The Mansions of the Stars, The Constellations — Verse 18

Pharaoh and Thamūd? Fir‘awna wa-Thamūda substitutes for al-junūdi — the mention of ‘Pharaoh’ suffices to also include his followers; their ‘story’ is that they were destroyed for their disbelief and this is meant as a warning for those who deny the Prophet s and the Qur’ān that they may be admonished thereby.

هل بلغك -أيها الرسول- خبر الجموع الكافرة المكذبة لأنبيائها، فرعون وثمود، وما حلَّ بهم من العذاب والنكال، لم يعتبر القوم بذلك، بل الذين كفروا في تكذيب متواصل كدأب مَن قبلهم، والله قد أحاط بهم علما وقدرة، لا يخفى عليه منهم ومن أعمالهم شيء. وليس القرآن كما زعم المكذبون المشركون بأنه شعر وسحر، فكذَّبوا به، بل هو قرآن عظيم كريم، في لوح محفوظ، لا يناله تبديل ولا تحريف.

أي هل بلغك ما أحل الله بهم من البأس وأنزل عليهم من النقمة التي لم يردها عنهم أحد؟ وهذا تقرير لقوله تعالى "إن بطش ربك لشديد" أي إذا أخذ الظالم أخذه أخذا أليما شديدا أخذ عزيز مقتدر قال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا علي بن محمد الطنافسي حدثنا أبو بكر بن عياش عن أبي إسحاق عن عمرو بن ميمون قال مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على امرأة تقرأ "هل أتاك حديث الجنود" فقام يستمع فقال "نعم قد جاءني".

وقوله : ( فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ ) بدل من الجنود .والمراد بفرعون وثمود : ملؤهما وقومهما الذين آثروا الغى على الرشد ، والضلالة على الهداية ، والباطل على الحق . أى : لقد بلغك - أيها الرسول الكريم - حديث فرعون الذى طغى وبغى ، واتبعه قومه فى طغيانه وبغيه ، وحيديث قوم صالح - عليه السلام - وهم الذين كذبوا نبيهم . وآذوه ، وعقروا الناقة التى نهاهم عن أن يمسوها بسوء .وكيف أنه - سبحانه - قد دمر الجميع تدميرا شديدا ، جزاء كفرهم وبغيهم .وخص - سبحانه - جند فرعون وثمود بالذكر ، لأنهم كانوا أشد من غيرهم بغيا وظلما ، ولأنهم كانت قصصهم معروفة لأهل مكة أكثر من غيرهم .

فقال: ( فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ ) يقول: ( فرعون ) ، فاجتزى بذكره، إذ كان رئيس جنده من ذكر جنده وأتباعه. وإنما معنى الكلام: هل أتاك حديث الجنود، فرعون وقومه وثمود، وخفض فرعون ردًّا على الجنود، على الترجمة عنهم، وإنما فتح لأنه لا يجرى وثمود.

ثم بين من هم فقال: "فرعون وثمود".

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ (18)وأُبدل فرعونَ وثمودَ من الجنود بدلاً مطابقاً لأنه أريد العبرة بهؤلاء .و { فرعون } : اسم لملك مصر من القِبط وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { ثم بعثنا من بعدهم موسى بآياتنا إلى فرعون وملئه } في سورة الأعراف ( 103 ) .والكلام على حذف مضاف لأن فرعون ليس بجند ولكنه مضاف إليه الجند الذين كذبوا موسى عليه السلام وآذوه . فحذف المضاف لنكتة المزاوجة بين اسمين علمين مفردين في الإبدال من الجنود .وضُرب المثل بفرعون لأبي جهل وقد كان يلقّب عند المسلمين بفرعون هذه الأمة ، وضرب المثل للمشركين بقوم فرعون لأنهم أكبر أمة تألبت على رسول من رسل الله بعثه الله لإعتاق بني إسرائيل من ذل العبودية لفرعون ، وناووه لأنه دعا إلى عبادة الرب الحق فغاظ ذلك فرعون الزاعم أنه إله القبط وابن آلهتهم .وتخصيص ثمودَ بالذكر من بقية الأمم التي كذَّبت الرسل من العرب مثل عاد وقوم تبّع ، ومن غيرهم مثل قوم نوح وقوم شعيب . لما اقتضته الفاصلة السابعة الجارية على حرف الدال من قوله : { إن بطش ربك لشديد } [ البروج : 12 ] فإن ذلك لما استقامت به الفاصلة ولم يكن في ذكره تكلف كان من محاسن نظم الكلام إيثارُه .وتقدم ذكر ثمود عند قوله تعالى : { وإلى ثمود أخاهم صالحاً } في سورة الأعراف ( 73 ) . وهو اسم عربي ولكن يُطلق على القبيلة التي ينتهي نسبها إليه فيمنع من الصرف بتأويل القبيلة كما هنا .

فرعون وثمود وهما في موضع جر على البدل من الجنود . المعنى : إنك قد عرفت ما فعل الله بهم حين كذبوا أنبياءه ورسله .

Of all the revealed scriptures, the Quran is an exceptionally protected book. This is a sign of the fact that the Quran is in the special care of God. Right till Doomsday there is no possibility of its being suppressed by anyone. For details, see the book ‘Quran an Abiding Wonder’, available on the website.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا (Surely, those who persecuted the believing men and the believing women, then did not repent,...85:10) This verse describes the torment of the wrong-doers who burned the Muslims in the fire pit only on account of their faith. The description points out two things: [ 1] فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ them there is the torment of Jahannam) and [ 2] وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ (and for them there is the torment of burning). The second sentence may be treated as explicative of the first sentence, a statement for emphasis. It signifies that they will be put into Hell and will have to suffer eternal torment of the fire. Another possible interpretation is that the second statement describes the wrong-doers' torment in this world, as is narrated in some reports. The believers, who had been cast in fire pits, were spared the torture of fire, in that the souls of the believers were taken out before the fire could touch them. Only their dead bodies were lying in the fiery furnace. After that the fire flared up so high that it spread out wildly through the city and burned all those who were watching the fun of burning the Muslims. Only Yusuf Dhu Nuwas managed to run away, and threw himself into the sea in order to save himself from the rage of the fire, but he got drowned and died. [ Mazhari ]. Attached to the torment of Hell and the torment of burning for the wrong-doers is the restrictive phrase: ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا (then did not repent). That is, this torment is for those who did not repent of their deed and did not offer taubah. Thus this part of the verse invites people to repent. Sayyidna Hasan ؓ states: "Look at Allah's compassion and benevolence. They burned Allah's friends alive, yet He invites them towards repentance and forgiveness." [ Ibn Kathir ]. Alhamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Al-Buruj Ends here

Of Pharaoh and (the tribe of) Thamud) and of those before and after them, what We did to them when they disbelieved?

The Reward of the Righteous, and the Harsh Seizing of the Disbelieving Enemies of Allah Allah informs about His believing servants that لَهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَـرُ (for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow.) This is the opposite of what he has prepared for His enemies of Fire and Hell. Thus, He says, ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ (That is the supreme success.) Then Allah says, إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ (Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful.) meaning, indeed His punishment and His vengeance upon His enemies, who have rejected His Messengers, and opposed His command, is severe, great and strong. For verily, He is the Owner of power, Most Strong. He is the One that whatever He wants, then it will be however He wants it to be, in the matter of a blinking of an eye, or even swifter. Thus, Allah says, إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبْدِىءُ وَيُعِيدُ (Verily, He it is Who begins and repeats.) meaning, from His perfect strength and power is that He begins the creation, and He repeats it just as He began it, without opposition or resistance. وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ (And He is Oft-Forgiving, Al-Wadud.) meaning, He forgives the sin of whoever repents to Him and humbles himself before Him, no matter what the sin may be. Ibn `Abbas and others have said about the name Al-Wadud, "It means Al-Habib (the Loving)." ذُو الْعَرْشِ (Owner of the Throne,) meaning, the Owner of the Mighty Throne that is above all of the creation. Then He says, الْمَجِيدِ (Al-Majid (the Glorious).) This word has been recited in two different ways: either with a Dhammah over its last letter (Al-Majidu), which is an attribute of the Lord, or with a Kasrah under its last letter (Al-Majid), which is a description of the Throne. Nevertheless, both meanings are correct. فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (Doer of what He intends.) meaning, whatever He wants He does it, and there is no one who can counter His ruling. He is not asked about what He does due to His greatness, His power, His wisdom and His justice. This is as we have related previously from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, that it was said to him during the illness of (his) death, "Has a doctor seen you" He replied, "Yes." They said, "What did he say to you" He replied, "He said, `I am the Doer of whatever I intend."' Concerning Allah's statement, هَلُ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ - فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ (Has the story reached you of the hosts. Of Fir`awn and Thamud) meaning, has the news reached you of what Allah caused to befall them of torment, and that He sent down upon them the punishment that no one was able to ward off from them This is the affirmation of His statement, إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ (Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful.) meaning, when He seizes the wrongdoer, He seizes him with a severe and painful punishment. It is the seizing punishment of One Most Mighty, and Most Powerful. Then Allah says, بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ (Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying.) meaning, they are in doubt, suspicion, disbelief and rebellion. وَاللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِمْ مُّحِيطٌ (And Allah encompasses them from behind!) meaning, He has power over them, and is able to compel them. They cannot escape Him or evade Him. بَلْ هُوَ قُرْءَانٌ مَّجِيدٌ (Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an.) meaning, magnificent and noble. فِى لَوْحٍ مَّحْفُوظٍ (In Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz!) meaning, among the most high gathering, guarded from any increase, decrease, distortion, or change. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Buruj, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.