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
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 26:149–165
Commentary
وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَارِهِينَ ﴿149﴾And you hew out houses from the hills with pride. [ 149]
According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، the word فَارِهِينَ (Farihin) means arrogant and conceited people. But Abu Salih and Imam Raghib have taken this word to mean experts. Therefore, the meaning of the verse is that Allah Ta’ ala has favoured you by teaching such skills that you could make houses by cutting hills. The essence of all this is that you should remember the bounties of Allah Ta’ ala and should not make mischief and trouble on earth.
Useful vocations are Divine Graces provided they are not employed in bad things
This verse indicates that nice vocations are Allah's Graces, and to draw benefit from them is lawful. But if they are used for some sinful purpose or in an unlawful act, or if someone gets involved in them with unnecessary concentration, then it is not lawful to adopt them. An example of unnecessary construction of tall buildings and its contempt has just been mentioned in the previous verses.
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.