The Moon — Verse 29

But they called their companion Qudār to slay it so he took he drew his sword and he hamstrung with it the She-camel in other words he slew her in compliance with their wish.

فنادوا صاحبهم بالحض على عقرها، فتناول الناقة بيده، فنحرها فعاقَبْتُهم، فكيف كان عقابي لهم على كفرهم، وإنذاري لمن عصى رسلي؟

قال المفسرون هو عاقر الناقة واسمه قدار بن سالف وكان أسقى قومه كقوله "إذ انبعث أشقاها" "فتعاطى" أي حسر.

( فَنَادَوْاْ صَاحِبَهُمْ ) وهو " قدار بن سالف " وهو المعبر عنه بقوله - تعالى - فى آية أخرى : ( إِذِ انبعث أَشْقَاهَا ) وعبر عنه - سبحانه - بصاحبهم ، لأنه كان معروفا ، وزعيما من زعمائهم . .والمقصود بندائهم إياه : إغراؤه بعقر الناقة وقتلها ، مخالفين بذلك وصية نبيهم لهم بقوله ( وَلاَ تَمَسُّوهَا بسواء فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ) وقوله - تعالى - : ( فتعاطى فَعَقَرَ ) مفرع على ما قبله ، وقوله : ( تعاطى ) مطاوع للفعل عاطاه ، وهو مشتق من عطا يعطو ، إذا تناول الشىء .وهذه الصيغة " تعاطى " تشير إلى تعدد الفاعل ، فكأن هذا النداء بقتل الناقة ، تدافعوه فيما بينهم ، وألقاه بعضهم على بعض ، فكان كل واحد منهم يدفعه إلى غيره ، حتى استقر عند ذلك الشقى الذى ارتضى القيام به وتولى كبره ، حيث عقر الناقة ، فمفعول " عقر " محذوف للعلم به .قال الآلوسى : قوله : ( فتعاطى ) العقر ، أى : فاجترأ على تعاطيه مع عظمه غير مكترث به .( فَعَقَرَ ) أى : فأحدث العقر بالناقة ، وجوز أن يكون فتعاطى الناقة فعقرها . أو : فتعاطى السيف فقتلها ، وعلى كل فمفعول تعاطى محذوف .ولا تعارض بين هذه الآية التى تثبت أن الذى عقر الناقة هو هذا الشقى ، وبين الآيات الأخرى التى تصرح بأنهم هم الذين عقروها ، كما فى قوله - تعالى - ( فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُواْ فِي دَارِكُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ . . ) لأن المقصود أن القوم قد اتفقوا على هذا القتل للناقة ، فنادوا واحدا منهم لتنفيذه ، فنفذه وهم له مؤيدون ، فصاروا كأنهم جميعا عقروها ، لرضاهم بفعله ، والعقر . يطلق على القتل والذبح والجرح ، والمراد هنا : قتلها ونحرها .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ (29)يقول تعالى ذكره: فنادت ثمود صاحبهم عاقر الناقة قدار بن سالف ليعقر الناقة حضّا منهم له على ذلك.وقوله ( فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ ) يقول: فتناول الناقة بيده فعقرها.

" فنادوا صاحبهم "، وهو قدار بن سالف، " فتعاطى "، فتناول الناقة بسيفه " فعقر "، أي: فعقرها.

فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ (29(وعبر عنه بصاحبهم للإِشارة إلى أنهم راضون بفعله إذ هم مصاحبون له وممالئون .ونداؤهم إياه نداء الإِغراء بالناقة وإنما نادوه لأنه مشتهر بالإِقدام وقلة المبالاة لعزته .وتعاطى } مطاوع عاطاه وهو مشتق من : عطَا يعطو ، إذا تناول . وصيغة تفاعل تقتضي تعدد الفاعل ، شبه تخوف القوم من قتلها لما أنذرهم به رسولهم من الوعيد وتردُّدُهم في الإِقدام على قتلها بالمعاطاة فكل واحد حين يُحجم عن مباشرة ذلك ويشير بغيره كأنه يعطي ما بيده إلى يد غيره حتى أخذه قُدار .وعطف { فعقر } بالفاء للدلالة على سرعة إتيانه ما دعوه لأجله .والعقر : أصله ضرب البعير بالسيف على عراقيبه ليسقط إلى الأرض جاثياً فيتمكن الناحر من نَحره . قال أبو طالب :ضروبٌ بنصل السيف سُوق سمائها ... إذا عدموا زادا فإنك عاقروغلب إطلاقه على قتل البعير كما هنا إذ ليس المراد أنه عَقَرها بل قتلها بنبله .

{ فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ } الذي باشر عقرها، الذي هو أشقى القبيلة { فَتَعَاطَى } أي: انقاد لما أمروه به من عقرها { فَعَقَرَ }

قوله تعالى : فنادوا صاحبهم يعني بالحض على عقرها فتعاطى عقرها فعقرها ، ومعنى تعاطى تناول الفعل ; من قولهم : عطوت أي تناولت ; ومنه قول حسان :كلتاهما حلب العصير فعاطني بزجاجة أرخاهما للمفصلقال محمد بن إسحاق : فكمن لها في أصل شجرة على طريقها فرماها بسهم فانتظم به عضلة ساقها ، ثم شد عليها بالسيف فكشف عرقوبها ، فخرت ورغت رغاءة واحدة تحدر سقبها من بطنها ثم نحرها ، وانطلق سقبها حتى أتى صخرة في رأس جبل فرغا ثم لاذ بها ، فأتاهم صالح عليه السلام ; فلما رأى الناقة قد عقرت بكى وقال : قد انتهكتم حرمة الله فأبشروا بعذاب الله . وقد مضى في ( الأعراف ) بيان هذا المعنى . قال ابن عباس : وكان الذي عقرها أحمر أزرق أشقر أكشف أقفى . ويقال في اسمه قدار بن سالف . وقال الأفوه الأودي :أو قبله كقدار حين تابعه على الغواية أقوام فقد بادواوالعرب تسمي الجزار قدارا تشبيها بقدار بن سالف مشئوم آل ثمود ; قال مهلهل :إنا لنضرب بالسيوف رءوسهم ضرب القدار نقيعة القداموذكره زهير فقال :فتنتج لكم غلمان أشأم كلهم كأحمر عاد ثم ترضع فتفطم[ ص: 130 ] يريد الحرب ; فكنى عن ثمود بعاد .

A prophet always appears in the shape of an ordinary man. So, man is not able to recognise him. Similarly, the she-camel sent by God was also apparently like an ordinary camel. So, the people of Thamud were unable to recognise it and killed it. Our world presents just this kind of test. Here, people are required to see the representative of God in the apparently ordinary person and the she-camel of God in the apparently ordinary she-camel. Those who fail in this test never find the path of righteousness. Though the Quran is a deeply meaningful book, there is the utmost clarity in its style of expression. For this reason it has become very easy to understand the Quran, whether its readers be of greater or lesser education.

Lexicological Analysis The word سُعُر su'ur has appeared twice in this Surah. First it has appeared in verse 24 in connection with the people of Thamud where it is their own word, and means 'madness or insanity'. The second time, the word appears in connection with the punishment of the sinners where it is the word of Allah in the forthcoming verse [ 47] فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ‌. Here the word سُعُر su'ur may also be taken in the sense of Hell-Fire. According to lexicologists, the word su'ur is used in both these senses. رَ‌اوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they had even tried to tempt him against his guests...54:37). The word murawadah signifies to entice someone to satisfy one's lust. This verse refers to the night when the angels came to Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for his people who were addicted to homosexuality. Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) hosted his guests. The licentious people came to him from every direction, and the Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) had to shut the door to protect his guests. They came during the night and tried to break the door down and scale the walls to come in. The immoral behaviour of his people distressed Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) but when the guests revealed to him that they were angels and have been sent by Allah to inflict destructive punishment on his people, he felt comforted; they assured him that they will not be able to hurt them in any way. Surah Al-Qamar started on the note that Doomsday is fast approaching, so that the infidels and pagans, who have lust and greed for this world and are unaware of the Hereafter, come to their senses. First, the punishment of the Hereafter is mentioned. Then the evil consequences of their misdeeds in the present life are cited. Reference is made to the conditions of world-famous nations, their opposition to their respective prophets and its evil consequences. The people of Lut (علیہ السلام) were the first people who were destroyed by Divine punishment. Many different kinds of devastating torments were inflicted on the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) ، the tribes of ` Ad, Thamud and Lut (علیہ السلام) and the people of Fir'aun in this world. Their stories and histories are recounted in detail on several occasions in the Qur'an. Here they have been condensed. All these five nations were the strongest and resourceful. It was not possible for any of the subdued nations to overcome any of these superpowers. The current set of verses show how the superpowers were destroyed by Divine punishment. After describing the punishment of each nation, the Qur'an repeats the following statement as a refrain: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ‌ (How then was My torment and My warnings?). That is, when the Divine chastisement overtook these nations who were very powerful in terms of might, wealth and number were killed like flies and mosquitoes. In addition, the following verse is repeated to advise the Muslims and the infidels in general: وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْ‌نَا الْقُرْ‌آنَ لِلذِّكْرِ‌ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ‌ (and indeed We have made the Qur'an easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to seek advice?) This is to indicate that the only way to avoid the terrible chastisement is to take to the advice of the Qur'an. Allah has made the Qur'an easy to the extent of paying heed to the admonition and warnings. Only the most ill-fated person will not take advantage of the warnings. The forthcoming verses address the people of the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that they are not more powerful in terms of wealth, number and might than the people of Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) the tribes of ` Ad and Thamud, Prophet Lut’ s علیہ السلام people and the people of Fir'aun. Then how are they sitting in a careless manner?

(But they called their comrade) he called Masda' and Qudar Ibn Salif after Masda' Ibn Dahr shot her with an arrow (and he took) and Qudar took another arrow (and hamstrung (her)) killing the she-camel and dividing her meat.

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.)