An-Naml 27:45
The Ant · Juz 19 · Page 381
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَإِذَا هُمۡ فَرِيقَانِ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ ٤٥
And We had certainly sent to Thamūd their brother Ṣāliḥ, [saying], "Worship Allāh," and at once they were two parties conflicting.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 27:45–47
When Salih started calling for belief in the pure unity of God, his community divided itself into two groups. The leaders of the community were too wrapped up in their own greatness to accept the pure and unadulterated religion preached by Salih. But, among the less important people, there were some who gave a positive response to his call. The two groups began having controversial discussions. The leading luminaries of the community stated quite bluntly that they did not believe in God and that He might bring upon them whatever retribution He wanted as a punishment for their denial. If they faced any hardship, they were wont to say that it was the ill-luck brought upon them by the inauspicious presence in their midst of Salih and his companions. All these things were said in order to humiliate Salih and belittle his call, and not as a result of any serious thought. Their circumstances, whether good or bad, had come to them from God. But they took advantage of good circumstances to feed their false pride and cited bad circumstances to make false complaints. The rising of a prophet from among them was in the nature of a trial devised for them by God. They were placed in this position in order to see whether they recognised the Truth and co-operated with it, or whether they remained blind and deaf towards it. They failed in this trial. They were so preoccupied with material things that they failed to comprehend the reality.
Page 381
27:45
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَإِذَا هُمۡ فَرِيقَانِ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ ٤٥
And We had certainly sent to Thamūd their brother Ṣāliḥ, [saying], "Worship Allāh," and at once they were two parties conflicting.
27:46
قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لِمَ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبۡلَ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ لَوۡلَا تَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ٤٦
He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil before [i.e., instead of] good?1 Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allāh that you may receive mercy?"
1 translator’s note
- By challenging Ṣāliḥ to bring on the promised punishment rather than asking for mercy from Allāh. ↩
27:47
قَالُواْ ٱطَّيَّرۡنَا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَّعَكَۚ قَالَ طَٰٓئِرُكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ تُفۡتَنُونَ ٤٧
They said, "We consider you a bad omen, you and those with you." He said, "Your omen [i.e., fate] is with Allāh. Rather, you are a people being tested."1
1 translator’s note
- Or "being tempted [by Satan]." ↩
27:48
وَكَانَ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ تِسۡعَةُ رَهۡطٖ يُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا يُصۡلِحُونَ ٤٨
And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs].
27:49
قَالُواْ تَقَاسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُۥ وَأَهۡلَهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِۦ مَا شَهِدۡنَا مَهۡلِكَ أَهۡلِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ ٤٩
They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allāh that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor,1 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.'"
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the one responsible for executing his will and avenging his blood. ↩
27:50
وَمَكَرُواْ مَكۡرٗا وَمَكَرۡنَا مَكۡرٗا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ ٥٠
And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.
27:51
فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ مَكۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّا دَمَّرۡنَٰهُمۡ وَقَوۡمَهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٥١
Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.
27:52
فَتِلۡكَ بُيُوتُهُمۡ خَاوِيَةَۢ بِمَا ظَلَمُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٥٢
So those are their houses, desolate because of the wrong they had done. Indeed in that is a sign for people who know.
27:53
وَأَنجَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ ٥٣
And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allāh.
27:54
وَلُوطًا إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦٓ أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةَ وَأَنتُمۡ تُبۡصِرُونَ ٥٤
And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Do you commit immorality1 while you are seeing?2
27:55
أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةٗ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ تَجۡهَلُونَ ٥٥
Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly."