• The Punishment Meted Out To The People Of Thamood And Lot

Al-Qamar Verses 23 - 40

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ

“(The people of) Thamood belied the warners1“ (54:23)

فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرًا مِنَّا وَاحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

“And said they: ‘What! A single man, from among us! and we to follow him? Verily then2we shall be astray and in distress3’” (54:24)

أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ

“’Is it that (the duty of) reminding hath been bestowed on him (alone), of all the (people) among us? Nay! He is a great liar, an insolent one!’” (54:25)

سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَدًا مَنِ الْكَذَّابُ الْأَشِرُ

“Soon they shall know on the morrow, (as to) who is the liar, the Insolent One!4“ (54:26)

إِنَّا مُرْسِلُو النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَهُمْ فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ

“(O’ Our Apostle Saleh!) verily We are going to send the she- camel as a trial for them; so watch them and be patient” (54:27)

وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُحْتَضَرٌ

“And (thou O’ Saleh!) make them aware (beforehand) that the water is (to be) divided5between them6; and every drinking share shall be witnessed7(on it)8“ (54:28)

فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ

“But they called their companion, then he pursued (her) and hamstrung (her)9” (54:29)

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

“How (great) was My chastisement and My warning?” (54:30)

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَكَانُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ

“Verily sent We upon them a single (violent) blast, and they were (all) like the dry stubble used by a fencer in a fence10“ (54:31)

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

“And indeed, have We made Qur’an easy (to remember) but is there any rememberer?” (54:32)

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍ بِالنُّذُرِ

“The people of Lot belied the warners11“ (54:33)

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا إِلَّا آلَ لُوطٍ نَجَّيْنَاهُمْ بِسَحَرٍ

“Verily sent We upon them a stone-storm, (which destroyed them all) save the followers of Lot; We saved them by early dawn12“ (54:34)

نِعْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي مَنْ شَكَرَ

“(As) a bounty from unto Us; Thus do We recompense him who giveth thanks” (54:35)

وَلَقَدْ أَنْذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا بِالنُّذُرِ

“And indeed, he did warn them of Our severe seizure, but they did dispute about the warner13“ (54:36)

وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَنْ ضَيْفِهِ فَطَمَسْنَا أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

“And indeed, they did demand him14of his guests (for their evil desert), so did We blind their eyes (saying)’. ‘Taste ye then My chastisement and My warning!’” (54:37)

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُمْ بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

“And indeed, dawned on them in the morn a lasting chastisement” (54:38)

فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

“Now taste ye My chastisement and My warning!15“ (54:39)

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

“And indeed, have We made Qur’an easy (to he remembered)16but is there any one to remember (it)17?” (54:40)

Commentary

Verse 23

For the people of Thamud see 7:73 to 7:79; 11: 61 to 11:68; 44:17 and 44:18.

Verse 24

This is the mental altitude against God’s Vicegerency of a single, and a representative character of a single man as an Absolute authority to be followed, common to all the opponents of the absolute theocracy. (A.P.)

• 1. Every warning. Refer to Verse 41:17.
• 2. In that case.
• 3. People believed that a warner or an apostle from God cannot be a man. Either God Himself should come or He should send at least some angel. Besides, they thought a single lonely man could not be a warner & could not be followed.
• 4. Refer to Verses 26:141-158.
• 5. Shared.
• 6. The She Camel and the people.
• 7. Be present there.
• 8. Refer to Verses 26:155; 26:156.
• 9. The She Camel.
• 10. Refer to Verses 7:78; 36:53.
• 11. Refer to Verses 11:74-83.
• 12. Refer to Verses 11:82; 17:68; 29:40; 67:17.
• 13. Refer to Verses 11:78; 11:79.
• 14. Lot.
• 15. Refer to Verse 36:63.
• 16. For men to be mindful and get admonished.
• 17. To receive the warning.