The Ant, The Ants — Verse 50

The Plot of the Mischief-Makers and the End of the People of Thamud Allah tells us about the evildoers of Thamud and their leaders who used to call their people to misguidance and disbelief, and to deny Salih. Eventually they killed the she-camel and were about to kill Salih too. They plotted to let him sleep with his family at night, then they would assassinate him and tell his relatives that they knew nothing about what happened to him, and that they were telling the truth because none of them had seen anything. Allah says: وَكَانَ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ (And there were in the city) meaning, in the city of Thamud, تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ (nine Raht,) meaning, nine people, يُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ يُصْلِحُونَ (who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.) They forced their opinions on the people of Thamud, because they were the leaders and chiefs. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "These were the people who killed the she-camel," Meaning, that happened upon their instigation, may Allah curse them. Allah says: فَنَادَوْاْ صَـحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ (But they called their comrade and he took (a sword) and killed (the she-camel). ) (54:29) إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَـهَا (When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).) (91:12) `Abdur-Razzaq said that Yahya bin Rabi`ah As-San`ani told them, "I heard `Ata' -- i.e. Ibn Abi Rabah -- say: وَكَانَ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ يُصْلِحُونَ (And there were in the city nine Raht, who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.) `They used to break silver coins."' They would break off pieces from them, as if they used to trade with them in terms of numbers as opposed to weight, as the Arabs used to do. Imam Malik narrated from Yahya bin Sa`id that Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said: "Cutting gold and silver (coins) is part of spreading corruption on earth." What is meant is that the nature of these evil disbelievers was to spread corruption on earth by every means possible, one of which was that mentioned by these Imams. قَالُواْ تَقَاسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ (They said: "Swear one to another by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his household...") They took a mutual oath, pledging that during the night, whoever met the Allah's Prophet Salih, peace be upon him, he would assassinate him. But Allah planned against them and caused their plot to backfire. Mujahid said, "They took a mutual oath pledging to kill him, but before they could reach him, they and their people were all destroyed." `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Hatim said: "When they killed the she-camel, Salih said to them: تَمَتَّعُواْ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ ذلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍ ("Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise (i.e., a threat) that will not be belied.") (11:65). They said: `Salih claims that he will finish with us in three days, but we will finish him and his family before the three days are over.' Salih had a place of worship in a rocky tract in a valley, where he used to pray. So they set out to go to a cave there one night, and said, `When he comes to pray, we will kill him, then we will return. When we have finished him off, we will go to his family and finish them off too.' Then Allah sent down a rock upon them from the mountains round about; they feared that it would crush them, so they ran into the cave and the rock covered the mouth of the cave while they were inside. Their people did not know where they were or what had happened to them. So Allah punished some of them here, and some of them there, and He saved Salih and the people who were with him. Then he recited: وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْراً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ مَكْرِهِمْ أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَـهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْبُيُوتُهُمْ خَاوِيَةً (So, they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily, We destroyed them and their nation, all together. These are their houses in utter ruin,) i.e., deserted." فَتِلْكَ بُيُوتُهُمْ خَاوِيَةً بِمَا ظَلَمُواْ إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ - وَأَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ (for they did wrong. Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah for people who know. And We saved those who believed, and had Taqwa of Allah.)

So they plotted thereby a plot but We also plotted a plot in other words We requited them by hastening on their punishment while they were not aware.

ودبَّروا هذه الحيلة لإهلاك صالح وأهله مكرًا منهم، فنصرنا نبينا صالحًا عليه السلام، وأخذناهم بالعقوبة على غِرَّة، وهم لا يتوقعون كيدنا لهم جزاءً على كيدهم.

قال قتادة تواثقوا على أن يأخذوه ليلا فيقتلوه وذكر لنا أنهم بينما هم معانيق إلى صالح ليفتكوا به إذ بعث الله عليهم صخرة فأهمدتهم.

ولكن هذا المكر السىء ، والتحايل القبيح قد أبطله الله - تعالى - وجعله يحيق بهم وبأشياعهم ، فقد قال - تعالى - ( مكَرُواْ مَكْراً ) أى : ودبرنا لصالح - عليه السلام - ولمن آمن به ، تدبيرا محمودا محكما ( وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ ) أى : وهم لا يشعرون بتدبيرنا الحكيم ، حيث أنجينا صالحا ومن معه من المؤمنين ، وأهلكنا أعداءه أجمعين .

يقول تعالى ذكره: وغدر هؤلاء التسعة الرهط الذين يفسدون في الأرض بصالح بمصيرهم إليه ليلا ليقتلوه وأهله, وصالح لا يشعر بذلك (وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا ) يقول: فأخذناهم بعقوبتنا إياهم, وتعجيلنا العذاب لهم (وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ ) بمكرنا.وقد بيَّنا فيما مضى معنى: مكر الله، بمن مكر به, وما وجه ذلك, وأنه أخذه من أخذه منهم على غرّة, أو استدراجه منهم من استدرج على كفره به, ومعصيته إياه, ثم إحلاله العقوبة به على غرّة وغفلة,وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.*ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا محمد بن بشار, قال: ثنا مؤمل, قال: ثنا سفيان, عن الأعمش, عن شمر بن عطية, عن رجل, عن عليّ, قال: المكر غدر, والغدر كفر.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله: (وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا ) قال: احتالوا لأمرهم, واحتال الله لهم, مكروا بصالح مكرا, ومكرنا بهم مكرا(وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ ) بمكرنا وشعرنا بمكرهم, قالوا: زعم صالح أنه يفرغ منا إلى ثلاث فنحن نفرغ منه وأهله قبل ذلك, وكان له مسجد في الحجر في شعب يصلي فيه, فخرجوا إلى كهف وقالوا: إذا جاء يصلي قتلناه, ثم رجعنا إذا فرغنا منه إلى أهله, ففرغنا منهم, وقرأ قول الله تبارك وتعالى: قَالُوا تَقَاسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ فبعث الله صخرة من الهضب حيالهم, فخشوا أن تشدخهم, فبادروا الغار, فطبقت الصخرة عليهم فم ذلك الغار, فلا يدري قومهم أين هم؟ ولا يدرون ما فعل بقومهم، فعذّب الله تبارك وتعالى هؤلاء هاهنا, وهؤلاء هنا, وأنجى الله صالحا ومن معه.حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثنا أبو سفيان, عن معمر, عن قَتادة: (وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا ) قال: فسلط الله عليهم صخرة فقتلتهم.

( ومكروا مكرا ) غدروا غدرا حين قصدوا تبييت صالح والفتك به ، ( ومكرنا مكرا ) جزيناهم على مكرهم بتعجيل عقوبتهم ، ( وهم لا يشعرون )

وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (50) سمَّى الله تآمرهم مكراً لأنه كان تدبير ضُرّ في خفاءٍ . وأكد مكرهم بالمفعول المطلق للدلالة على قوته في جنس المكر ، وتنوينه للتعظيم .والمكر الذي أسند إلى اسم الجلالة مكر مجازي . استعير لفظ المكر لمبادرة الله إياهم باستئصالهم قبل أن يتمكنوا من تبييت صالح وأهله ، وتأخيره استئصالهم إلى الوقت الذي تآمروا فيه على قتل صالح لشَبَه فِعللِ الله ذلك بفعل الماكر في تأجيل فعل إلى وقت الحاجة ، مع عدم إشعار من يُفعل به .وأُكد مكر الله وعُظّم كما أكد مكرهم وعُظّم ، وذلك بما يناسب جنسه ، فإن عذاب الله لا يدانيه عذاب الناس فعظيمه أعظم من كل ما يقدره الناس .والمراد بالمكر المسند إلى الجلالة هو ما دلت عليه جملة : { إنا دمرناهم وقومهم أجمعين } الآية .وفي قوله : { وهم لا يشعرون } تأكيد لاستعارة المكر لتقدير الاستئصال فليس في ذلك ترشيحٌ للاستعارة ولا تجريد .والخطاب في قوله : { فانظر } للنبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم واقترانه بفاء التفريع إيماء إلى أن الاعتبار بمكر الله بهم هو المقصود من سَوْق القصة تعريضاً بأن عاقبة أمره مع قريش أن يكفّ عنه كيدَهم وينصره عليهم ، وفي ذلك تسلية له على ما يلاقيه من قومه .والنظر : نظر قلبي ، وقد علق عن المفعولين بالاستفهام .

وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا دبروا أمرهم على قتل صالح وأهله على وجه الخفية حتى من قومهم خوفا من أوليائه وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا بنصر نبينا صالح عليه السلام وتيسير أمره وإهلاك قومه المكذبين وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ

قوله تعالى : ومكروا مكرا ومكرنا مكرا وهم لا يشعرون مكرهم ما روي أن هؤلاء التسعة لما كان في صدر الثلاثة الأيام بعد عقر الناقة ، وقد أخبرهم صالح بمجيء العذاب ، اتفقوا وتحالفوا على أن يأتوا دار صالح ليلا ويقتلوه وأهله المختصين به ; قالوا : فإذا كان كاذبا في وعيده أوقعنا به ما يستحق ، وإن كان صادقا كنا عجلناه قبلنا ، وشفينا نفوسنا ; قاله مجاهد وغيره . قال ابن عباس : أرسل الله تعالى الملائكة تلك الليلة ، فامتلأت بهم دار صالح ، فأتى التسعة دار صالح شاهرين سيوفهم ، فقتلتهم الملائكة رضخا بالحجارة فيرون الحجارة ولا يرون من يرميها . وقال قتادة : خرجوا مسرعين إلى صالح ، فسلط عليهم ملك بيده صخرة فقتلهم . وقال السدي : نزلوا على جرف من الأرض ، فانهار بهم فأهلكهم الله تحته . وقيل : اختفوا في غار قريب من دار صالح ، فانحدرت عليهم صخرة شدختهم جميعا ، فهذا ما كان من مكرهم . ومكر الله مجازاتهم على ذلك .

There were nine great chiefs in this community. In order to maintain their high position they made constant efforts to belittle the Truth, and efforts of this type undoubtedly constitute the greatest disturbance on God’s earth. Finally, these chiefs conspired to kill Salih. But, before they could take any steps against Salih according to their secret plan, God seized hold of them. In spite of all their might they were destroyed so utterly that, only dilapidated ruins of their ancient towns, still stand there as a memorial to them. A great lesson is hidden in such historical events. But, this lesson may be learnt only by one who is capable of connecting such events with the eternal laws of God. Conversely, those who attribute such events to physical causes cannot learn any lesson from them.

لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ We shall attack him (Salih علیہ السلام) and his family at night, then will say to his heir, We did not witness the destruction of his family and we are really truthful - 27:49. The plan was that all of them together should attack him and his companions in the darkness of night, and kill them all. And when the claimant of the blood would make the claim, they would say that they did not kill him, and also they did not know who had killed him. In saying so they would have uttered the truth because no one could have known who had killed whom in the darkness of the night. The point to note here is that all the acts of infidelity, disbelief, killing and pillage were being performed by the infidels, rather than those among them who were hardened criminals. Yet they were careful that they don't speak a lie or get blamed for falsehood. This shows how great the sin of falsehood is, that even the perpetrators of heinous crimes avoid it for the sake of their self-respect. The other thing worth noting in this verse is that the one whom these infidels had mentioned as the Wall or heir of Sayyidna Salili (علیہ السلام) was a man of his own family. So, why did they leave him out from being assassinated? The answer to this question is that he might have been the successor from the lineage point of view, but otherwise he could be an infidel and be a party with the infidels. There could have been the consideration that he might claim the compensation for the blood of Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) because of his relationship with him. The other possibility is that he might have been a Muslim but enjoyed a prominent position and hence there could have been the risk of uprising and reprisal among the people. Only Allah knows best.

(So they plotted a plot) they planned to kill Salih and all those who believed with him: (and We plotted a plot) and We wanted to kill them, (while they perceived not) Our plotting; it is also said that this means: the angels killed them in the house of Salih by hailing stones at them without them perceiving it.