥun alā tattaqūn
The Poets / ash-Shu`ara` (26:142)
Connections 3 single-source 2 commentators
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 (3) cited by only one commentator
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Q 7:74 (al-A`raf)
cited by
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Q 26:128 (ash-Shu`ara`)
cited by
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Q 26:129 (ash-Shu`ara`)
cited by
By commentator who cites how many verses on this ayah
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Ma'arif-ul-Quran 2 verses
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Tazkirul Quran 1 verse
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.
Their brother Salih said to them, ‘Will you not be mindful of God
idh qāla lahum akhūhum ṣāliḥun alā tattaqūn
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Tafsir Commentary
Salih and the People of Thamud
Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Salih, whom He sent to his people Thamud. They were Arabs living in the city of Al-Hijr -- which is between Wadi Al-Qura and Greater Syria. Their location is well known. In our explanation of Surat Al-A`raf, we mentioned the Hadiths which tell how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by their dwelling place when he wanted to launch a raid on Syria. He went as far as Tabuk, then he went back to Al-Madinah to prepare himself for the campaign. Thamud came after `Ad and before Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Their Prophet Salih called them to Allah, to worship Him alone with no partner or associate, and to obey whatever commands were conveyed to them, but they refused, rejecting him and opposing him. He told them that he did not seek any reward from them for his call to them, but that he would seek the reward for that with Allah. Then he reminded them of the blessings of Allah.
when Sālih their brother said to them ‘Will you fear God?
إذ قال لهم أخوهم صالح: ألا تخشون عقاب الله، فتُفرِدونه بالعبادة؟ إني مرسَل من الله إليكم، حفيظ على هذه الرسالة كما تلقيتها عن الله، فاحذروا عقابه تعالى، وامتثلوا ما دعوتكم إليه. وما أطلب منكم على نصحي وإرشادي لكم أي جزاء، ما جزائي إلا على رب العالمين.
فدعاهم نبيهم صالح إلى الله عز وجل أن يعبدوه وحده لا شريك له وأن يطيعوه فيما بلغهم من الرسالة فأبوا عليه وكذبوه وخالفوه وأخبرهم أنه لا يبتغي بدعوتهم أجرا منهم وإنما يطلب ثواب ذلك من الله عز وجل ثم ذكرهم آلاء الله عليهم.
وقد نصح صالح قومه ، بما نصح به هود ونوح قومهما من قبله .
يقول تعالى ذكره: كذّبت ثمود رسل الله, إذ دعاهم صالح أخوهم إلى الله, فقال لهم: ألا تتقون عقاب الله يا قوم على معصيتكم إياه, وخلافكم أمره, بطاعتكم أمر المفسدين في أرض الله.
"إذ قال لهم أخوهم صالح ألا تتقون".
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَالِحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (142) وتقدم ذكر ثمود وصالح عند قوله تعالى : { وإلى ثمود أخاهم صالحاً } في سورة الأعراف ( 73 ) ، وكان صالح معروفاً بالأمانة لأنه لا يرسل رسول إلا وهو معروف بالفضائل { الله أعلم حيث يجعل رسالاته } [ الأنعام : 124 ] وقد دل على هذا المعنى قولهم { إنما أنت من المسحَّرين } [ الشعراء : 153 ] المقتضيتغيير حاله عما كان عليه وهو ما حكاه الله عن قومه { قالوا يا صالح قد كنت فينا مرجواً قبل هذا } في سورة هود ( 62 ) . وحذف ياء المتكلم من أطيعون } هو مثل نظائره المتقدمة آنفاً
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَالِحٌ في النسب, برفق ولين: أَلا تَتَّقُونَ الله تعالى, وتدعون الشرك والمعاصي.
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَالِحٌأي ابن أبيهم وهي أخوة نسب لا أخوة دين .وقيل : هي أخوة المجانسة .قال الله تعالى : " وما أرسلنا من قومه " [ إبراهيم : 4 ] وقد مضى هذا في " الأعراف " .وقيل : هو من قول العرب يا أخا بني تميم .يريدون يا واحدا منهم .الزمخشري : ومنه بيت الحماسة : لا يسألون أخاهم حين يندبهم في النائبات على ما قال برهانا أَلَا تَتَّقُونَأي ألا تتقون الله في عبادة الأصنام .
After the ‘Ad, the other community which gained ascendance was the Thamud (
7:74
). This community inhabited the area between Khaybar and Tabuk known as Al-Hijr. This community too was blessed with great prosperity and enjoyed dominance over others. But, the members of this community likewise devoted their full attention to the attainment of material prosperity. The art of constructing large houses by carving them out of the hills was perhaps started by this community and an improved form of this is found in the Ajanta and Ellora caves in India. Unfortunately, all those who obtain worldly benefits harbour the misunderstanding that they are entitled to them and may use them as they like. But this is the greatest mistake. The fact is that these worldly things are there only for as long as the period of trial lasts. After that, everything will be snatched from them so that nothing remains. One who exceeds the limit is one who, when he acquires wealth, develops the mentality of conceit instead of gratitude to God. When power falls to his lot, he indulges in vanity instead of being modest. If he is given high office, he uses it to glorify his name and not to serve others. Such misuse of available opportunities creates disturbance in society. The leaders of the Thamud community indulged in such type of excesses and the commoners followed them. Their prophet warned (the common people) that those they considered great were themselves misguided, and asked how they could then guide others.
Commentary
Explanation of some difficult words
أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ﴿128﴾ وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ﴿129﴾
Do you erect on every height a sign having no sound purpose, [ 128] and take the objects of architecture as if you are going to live forever, (26:128-129)
Ibn Jarir (رح) has related from Mujahid (رح) that the passage between two hills is called Ri (ریع). But Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and majority have taken the meaning of Ri (ریع) as a high place, and its derivative is ri`-un-na bat' (ریع البنات), which means growing and climbing vegetation. Literal meaning of 'Ayah (آیۃ) is symbol or sign, but here it means a high palace. تَعْبَثُونَ is derived from ` abath (عَبَث), which is something of no value and benefit neither in reality nor by implication. So, the meaning of the verse is that they used to make very high palaces of no benefit and which they did not need. It was just to fulfill their ego and pride. masani' (مَصَانِع) is the plural of Masna` (مَصنَع). Sayyidna Qatadah has taken masani' (مَصَانِع) for the water tank, whereas Hadrat Mujahid (رح) take it to mean strong palace.
لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ (as if you are going to live forever) Imam al-Bukhari (رح) has commented in Sahih al-Bukhari that the word la'alla (لَعَلَّ ) in the verse, is used as a word of simile, and that Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has translated it as کانَكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ that is ` as if you are..'. (Ruh al-Ma’ ani)
Construction of buildings without any need is contemptible
This verse indicates that the construction of houses and buildings without need is a condemnable act. The hadith quoted by Imam Tirmidhi (رح) on the authority of Sayyidna Anas ؓ conveys exactly the same message: النفقۃ کلھا فی سبیل اللہ إلّا البناء فلا خیر فیہ (All spendings are in Allah's way, except construction, which has no merit). It means that the building which is constructed in excess of requirement has no benefit or virtue. Another narration of Sayyidna Anas ؓ also confirms this: اِن کُلّ بناء وبال علی صاحبہ إلّا – مَالا ، إلّا مالا، یعنی اِلَّا مالا بدّ منہ - ` Every building is a tribulation for the builder, except that which is necessary, because it is not a nuisance'. It is commented in Ruh al-Ma’ ani that without genuine requirement construction of tall buildings is contemptible and condemned under the Sharl'ah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .
(When their brother) their Prophet (Salih said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)) the worship of other than Allah?