The Reality, The Inevitable — Verse 5

As for Thamūd they were destroyed by the overwhelming Roar an excessively severe cry.

فأما ثمود فأهلكوا بالصيحة العظيمة التي جاوزت الحد في شدتها، وأمَّا عاد فأُهلِكوا بريح باردة شديدة الهبوب، سلَّطها الله عليهم سبع ليال وثمانية أيام متتابعة، لا تَفْتُر ولا تنقطع، فترى القوم في تلك الليالي والأيام موتى كأنهم أصول نخل خَرِبة متآكلة الأجواف. فهل ترى لهؤلاء القوم مِن نفس باقية دون هلاك؟

فيه إضمار; أي بالفعلة الطاغية. وقال قتادة: أي بالصيحة الطاغية; أي المجاوزة للحد; أي لحد الصيحات من الهول. كما قال: "إنا أرسلنا عليهم صيحة واحدة فكانوا كهشيم المحتظر" [القمر: 31]. والطغيان: مجاوزة الحد; ومنه: "إنا لما طغى الماء" [الحاقة: 11] أي جاوز الحد. وقال الكلبي: بالطاغية بالصاعقة. وقال مجاهد: بالذنوب. وقال الحسن: بالطغيان; فهي مصدر كالكاذبة والعاقبة والعافية. أي أهلكوا بطغيانهم وكفرهم. وقيل: إن الطاغية عاقر الناقة; قاله ابن زيد. أي أهلكوا بما أقدم عليه طاغيتهم من عقر الناقة, وكان واحدا, وإنما هلك الجميع لأنهم رضوا بفعله ومالئوه. وقيل له طاغية كما يقال: فلان راوية الشعر, وداهية وعلامة ونسابة.

أى : كذبت قبيلة ثمود ، وقبيلة عاد ، بالقيامة التى تقرع القلوب ، وتزلزل النفوس ، لإأما قبيلة " ثمود " فأهلكوا ، بالصيحة أو بالصاعقة ، أو بالرجفة ، التى تجاوزت الحد فى الشدة والهول والطغيان .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ (5)يقول تعالى ذكره: ( فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ ) قوم صالح، فأهلكهم الله بالطاغية.واختلف -في معنى الطاغية التي أهلك الله بها ثمود- أهلُ التأويل، فقال بعضهم: هي طغيانهم وكفرهم بالله.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعا، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قول الله عزّ وجلّ: ( فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ ) قال: بالذنوب.حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ ) فقرأ قول الله: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا وقال: هذه الطاغية طغيانهم وكفرهم بآيات الله. الطاغيَّة طغيانهم الذي طغوا في معاصي الله وخلاف كتاب الله.وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: فأهلكوا بالصيحة التي قد جاوزت مقادير الصياح وطغت عليها.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: ( فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ ) بعث الله عليهم صيحة فأهمدتهم.حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة ( بِالطَّاغِيَةِ ) قال: أرسل الله عليهم صيحة واحدة فأهمدتهم.وأولى القولين في ذلك بالصواب قول من قال: معنى ذلك: فأُهلكوا بالصيحة الطاغية.وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى بالصواب، لأن الله إنما أخبر عن ثمود بالمعنى الذي أهلكها به، كما أخبر عن عاد بالذي أهلكها به.

( فأما ثمود فأهلكوا بالطاغية ) أي بطغيانهم وكفرهم . قيل : هي مصدر ، وقيل : نعت أي بفعلهم الطاغية وهذا معنى قول مجاهد ، كما قال : " كذبت ثمود بطغواها " ( الشمس - 11 ) وقال قتادة : بالصيحة الطاغية ، وهي التي جاوزت مقادير الصياح فأهلكتهم . وقيل : طغت على الخزان [ فلم يكن لهم عليها سبيل ولم يعرفوا كم خرج منها ] كما طغى الماء على قوم نوح .

فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ (5)ابتدىء بذكر ثمود لأن العذاب الذي أصابهم من قبيل القرع إذ أصابتهم الصواعق المسماة في بعض الآيات بالصيحة . والطاغية : الصاعقة في قول ابن عباس وقتادة : نَزلت عليهم صاعقة أو صواعق فأهلكتهم ، لأن منازل ثمود كانت في طريق أهل مكة إلى الشام في رحلتهم فهم يرونها ، قال تعالى : { فتلك بيوتهم خاوية بما ظلموا } [ النمل : 52 ] ، ولأن الكلام على مهلك عاد أنسب فأخر لذلك أيضاً .وإنما سميت الصاعقةُ أو الصيحة { بالطاغية } لأنها كانت متجاوزة الحال المتعارف في الشدة فشبه فعلها بفعل الطاغي المتجاوز الحد في العدوان والبطش .والباء في قول { بالطاغية } للاستعانة .و { ثمود } : أمة من العرب البائدة العاربة ، وهم أنساب عاد . وثَمود : اسم جد تلك الأمة ولكن غلب على الأمة فلذلك منع من الصرف للعلمية والتأنيث باعتبار الأمة أو القبيلة .وتقدم ذكر ثمود عند قوله تعالى : { وإلى ثمود أخاهم صالحاً } في سورة الأعراف ( 73 ) .

{ فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ } وهي الصيحة العظيم ة الفظيعة، التي انصدعت منها قلوبهم وزهقت لها أرواحهم فأصبحوا موتى لا يرى إلا مساكنهم وجثثهم.

قوله تعالى : فأما ثمود فأهلكوا بالطاغية فيه إضمار ; أي بالفعلة الطاغية . وقال قتادة : أي بالصيحة الطاغية ; أي المجاوزة للحد ; أي لحد الصيحات من الهول . كما قال : إنا أرسلنا عليهم صيحة واحدة فكانوا كهشيم المحتظر . والطغيان : مجاوزة الحد ; ومنه : إنا لما طغى الماء أي جاوز الحد . وقال الكلبي : " بالطاغية " بالصاعقة . وقال مجاهد : بالذنوب . وقال الحسن : بالطغيان ; [ ص: 239 ] فهي مصدر كالكاذبة والعاقبة والعافية . أي أهلكوا بطغيانهم وكفرهم . وقيل : إن الطاغية عاقر الناقة ; قاله ابن زيد . أي أهلكوا بما أقدم عليه طاغيتهم من عقر الناقة ، وكان واحدا ، وإنما هلك الجميع لأنهم رضوا بفعله ومالئوه . وقيل له طاغية كما يقال : فلان راوية الشعر ، وداهية وعلامة ونسابة .

Some deny the Hereafter openly, while there are others who may not explicitly deny the Hereafter, but who in their heart of hearts attach importance solely to worldly affairs. That is why there is no difference between the way of life of these people and that of those who make open denials. In essence, these two groups are the same. In the eyes of God, both of them are rejecters of the Hereafter—one group rejecting it by word of mouth and the other doing so in practice. In accordance with the law of God, all such people are going to face destruction. In the days of the prophets, this destruction was made manifest in the present world, as for their successors it will become a reality in the Hereafter.

Commentary This Surah is almost wholly devoted to the subject of inevitability of the Resurrection, its horrors, the punishment of unbelievers and the reward of believers. The Day of Judgment is variously referred to in the Qur'an, and in this Surah we encounter the following three names: الْحَاقَّةُ Al-Haqqah 'Imminent Happening', الْقَارِ‌عَةِ Al-Qari'ah 'Shocking Event' and الْوَاقِعَةُ -waqi` ah 'Happening'. The word الْحَاقَّةُ Al-haqqah means an 'established fact, or inevitable event, reality or truth'. The word Al-haqqah also means 'Something that provide evidence that something is true.' It can be applied to the Day of Judgment in both senses of the word, because in the first sense the Day of Judgment itself is an established truth, and its occurrence is a certainty. And in the other sense the Day of Judgment will prove to the believers the reality of Paradise and to the unbelievers the reality of Hell. This name of the Day of Judgment is followed by two questions regarding it. The questions have been put to make the readers realise how horrifying the experience would be - beyond normal experience or even imagination. The word الْقَارِ‌عَةِ Al-Qari'ah, literally, means 'rumbling'. The Day of Judgment is so called because there will be rumbling sound which will cause agitation or terror in the hearts of people, and will dreadfully destroy the heavenly and earthly bodies and scatter them apart. The word الطَّاغِيَةِ At-Taghiyah is derived from tughyan which means 'to exceed the limit', signifying an extremely severe punishment, that is, 'it would be such high pitched sound which would exceed the limit of any of the sounds of the mortal world, and the human heart or brain would not be able to bear'. When Thamud exceeded the limit in denying the Day of Judgment, they were destroyed by that dreadful cry which exceeded all limits. It was a combination of most high pitched sound of thunderbolt together with a flash of lightning that struck them which rent their hearts.

(As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the lightning) they were destroyed because of their transgression and idolatry; and it is said that their transgression drove them to disbelieve until they were destroyed.

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Warning concerning the Greatness of the Day of Judgement Al-Haqqah is one of the names of the Day of Judgement, because during it the promise and the threat will inevitably occur. Due to this, Allah has declared the greatness of this matter. So He says, وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحَاقَّةُ (And what will make you know what Al-Haqqah is) Mention of the Destruction of the Nations Then Allah mentions the destruction of the nations that denied the Resurrection. He says, فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِالطَّاغِيَةِ (As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Taghiyah!) It is the cry which will silence them, and the quake that will silence them. Qatadah said similar to this when he said, "At-Taghiyah is the shout." Mujahid said, "At-Taghiyah means the sins." This was also said by Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and bin Zayd. They said that it means transgression. After mentioning this, Ibn Zayd recited the following Ayat as proof for his statement, كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَآ (Thamud denied through their transgression.) Then Allah says, وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ (And as for `Ad, they were destroyed by a wind Sarsar) meaning, a cold wind. Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ath-Thawri all said about, عَاتِيَةٍ (`Atiyah) "This means severe blowing of the wind." Qatadah said, "It blew fiercely upon them until it pierced their hearts." Ad-Dahhak said, صَرْصَرٍ (Sarsar) "This means cold, and عَاتِيَةٍ (`Atiyah) means, it blew fiercely upon them without any mercy or blessing." `Ali and others said, "It blew fiercely upon their stored harvest until it was brought out worthless." سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ (Which Allah imposed on them) meaning, He made it overpower them. سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً (for seven nights and eight days Husum,) Husum means, complete, successive and unfortunately evil. Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Ath-Thawri and others all said, "Husum means in succession." It has been reported that `Ikrimah and Ar-Rabi` bin Khuthaym both said, "It means it was unfortunately evil upon them." This is similar to Allah's statement, فِى أَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ (in days of calamity) (41: 16) It has been said that it is that which people now call A`jaz (apparently used to mean evil devastation). It seems as though the people took this term from Allah's statement, فَتَرَى الْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَى كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ (so that you could see the people lying toppled, as if they were A`jaz (trunks) of date palms, Khawiyah!) Ibn `Abbas said about, خَاوِيَةٍ (Khawiyah) "It means ruined." Others besides him said, "It means dilapidated." This means that the wind would cause one of them (palm tree) to hit the ground, and it will fall down dead on his head. Then his head would shatter and it would remain a lifeless corpse as if it were without branches, motionless. It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «نُصِرْتُ بِالصَّبَا وَأُهْلِكَتْ عَادٌ بِالدَّبُور» (I was helped by an easterly wind and the people of `Ad were destroyed by a westerly wind.) فَهَلْ تَرَى لَهُم مِّن بَاقِيَةٍ (Do you see any remnants of them) meaning, `do you find any one of them left or anyone who even attributes himself to being from them' Rather they are all gone, right down to the last of them, and Allah did not make for them any successors. Then Allah says, وَجَآءَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَن قَبْلَهُ (And Fir`awn and those before him committed (sin)) This has been recited with a Kasrah under the letter Qaf (in the word Qabalahu, as Qiblahu), which changes the meaning to those who were with him in his time, and they were his followers who were disbelieving Coptic people. Others recited it with a Fathah over the letter Qaf (as the word Qablahu), which means those nations before him who were similar to him. Concerning Allah's statement, وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَـتِ (the overthrown cities) those nations that rejected their Messengers. بِالْخَاطِئَةِ (committed Al-Khati'ah.) Al-Khati'ah means their rejection of what Allah revealed. Ar-Rabi` said, بِالْخَاطِئَةِ (committed Al-Khati'ah.) "This means disobedience." Mujahid said, "They committed errors." Thus, Allah says, فَعَصَوْاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ (And they disobeyed their Lord's Messenger, ) meaning they were all of the same type, they all denied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was sent to them. As Allah says, كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ (Everyone of them denied the Messengers, so My threat took effect.) So whoever denies a Messenger, then verily, he denies all of the Messengers. This is as Allah says, كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (The people of Nuh belied the Messengers) كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (`Ad belied the Messengers.) كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (Thamud belied the Messengers.) However, only one Messenger came to every nation. Thus, Allah says here, فَعَصَوْاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَخَذَهُمْ أَخْذَةً رَّابِيَةً (And they disobeyed their Lord's Messenger, so He seized them with a punishment that was Rabiyah.) Rabiyah means, great, severe and painful. Mujahid said, "Rabiyah means severe." As-Suddi said, "It means destructive." A Reminder about the Blessing of the Ship Then, Allah says, إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ (Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits,) meaning, it rose up over its shores by the leave of Allah and it overcame all that existed. Ibn `Abbas and others said, "The water rising beyond its boundary means it increased abundantly." This happened due to the supplication of Nuh against his people when they denied him, opposed him and worshipped other than Allah. Therefore, Allah answered his supplication and the people of the earth were covered with the flood except for those who were with Nuh in the ship. Thus, are humans all from the loins of Nuh and his progeny. For this reason Allah reminds humanity of His blessing, إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَـكُمْ فِى الْجَارِيَةِ (Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits, We carried you in the ship.) meaning, a ship running along upon the surface of the water. لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً (That We might make it an admonition for you) The pronoun "it" here refers to the species of the object (ships) due to the general meaning alluding to this. Thus, the meaning is, `We caused its type of creation (ships) to remain (in the earth) for you, so that you ride upon the currents of the water in the seas. ' This is as Allah says, وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالاٌّنْعَـمِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَلِتَسْتَوُواْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ (and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride; In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the favor of your Lord when you mount thereon) (43:12,13) And Allah said, وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ - وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ (And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring in the laden ship. And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) (36:41,42) Qatadah said, "Allah caused this ship to remain until the first people of this Ummah saw it." However, the first view (that it refers to all ships in general) is the most apparent. Allah continues saying, وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ (and that it might be retained by the retaining ears.) meaning, that a receptive ear may understand and reflect upon this bounty. Ibn `Abbas said, "This means an ear that is retentive and hearing." Qatadah said, أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ (by the retaining ears.) means, "An ear that Allah gives intelligence, so it benefits by what it hears from Allah's Book." Ad-Dahhak said, وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ (and that it might be retained by the retaining ears.) (69:12) means, "An ear that hears it and retains it, meaning the person who has sound hearing, and correct intellect." And this is general concerning everyone who understands and retains.