The Heights, The Elevated Places — Verse 78

Thamud: Their Land and Their Lineage Scholars of Tafsir and genealogy say that (the tribe of Thamud descended from) Thamud bin `Athir bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh, and he is brother of Jadis son of `Athir, similarly the tribe of Tasm, and they were from the ancient Arabs, Al-`Aribah, before the time of Ibrahim, Thamud came after `Ad. They dwelled between the area of the Hijaz (Western Arabia) and Ash-Sham (Greater Syria). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by the area and ruins of Thamud when he went to Tabuk (in northern Arabia) during the ninth year of Hijrah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the area of Al-Hijr in Tabuk with the people, he camped near the homes of Thamud, in Al-Hijr and the people brought water from the wells that Thamud used before. They used that water to make dough and placed the pots (on fire) for cooking. However, the Prophet commanded them to spill the contents of the pots and to give the dough to their camels. He then marched forth with them from that area to another area, near the well that the camel (as will follow) used to drink from. He forbade the Companions from entering the area where people were tormented, saying, «إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ فَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِم» (I fear that what befell them might befall you as well. Therefore, do not enter on them.)" Ahmad narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said while in the Hijr area, «لَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَى هؤُلَاءِ الْمُعَذَّبِينَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلَ مَا أَصَابَهُم» (Do not enter on these who were tormented, unless you do so while crying. If you are not crying, then do not enter on them, so that what befell them does not befall you, as well.) The basis of this Hadith is mentioned in Two Sahihs. The Story of Prophet Salih and Thamud Allah said, وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ (And to Thamud), meaning, to the tribe of Thamud, We sent their brother Salih, قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ (He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him.") All Allah's Messengers called to the worship of Allah alone without partners. Allah said in other Ayat, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ (And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): "None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.") 21:25 and, وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ (And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deities)") 16:36. Thamud asked that a Camel appear from a Stone, and it did Prophet Salih said, قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ هَـذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةً ("Indeed there has come to you a clear sign from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign unto you;") meaning, a miracle has come to you from Allah testifying to the truth of what I came to you with. Salih's people asked him to produce a miracle and suggested a certain solid rock that they chose, which stood lonely in the area of Hijr, and which was called Al-Katibah. They asked him to bring a pregnant camel out of that stone. Salih took their covenant and promises that if Allah answers their challenge, they would believe and follow him. When they gave him their oaths and promises to that, Salih started praying and invoked Allah (to produce that miracle). All of a sudden, the stone moved and broke apart, producing a she-camel with thick wool. It was pregnant and its fetus was visibly moving in its belly, exactly as Salih's people asked. This is when their chief, Jundu` bin `Amr, and several who followed him believed. The rest of the noblemen of Thamud wanted to believe as well, but Dhu'ab bin `Amr bin Labid, Al-Habbab, who tended their idols, and Rabbab bin Sum`ar bin Jilhis stopped them. One of the cousins of Jundu` bin `Amr, whose name was Shihab bin Khalifah bin Mikhlat bin Labid bin Jawwas, was one of the leaders of Thamud, and he also wanted to accept the message. However, the chiefs whom we mentioned prevented him, and he conceded to their promptings. The camel remained in Thamud, as well as, its offspring after she delivered it before them. The camel used to drink from its well on one day and leave the well for Thamud the next day. They also used to drink its milk, for on the days she drank water, they used to milk her and fill their containers from its milk. Allah said in other Ayat, وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ (And inform them that the water is to be shared between (her and) them, each one's right to drink being established (by turns)) 54:28 and, هَـذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ (Here is a she-camel: it has a right to drink (water), and you have a right to drink (water) (each) on a day, known) 26:155 The camel used to graze in some of their valleys, going through a pass and coming out through another pass. She did that so as to be able to move easily, because she used to drink a lot of water. She was a tremendous animal that had a strikingly beautiful appearance. When she used to pass by their cattle, the cattle would be afraid of her. When this matter continued for a long time and Thamud's rejection of Salih became intense, they intended to kill her so that they could take the water for themselves every day. It was said that all of them (the disbelievers of Thamud) conspired to kill the camel. Qatadah said that he was told that, "The designated killer of the camel approached them all, including women in their rooms and children, and found out that all of them agreed to kill her." This fact is apparent from the wording of the Ayat, فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا (Then they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction!) 91:14, and, وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا (And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong.) 17:59 Allah said here, فَعَقَرُواْ النَّاقَةَ (So they killed the she-camel) Therefore, these Ayat stated that the entire tribe shared in agreeing to this crime, and Allah knows best. Thamud kills the She-Camel Imam Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir and other scholars of Tafsir said that the reason behind killing the camel was that a disbelieving old woman among them named Umm Ghanm `Unayzah, the daughter of Ghanm bin Mijlaz, had the severest enmity among Thamud towards Salih, peace be upon him. She had beautiful daughters and she was wealthy, and Dhu'ab bin `Amr, one of the leaders of Thamud, was her husband. There was another noblewoman whose name was Saduf bint Al-Muhayya bin Dahr bin Al-Muhayya, who was of noble family, wealthy and beautiful. She was married to a Muslim man from Thamud, but she left him. These two women offered a prize for those who swore to them that they would kill the camel. Once, Saduf summoned a man called Al-Habbab and offered herself to him if he would kill the camel, but he refused. So she called a cousin of hers whose name was Musaddi` bin Mihraj bin Al-Muhayya, and he agreed. As for `Unayzah bint Ghanm, she called Qudar bin Salif bin Jundu`, a short person with red-blue skin, a bastard, according to them. Qudar was not the son of his claimed father, Salif, but the son of another man called, Suhyad. However, he was born on Salif's bed (and thus named after him). `Unayzah said to Qudar, "I will give you any of my daughters you wish, if you kill the camel." Qudar bin Salif and Musaddi` bin Mihraj went along and recruited several mischievous persons from Thamud to kill the camel. Seven more from Thamud agreed, and the group became nine, as Allah described, when He said, وَكَانَ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ يُصْلِحُونَ (And there were in the city nine men, who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.) These nine men were chiefs of their people, and they lured the entire tribe into agreeing to kill the camel. So they waited until the camel left the water well, where Qudar waited beside a rock on its path, while Musaddi` waited at another rock. When the camel passed by Musaddi` he shot an arrow at her and the arrow pierced her leg. At that time, `Unayzah came out and ordered her daughter, who was among the most beautiful women, to uncover her face for Qudar, encouraging Qudar to swing his sword, hitting the camel on her knee. So she fell to the ground and screamed once to warn her offspring. Qudar stabbed her in her neck and slaughtered her. Her offspring went up a high rock and screamed. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded from Ma`mar that someone reported from Al-Hasan Al-Basari that the offspring said, "O my Lord! Where is my mother" It was said that her offspring screamed thrice and entered a rock and vanished in it, or, they followed it and killed it together with its mother. Allah knows best. When they finished the camel off and the news reached Prophet Salih, he came to them while they were gathered. When he saw the camel, he cried and proclaimed, تَمَتَّعُواْ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ ("Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days.") 11:65 The Wicked Ones Plot to Kill Prophet Salih, But the Torment descended on Them The nine wicked persons killed the camel on a Wednesday, and that night, they conspired to kill Salih. They said, "If he is truthful, we should finish him before we are finished. If he is a liar, we will make him follow his camel." قَالُواْ تَقَاسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ وَإِنَّا لَصَـدِقُونَ - وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْراً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ (They said: "Swear one to another by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his household, and thereafter we will surely say to his near relatives: `We witnessed not the destruction of his household, and verily, we are telling the truth."' So they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.) 27:49-50 When they conspired to kill Salih and gathered at night to carry out their plot, Allah, to Whom belongs all might and Who protects His Messengers, rained down stones that smashed the heads of these nine people before the rest of the tribe. On Thursday, the first of the three days of respite, the people woke up and their faces were pale (yellow), just as Prophet Salih had promised them. On the second day of respite, Friday, they woke up and found their faces had turned red. On the third day of the respite, Saturday, they woke up with their faces black. On Sunday, they wore the fragrance of Hanut the perfume for enshrouding the dead before burial and awaited Allah's torment and revenge, we seek refuge with Allah from it. They did not know what will be done to them or how and from where the torment would come. When the sun rose, the Sayhah (loud cry) came from the sky and a severe tremor overtook them from below; the souls were captured and the bodies became lifeless, all in an hour. فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ (And they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.) They became dead and lifeless and none among them, whether young, old, male or female, escaped the torment. The scholars of Tafsir said that none from the offspring of Thamud remained, except Prophet Salih and those who believed in him. A disbelieving man called Abu Righal was in the Sacred Area at the time and the torment that befell his people did not touch him. When he went out of the Sacred Area one day, a stone fell from the sky and killed him. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mar said that Isma`il bin Umayyah said that the Prophet passed by the gravesite of Abu Righal and asked the Companions if they knew whose grave it was. They said, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, «أَتَدْرُونَ مَنْ هَذَا؟» قالوا الله ورسوله أعلم، قال «هَذَا قَبْرُ أَبِي رِغَالٍ رَجُلٍ مِنْ ثَمُودَ كَانَ فِي حَرَمِ اللهِ فَمَنَعَهُ حَرَمُ اللهِ عَذَابَ اللهِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ أَصَابَهُ مَا أَصَابَ قَومهُ فَدُفِنَ هَاهُنَا وَدُفِنَ مَعَهُ غُصْنٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَنَزَلَ الْقَوْمُ فَابْتَدَرُوهُ بِأَسْيَافِهِمْ فَبَحَثُوا عَنْهُ فَاسْتَخْرَجُوا الْغُصْن» (This is the grave of Abu Righal, a man from Thamud. He was in the Sacred Area of Allah and this fact saved him from receiving Allah's torment. When he went out of the Sacred Area, what befell his people also befell him. He was buried here along with a branch made from gold.) So the people used their swords and looked for the golden branch and found it. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri said that Abu Righal is the father of the tribe of Thaqif.

So the Trembling a violent earthquake and a cry from the heaven seized them and they lay lifeless prostrate in their habitations keeled over their knees dead.

فأخذَت الذين كفروا الزلزلةُ الشديدة التي خلعت قلوبهم، فأصبحوا في بلدهم هالكين، لاصقين بالأرض على رُكَبهم ووجوههم، لم يُفْلِت منهم أحد.

"فأصبحوا في دارهم جاثمين" أي صرعى لا أرواح فيهم ولم يفلت منهم أحد لا صغير ولا كبير لا ذكر ولا أنثى قالوا إلا جارية كانت مقعدة واسمها كلبة ابنة السلق ويقال لها الذريعة وكانت كافرة شديدة العداوة لصالح عليه السلام فلما رأت ما رأت من العذاب أطلقت رجلاها فقامت تسعى كأسرع شيء فأتت حيا من الأحياء فأخبرتهم بما رأت وما حل بقومها ثم استسقتهم من الماء فلما شربت ماتت قال علماء التفسير ولم يبق من ذرية ثمود أحد سوى صالح عليه السلام ومن تبعه رضي الله عنهم إلا أن رجلا يقال له أبو رغال كان لما وقعت النقمة بقومه مقيما إذ ذاك في الحرم فلم يصبه شيء فلما خرج في بعض الأيام إلى الحل جاءه حجر من السماء فقتله وقد تقدم في أول القصة حديث جابر بن عبدالله في ذلك وذكروا أن أبا رغال هذا هو والد ثقيف الذين كانوا يسكنون الطائف قال عبدالرزاق عن معمر أخبرني إسماعيل بن أمية أن النبي صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم مر بقبر أبي رغال فقال "أتدرون من هذا؟ "قالوا الله ورسوله أعلم قال "هذا قبر أبي رغال رجل من ثمود كان في حرم الله فمنعه حرم الله عذاب الله فلما خرج أصابه ما أصاب قومه فدفن ههنا ودفن معه غصن من ذهب فنزل القوم فابتدروه بأسيافهم فبحثوا عنه فاستخرجوا الغصن". وقال عبدالرزاق قال معمر قال الزهري أبو رغال أبو ثقيف هذا مرسل من هذا الوجه وقد روى متصلا من وجه آخر كما قال محمد بن إسحاق عن إسماعيل بن أمية عن بجير بن أبي بجير قال سمعت عبدالله بن عمرو يقول سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وآله يقول حين خرجنا معه إلى الطائف فمررنا بقبر فقال "هذا قبر أبي رغال وهو أبو ثقيف وكان من ثمود وكان بهذا الحرم فدفع عنه فلما خرج أصابته النقمة التي أصابت قومه بهذا المكان فدفن فيه وآية ذلك أنه دفن معه غصن من ذهب إن أنتم نبشتم عنه أصبتموه فابتدره الناس فاستخرجوا منه الغصن". وهكذا رواه أبو داود عن يحيى بن معين عن وهب بن جرير بن حازم عن أبيه عن ابن إسحاق به قال شيخنا أبو الحجاج المزي وهو حديث حسن عزيز. "قلت" تفرد بوصله بجير بن أبي بجير هذا وهو شيخ لا يعرف إلا بهذا الحديث قال يحيى بن معين ولم أسمع أحدا روى عنه غير إسماعيل بن أمية. "قلت" وعلى هذا فيخشى أن يكون وهم في رفع هذا الحديث. وإنما يكون من كلام عبدالله بن عمرو مما أخذه من الزاملتين قال شيخنا أبو الحجاج بعد أن عرضت عليه ذلك وهذا محتمل والله أعلم.

ولقد كان رد القدر على تبجحهم وعتوهم واستكبارهم سريعا؛ قال - تعالى - ( فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرجفة فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ ) .الرجفة : الزلزلة الشديدة . يقال : رجفت الأرض ترجف رجفا ، إذا اضطربت وزلزلت؛ ومنه الرجفان للاضطراب الشديد .وجاثمين : من الجثوم وهو للناس والطير بمنزلة البروك للإبل ، يقال جثم الطائر يجثم جثما وجثوما فهو جاثم إذا وقع على صدره أو لزم مكانه فلم يبرحه .والمعنى : فأخذت أولئك المستكبرين الرجفة ، أى : الزلزلة الشديدة فأهلكتهم ، فأصبحوا فى بلادهم أو مساكنهم باركين على الركب ، ساقطين على وجوههم ، هامدين لا يتحركون . وما ظلمهم الله ولكن كانوا انفسهم يظلمون .

القول في تأويل قوله : فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ (78)قال أبو جعفر : يقول تعالى ذكره: فأخذت الذين عقروا الناقةَ من ثمود =(الرجفة)، وهي الصيحة.* * *و " الرجفة " ،" الفعلة "، من قول القائل: " رجَف بفلان كذا يرجُفُ رجْفًا "، وذلك إذا حرَّكه وزعزعه، كما قال الأخطل:إِمَّـا تَـرَيْنِي حَنَـانِي الشَّـيْبُ مِنْ كِبَرٍكَالنَّسْـرِ أَرْجُـفُ , وَالإنْسَـانُ مَهْدُودُ (7)وإنما عنى بـ" الرجفة " ، ها هنا الصيحة التي زعزعتهم وحركتهم للهلاك، لأن ثمود هلكت بالصيحة ، فيما ذكر أهل العلم.* * *وبنحو ما قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:14828-حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال، حدثنا أبو عاصم قال، حدثنا عيسى، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قول الله: " الرجفة " ، قال: الصيحة.14829-حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، مثله.14830-حدثني محمد بن الحسين قال، حدثنا أحمد بن المفضل قال، حدثنا أسباط، عن السدي: ( فأخذتهم الرجفة ) ، وهي الصيحة.14831-حدثني الحارث قال، حدثنا عبد العزيز قال، حدثنا أبو سعد، عن مجاهد: ( فأخذتهم الرجفة ) ، قال: الصيحة.* * *وقوله: ( فأصبحوا في دارهم جاثمين ) ، يقول: فأصبح الذين أهلك الله من ثمود=(في دارهم)، يعني في أرضهم التي هلكوا فيها وبلدتهم.* * *ولذلك وحَّد " الدار " ولم يجمعها فيقول " في دورهم "= وقد يجوز أن يكون أريد بها الدور، ولكن وجَّه بالواحدة إلى الجميع، كما قيل: وَالْعَصْرِ * إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ) [العصر: 1-2].* * *وقوله: ( جاثمين ) ، يعني: سقوطًا صرعَى لا يتحركون ، لأنهم لا أرواح فيهم ، قد هلكوا. والعرب تقول للبارك على الركبة: " جاثم "، ومنه قول جرير:عَــرَفْتُ المُنْتَـأَى , وَعَـرَفْتُ مِنْهَـامَطَايَــا القِــدْرِ كَــالحِدَإِ الجُـثُومِ (8)* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:14832-حدثني يونس قال، أخبرنا ابن وهب قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( فأصبحوا في دارهم جاثمين ) ، قال: ميتين.--------------------الهوامش :(7) ديوانه: 146 من قصيدة له جيدة ، قالها في يزيد بن معاوية ، وذكر فيها الشباب ذكرًا عجبًا ، وقد رأى إعراض الغواني عنه من أجله ، يقول بعده:وَقَـدْ يَكُـونُ الصِّبَـى مِنِّـي بِمَنْزِلَـةٍيَوْمًـا ، وتَقْتَـادُنِي الهِيـفُ الرَّعَـادِيدُيَـا قَـلَّ خَيْرُ الغَوَانِي ، كيف رُغْنَ بِهِفَشُــرْبُهُ وَشَــلٌ فِيهِــنَّ تَصْرِيـدُأَعْـرَضْنَ مِنْ شَمَطٍ في الرَّأْسِ لاحَ بِهِفَهُــنّ مِنْـهُ ، إِذَا أَبْصَرْنَـهُ ، حِـيدُقَـدْ كُـنَّ يَعْهَـدْنَ مِنِّي مَضْحَكًا حَسَنًاوَمَفْرِقًــا حَسَــرَتْ عَنْـهُ العَنَـاقِيدُفَهُـنَّ يَشْـدُونَ مِنِّـي بَعْـضَ مَعْرِفَةٍ،وَهُــنَّ بـالوُدِّ ، لا بُخْـلٌ ولا جُـودُقَـدْ كَـانَ عَهْـدِي جَدِيدًا ، فَاسْتُبِدَّ بِهِ،وَالعَهْـدُ مُتَّبَـعٌ مَـا فِيـهِ ، مَنشُـودُيَقُلْـنَ : لا أَنْـتَ بَعْـلٌ يُسْـتَقَادُ لَـهُ،وَلا الشَّـبَابُ الَّـذِي قَـدْ فَـاتَ مَرْدُودُهَـلْ لِلشَّـبَابِ الـذي قَدْ فَاتَ مرْدُودُ ?أَمْ هَـلْ دَوَاءٌ يَـرُدُّ الشِّـيبَ مَوْجُودُ ?لَـنْ يَرْجِـعَ الشِّيبُ شُبَّانًا ، وَلَنْ يَجِدُواعِــدْلَ الشَّـبَابِ ، مَـا أَوْرَقَ العُـودُإِنَّ الشَّــبَابَ لَمَحْــمُودٌ بَشَاشَــتُهُوالشَّـيْبُ مُنْصَـرفٌ عَنْـهُ وَمَصْـدُودُوهي أبيات ملئت عاطفة وحزنًا وحسرة ، فاحفظها.(8) ديوانه: 507 ، ومجاز القرآن لأبي عبيدة 1: 218 ، من قصيدته في هشام بن عبد الملك ، مضى منها بيت فيما سلف 1: 170.يقول قبله:وَقَفْـتُ عَـلَى الدِّيَـارِ ، وَمَـا ذَكَرْنَـاكَـــدَارٍ بَيْــنَ تَلْعَــةَ والنَّظِيــمو"المنتأى" ، حفير النؤى حول البيت. و"مطايا القدر" ، أثافيها ، تركبها القدر فهي لها مطية. وجعلها كالحدإ الجثوم ، لسوادها من سخام النار.وكان في المخطوطة: "عرفت الصاى" ، غير منقوطة ، وخطأ ، صوابه ما في المطبوعة.

( فأخذتهم الرجفة ) وهي زلزلة الأرض وحركتها وأهلكوا بالصيحة والرجفة ، ( فأصبحوا في دارهم ) قيل : أراد الديار . وقيل : أراد في أرضهم وبلدتهم ، ولذلك وحد الدار ، ( جاثمين ) خامدين ميتين . قيل : سقطوا على وجوههم موتى عن آخرهم .

وجملة { فأخذتهم الرجفة } معترضة بين جملة { فعقروا الناقة } وبين جملة { فتولى عنهم } [ الأعراف : 79 ] أريد باعتراضها التّعجيلُ بالخبر عن نفاذ الوعيد فيهم بعَقب عتوّهم ، فالتّعقيب عرفي ، أي لم يكن بين العقر وبين الرجفة زمن طويل ، كان بينهما ثلاثة أيّام ، كما ورد في آية سورة هود ( 65) : { فعقروها فقال تمتّعوا في داركم ثلاثة أيّام ذلك وعد غير مكذوب } وأصل الأخذ تناول شيءٍ باليد ، ويستعمل مجازاً في مِلك الشيء ، بعلاقة اللّزوم ، ويستعمل أيضاً في القهر كقوله : { فأخذهم الله بذنوبهم } [ الأنفال : 52 ] ، { فأخذهم أخذة رابية } [ الحاقة : 10 ] وأخذ الرّجفة : إهلاكُها إياهم وإحاطتها بهم إحاطة الآخِذ . ولا شكّ أنّ الله نجّى صالحاً عليه السّلام والذين آمنوا معه ، كما في آية سورة هود . وقد روي أنّه خرج في مائة وعشرة من المؤمنين ، فقيل : نزلوا رملة فلسطين ، وقيل : تباعدوا عن ديار قومهم بحيث يرونها ، فلمّا أخذتهم الرّجفة وهلكوا عاد صالح عليه السّلام ومن آمنَ معه فسكنوا ديارهم ، وقيل : سكنوا مكّة وأنّ صالحاً عليه السّلام دفن بها ، وهذا بعيد كما قلناه في عاد ، ومن أهل الأنساب من يقول : إنّ ثقيفاً من بقايا ثمود ، أي من ذرّية مَن نجا منهم من العذاب ، ولم يذكر القرآن أنّ ثموداً انقطع دابرهم فيجوز أن تكون منهم بقية .والرّجفة : اضطراب الأرض وارتجاجها ، فتكون من حوادث سماوية كالرّياح العاصفة والصّواعق ، وتكون من أسباب أرضيّة كالزلازل ، فالرّجفة اسم للحالة الحاصلة ، وقد سمّاها في سورة هود بالصّيْحة فعلمنا أنّ الذي أصاب ثمود هو صاعقة أو صواعق متوالية رجفت أرضَهم وأهلكتهم صَعِقين ، ويحتمل أن تقارنها زلازل أرضية .والدّار : المكان الذي يحتلّه القوم ، وهو يفرد ويجمع باعتبارين ، فلذلك قال في آية سورة هود : { فأصبحوا في ديارهم جاثمين }. { فأصبحوا } هنا بمعنى صاروا .والجاثم : المُكِب على صدره في الأرض مع قبض ساقيه كما يجثو الأرْنب ، ولمّا كان ذلك أشدّ سكوناً وانقطاعاً عن اضطراب الأعضاء استعمل في الآية كناية عن همود الجثّة بالموت ، ويجوز أن يكون المراد تشبيه حالة وقوعهم على وجوههم حين صعِقوا بحالة الجاثم تفظيعاً لهيئة مِيتتهم ، والمعنى أنّهم أصبحوا جثثا هامدة ميّتة على أبشع منظر لِمَيِّت .

{ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ } على ركبهم، قد أبادهم اللّه، وقطع دابرهم.

فأخذتهم الرجفة أي الزلزلة الشديدة . وقيل : كان صيحة شديدة خلعت قلوبهم ; كما في قصة ثمود في سورة " هود " في قصة ثمود فأخذتهم الصيحة . يقال : رجف الشيء يرجف رجفا ورجفانا . وأرجفت الريح الشجر حركته . وأصله حركة مع صوت ; ومنه قوله تعالى يوم ترجف الراجفة قال الشاعر :ولما رأيت الحج قد آن وقته وظلت مطايا القوم بالقوم ترجففأصبحوا في دارهم أي بلدهم . وقيل : وحد على طريق الجنس ، والمعنى : في دورهم . وقال في موضع آخر : في ديارهم أي في منازلهم . جاثمين أي لاصقين [ ص: 218 ] بالأرض على ركبهم ووجوههم ; كما يجثم الطائر . أي صاروا خامدين من شدة العذاب . وأصل الجثوم للأرنب وشبهها ، والموضع مجثم . قال زهير :بها العين والآرام يمشين خلفة وأطلاؤها ينهضن من كل مجثموقيل : احترقوا بالصاعقة فأصبحوا ميتين ، إلا رجلا واحدا كان في حرم الله ; فلما خرج من الحرم أصابه ما أصاب قومه .

Truth always reveals itself on the strength of arguments and not on the strength of worldly glories. Those who are capable of seeing the Truth in the shape of arguments immediately find it, while those perpetually awed by outward glories remain doubtful. They never receive God’s guidance to become supporters of truth. The killer of Salih’s she-camel was an arrogant member of that community. But this action was attributed to the entire community and it was said, ‘They hamstrung the she-camel.’ This shows that if one member among a group performs a bad deed and other people do not condemn such deeds, all of them are treated as a party to this criminal action. The community which succumbs to desire is not at all impressed by realistic talk. It is not prepared to support anyone who invites its members to engage in serious and sincere action. On the contrary, huge crowds gather around people who utter pleasant words and trade in false promises. They are not attracted towards true well- wishers, but rush towards the exploiters.

Other verses of the Qur'an have also mentioned: فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ (that is, a Cry or Sound seized them - 15:83). The word: الصَّيْحَةُ (As-Saihah) means a shrill cry or severe sound. From these two verses, we find out that two kinds of punishment had simultaneously converged on the people of Thamud, the earthquake from below and the ` Saihah' from above. The result was: أَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِ‌هِمْ (and they were [ found dead ] in their homes, fallen on their knees - 77). The word: جَاثِمِين (jathimin) is a derivation from the verbal noun: Juthum, which means to be rendered senseless and motionless at one spot, or remain sitting (Al-Qamus). The sense is that everyone lay dead as and where one was. نَعُوذُ بِاللہِ مِن قَھرِہِ وَ عَذَابِہِ (We seek refuge with Allah from His Wrath and His Punishment). Important parts of this story of the people of Thamud (علیہ السلام) have been mentioned in the different Surahs of the Qur'an itself. Some parts appear in Hadith narrations. There are some others which commentators have taken from Israelite narratives, but the proof of an event or its reality does not depend on them. It appears in a Hadith of the Sahih of Al-Bukhari that, during a journey related to the Battle of Tabuk, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Sahabah passed by Hijr, the place where the people of Thamud had faced their punishment. At that spot, he gave instructions to the Sahabah that no one should go into the land area of that punishment-stricken habitation, nor should anyone use water from its wells. (Mazhari) According to some narrations, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When the punishment overtook the people of Thamud, no one survived except one person, Abu Righal. He was in the Haram of Makkah at that time. Allah Ta` ala spared him of the punishment at that time because of the sanctity of the Haram of Makkah. Finally, when he came out of the Haram, the same punishment which had seized his people visited him as well, and right there he met his death. The Holy Prophet ﷺ also showed people the marks of the grave of Abu Righal on the outskirts of Makkah; and he also said that a walking stick made of gold was also buried with him. When the Sahabah opened the grave, they found the gold stick there which was taken out. Mentioned in the same narration is that Banu Thaqif, the inhabitants of Ta'if are the progeny of this very Abu Righal. (Mazhari) Allah Ta` ala, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed these habitations of punished peoples to stay as signposts of lesson for coming generations. The Holy Qur'an has repeatedly warned the people of Arabia that these places which come on their travel route to Syria should bring home to them their essential lesson in the rise and fall of peoples: that is, (these are the dwellings of ungrateful people We لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا which) have not been lived in after them, except a little - 28:58). After the mention of the event of punishment which overtook the people of Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) it was finally said: فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِ‌سَالَةَ رَ‌بِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ ﴿79﴾ (So, he turned away from them and said, "0 my people, I have certainly delivered to you the message of my Lord, and wished your betterment, but you people do not like the sincere advisers - 79), that is, after the visit of punishment on his people, Sayyidna S-alih (علیہ السلام) and those who had believed in him left that place and went somewhere else. In some narrations, it appears that there were four thousand believers with Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) . He went along with them to Hadramaut in Yaman. It was there that Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) passed away from this mortal world. However, some narrations report his going to Makkah al-Mu` azzamah and where it was that he passed away. From the outward arrangement of the text, it appears that Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) addressed his people while departing - 0 my people, I have certainly delivered to you the message of my Lord and have wished the best for you, but you do not seem to like honest advisers. The question is when his people have been destroyed by the punishment, what is the use of addressing them now. The answer is that one good that may come out of it is that people in general would learn their lesson. This form of address resembles the address of the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he had said a few words addressing dead disbelievers from the tribe of Quraysh in the Battle of Badr. And then, it is also possible that this saying of Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) came to pass before the coming of the punishment and the destruction of his people - though, in the textual arrangement, it has been mentioned later.

(So the earthquake) and the loud noise announcing their torment (seized them, and morning found them prostrate) dead without a movement (in their dwelling-place) in their town.