Al-Hijr 15:80
The Rocky Tract · Juz 14 · Page 266
وَلَقَدۡ كَذَّبَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡحِجۡرِ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٨٠
And certainly did the companions of al-Ḥijr1 [i.e., the Thamūd] deny the messengers.
1 translator’s note
- The valley of stone. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 15:78–86
Commentary
Aikah means a dense forest. There are other views too. Some commentators say that there was a dense forest near Madyan, therefore, Aikah is actually the title of the people of Madyan. Others have said that the people of Aikah and the people of Madyan were two different people. It was after the destruction of one of them that Sayyidna Shu'ayb (علیہ السلام) was sent to the other.
In Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ ani, the following marfu` hadith appears with reference to Ibn ` Asakir:
اِنَّ مَدیَنَ و اَصحَابَ الاَیکَۃِ اُمَّتَان بَعَثَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی اِلَیھِمَا شُعَیباً
Madyan and the people of Aikah are two peoples. Allah Ta` ala sent Shu'ayb to them.
And Al-Hijr is a valley situated in between Hijaz and Syria. It was inhabited by the people of Thamud.
A Brief Explanation
Described at the beginning of the Surah was the hostility of the disbelievers of Makkah against the Holy Prophet ﷺ which also carried words of comfort for him briefly. Now, at the end of the Surah, more words of comfort appear to mollify his concern about their grudge and hostility.
Here, he is being asked not to grieve over their hostile opposition because there is a day when all scores will be settled, and that is the day of Judgment, and it is bound to come as he has been told. Then, there is the fact that Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is there in between them but with truth and wisdom. The wise consid-eration behind this creation is that people should believe in the existence of the maker of the universe, attest to His Oneness and supremacy and obey His injunctions. Also present there is the consequence of not doing so, after the argument of Allah stands established, that the defaulter be punished. Since this promised punishment does not seem to come in full right here in this mortal world, it has to be somewhere else. For that, the time is fixed, the time of the Qiyamah, the Day of Judgment. And this Hour is sure to come. Everyone will be taken care of there.
This being the wise arrangement of things, let him not grieve. The better course for him is to overlook their wicked behaviour in a gracious manner, that is, neither pay attention to their behavior nor complain about it. The reason is that his Lord is great as Creator and great as the Master Knower as well. He knows his patience and fortitude and He knows the evil mechanizations of his enemies too. Therefore, He is to exact the full return from them of what they have been doing.
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15:71
قَالَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِيٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَٰعِلِينَ ٧١
[Lot] said, "These are my daughters1 - if you would be doers [of lawful marriage]."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the women of his community who were lawful for marriage. ↩
15:72
لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي سَكۡرَتِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ٧٢
By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.
15:73
فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُشۡرِقِينَ ٧٣
So the shriek1 seized them at sunrise.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 11:67. ↩
15:74
فَجَعَلۡنَا عَٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ ٧٤
And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay.
15:75
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّلۡمُتَوَسِّمِينَ ٧٥
Indeed in that are signs for those who discern.
15:76
وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٖ مُّقِيمٍ ٧٦
And indeed, they [i.e., those cities] are [situated] on an established road.
15:77
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٧٧
Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.
15:78
وَإِن كَانَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَيۡكَةِ لَظَٰلِمِينَ ٧٨
And the companions of the thicket [i.e., the people of Madyan] were [also] wrongdoers,
15:79
فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٖ مُّبِينٖ ٧٩
So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear highway.
15:80
وَلَقَدۡ كَذَّبَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡحِجۡرِ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٨٠
And certainly did the companions of al-Ḥijr1 [i.e., the Thamūd] deny the messengers.
1 translator’s note
- The valley of stone. ↩
15:81
وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَكَانُواْ عَنۡهَا مُعۡرِضِينَ ٨١
And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away.
15:82
وَكَانُواْ يَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ ٨٢
And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.
15:83
فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُصۡبِحِينَ ٨٣
But the shriek seized them at early morning,
15:84
فَمَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ٨٤
So nothing availed them [from] what they used to earn.
15:85
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةٞۖ فَٱصۡفَحِ ٱلصَّفۡحَ ٱلۡجَمِيلَ ٨٥
And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.
15:86
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخَلَّٰقُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٨٦
Indeed, your Lord - He is the Knowing Creator.
15:87
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكَ سَبۡعٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَثَانِي وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡعَظِيمَ ٨٧
And We have certainly given you, [O Muḥammad], seven of the often repeated [verses]1 and the great Qur’ān.
1 translator’s note
- Referring to Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. ↩
15:88
لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا تَحۡزَنۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱخۡفِضۡ جَنَاحَكَ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨٨
Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of them [i.e., the disbelievers], and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing [i.e., show kindness] to the believers.
15:89
وَقُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أَنَا ٱلنَّذِيرُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ٨٩
And say, "Indeed, I am the clear warner" -
15:90
كَمَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡمُقۡتَسِمِينَ ٩٠
Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to the separators1
1 translator’s note
- Those who separated from the teachings of their prophets. Another meaning is "As We sent down [punishment] on the sworn opponents [to Allāh's message]." ↩