Ash-Shu'ara 26:149
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 373
وَتَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتٗا فَٰرِهِينَ ١٤٩
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 26:146–152
A Reminder to Them of their Circumstances and the Blessings
They enjoyed Salih preached to them, warning them that the punishment of Allah could overtake them and reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them, by giving them ample provision and making them safe from all kinds of dangers, giving them gardens and flowing springs, and bringing forth for them crops and fruits.
وَنَخْلٍ طَلْعُهَا هَضِيمٌ
(and date palms with soft clusters.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas, "Ripe and rich." `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn `Abbas that this meant growing luxuriantly. Isma`il bin Abi Khalid narrated from `Amr bin Abi `Amr -- who met the Companions -- from Ibn `Abbas that this means, "When it becomes ripe and soft." This was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim, then he said: "And something similar was narrated from Abu Salih."
وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتاً فَرِهِينَ
(And you hew out in the mountains, houses with great skill.) Ibn `Abbas and others said, "With great skill." According to another report from him: "They were greedy and extravagant." This was the view of Mujahid and another group. There is no contradiction between the two views, because they built the houses which they carved in the mountains as a form of extravagant play, with no need for them as dwelling places. They were highly skilled in the arts of masonry and stone-carving, as is well known to anyone who has seen their structures. So, Salih said to them:
فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
(So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.) Pay attention to that which could benefit you in this world and the Hereafter; worshipping your Lord Who created you, who granted you provisions so that you could worship Him alone and glorify Him morning and evening.
وَلاَ تُطِيعُواْ أَمْرَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ يُصْلِحُونَ
(And follow not the command of the extravagant, who make mischief in the land, and reform not.) meaning, their chiefs and leaders, who called them to Shirk, disbelief and opposition to the truth.
قَالُواْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مِنَ الْمُسَحَّرِينَ - مَآ أَنتَ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا فَأْتِ بَِايَةٍ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّدِقِينَ - قَالَ هَذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ - وَلاَ تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ - فَعَقَرُوهَا فَأَصْبَحُواْ نَدِمِينَ - فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لأَيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Page 373
26:137
إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا خُلُقُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ١٣٧
This is not but the custom of the former peoples,
26:138
وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ ١٣٨
And we are not to be punished."
26:139
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ١٣٩
And they denied him, so We destroyed them. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
26:140
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٤٠
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
26:141
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٤١
Thamūd denied the messengers
26:142
إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ أَخُوهُمۡ صَٰلِحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ١٤٢
When their brother Ṣāliḥ said to them, "Will you not fear Allāh?
26:143
إِنِّي لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٞ ١٤٣
Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.
26:144
فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ١٤٤
So fear Allāh and obey me.
26:145
وَمَآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٤٥
And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.
26:146
أَتُتۡرَكُونَ فِي مَا هَٰهُنَآ ءَامِنِينَ ١٤٦
Will you be left in what is here, secure [from death],
26:147
فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٖ ١٤٧
Within gardens and springs
26:148
وَزُرُوعٖ وَنَخۡلٖ طَلۡعُهَا هَضِيمٞ ١٤٨
And fields of crops and palm trees with softened fruit?
26:149
وَتَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتٗا فَٰرِهِينَ ١٤٩
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
26:150
فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ١٥٠
So fear Allāh and obey me.
26:151
وَلَا تُطِيعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ١٥١
And do not obey the order of the transgressors,
26:152
ٱلَّذِينَ يُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا يُصۡلِحُونَ ١٥٢
Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend."
26:153
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَحَّرِينَ ١٥٣
They said, "You are only of those affected by magic.
26:154
مَآ أَنتَ إِلَّا بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُنَا فَأۡتِ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ ١٥٤
You are but a man like ourselves, so bring a sign, if you should be of the truthful."
26:155
قَالَ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةٞ لَّهَا شِرۡبٞ وَلَكُمۡ شِرۡبُ يَوۡمٖ مَّعۡلُومٖ ١٥٥
He said, "This is a she-camel.1 For her is a [time of] drink, and for you is a [time of] drink, [each] on a known day.
1 translator’s note
- Miraculously sent to them as a sign by Allāh. ↩
26:156
وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٖ فَيَأۡخُذَكُمۡ عَذَابُ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ ١٥٦
And do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the punishment of a terrible day."
26:157
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَأَصۡبَحُواْ نَٰدِمِينَ ١٥٧
But they hamstrung her and so became regretful.
26:158
فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ١٥٨
And the punishment seized them. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
26:159
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٥٩
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy