بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Sad 38:13
The Letter "Saad" · Juz 23 · Page 453
وَثَمُودُ وَقَوۡمُ لُوطٖ وَأَصۡحَٰبُ لۡـَٔيۡكَةِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ ١٣
And [the tribe of] Thamūd and the people of Lot and the companions of the thicket [i.e., people of Madyan]. Those are the companies.1
1 translator’s note
- That were defeated, among whom will be the disbelievers of Quraysh and others. ↩
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Commentary on 38:12–16
A Reminder of Those Who were destroyed among the Previous Nations
Allah tells us about those past nations and the punishment and vengeance that struck them for their going against the Messengers and disbelieving in the Prophets, peace be upon them. We have already seen their stories in detail in numerous places (in the Qur'an). Allah says:
أُوْلَئِكَ الاٌّحْزَابُ
(such were the Confederates.) meaning, `they were greater and stronger than you, they had more wealth and children, but that did not protect them from the punishment of Allah at all when the command of your Lord came to pass.' Allah says:
إِن كُلٌّ إِلاَّ كَذَّبَ الرٌّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ
(Not one of them but denied the Messengers; therefore My torment was justified.) `The reason for their destruction was their disbelief in the Messengers, so let those who are addressed here beware and be afraid.'
وَمَا يَنظُرُ هَؤُلآءِ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وحِدَةً مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٍ
(And these only wait for a single Sayhah there will be no pause or ending thereto.) Malik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam; "There will none who can avert it," i.e., they will only wait for the Hour that it shall come upon them suddenly while they perceive not. But some of its portents have already come, i.e., it has drawn nigh. This Sayhah is the blast on the Trumpet when Allah will command Israfil to sound a long note, and there will be no one in the heaven or on earth but will be terrified, except those whom Allah spares.
وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ
(They say: "Our Lord! Hasten to us Qittana before the Day of Reckoning!") Here Allah denounces the idolators for calling for the punishment to be hastened upon themselves. Qitt refers to a book or record, or it was said that it means one's allotted share or fortune. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan and others said, "They asked for the punishment to be hastened." Qatadah added, this is like when they said: e
اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
("O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.") (8:32). It was also said that they asked for their share of Paradise to be hastened, if it really existed, so that they might have their share in this world; they said this because they thought it unlikely to exist and they disbelieved in it. Ibn Jarir said, "They asked for whatever they deserved, good or bad, to be hastened for them in this world." What he said is good, and A-Dahhak and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid based their views on it. And Allah knows best. They said this by way of mockery and disbelief, so Allah commanded His Messenger to be patient in the face of their insults, and He gave him the glad tidings that his patience would be rewarded with victory and success.
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38:1
صٓۚ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ذِي ٱلذِّكۡرِ ١
38:2
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي عِزَّةٖ وَشِقَاقٖ ٢
But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension.
38:3
كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن قَرۡنٖ فَنَادَواْ وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٖ ٣
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they [then] called out; but it was not a time for escape.
38:4
وَعَجِبُوٓاْ أَن جَآءَهُم مُّنذِرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَٰحِرٞ كَذَّابٌ ٤
And they wonder that there has come to them a warner [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, "This is a magician and a liar.
38:5
أَجَعَلَ ٱلۡأٓلِهَةَ إِلَٰهٗا وَٰحِدًاۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عُجَابٞ ٥
Has he made the gods [only] one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing."
38:6
وَٱنطَلَقَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِنۡهُمۡ أَنِ ٱمۡشُواْ وَٱصۡبِرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ ءَالِهَتِكُمۡۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٞ يُرَادُ ٦
And the eminent among them went forth, [saying], "Continue, and be patient over [the defense of] your gods. Indeed, this is a thing intended.1
1 translator’s note
- Planned by Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) in order to gain influence and prestige for himself. ↩
38:7
مَا سَمِعۡنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي ٱلۡمِلَّةِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا ٱخۡتِلَٰقٌ ٧
We have not heard of this in the latest religion.1 This is not but a fabrication.
1 translator’s note
- Referring to Christianity or possibly the pagan religion of the Quraysh. ↩
38:8
أَءُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي شَكّٖ مِّن ذِكۡرِيۚ بَل لَّمَّا يَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِ ٨
Has the message been revealed to him out of [all of] us?" Rather, they are in doubt about My message. Rather, they have not yet tasted My punishment.
38:9
أَمۡ عِندَهُمۡ خَزَآئِنُ رَحۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡوَهَّابِ ٩
Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower?1
1 translator’s note
- Refer to footnote of verse 3:8. ↩
38:10
أَمۡ لَهُم مُّلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَاۖ فَلۡيَرۡتَقُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَسۡبَٰبِ ١٠
Or is theirs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? Then let them ascend through [any] ways of access.1
1 translator’s note
- To oversee the affairs of their dominion. ↩
38:11
جُندٞ مَّا هُنَالِكَ مَهۡزُومٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابِ ١١
[They are but] soldiers [who will be] defeated there among the companies [of disbelievers].
38:12
كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ وَعَادٞ وَفِرۡعَوۡنُ ذُو ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ ١٢
The people of Noah denied before them, and [the tribe of] ʿAad and Pharaoh, the owner of stakes,1
1 translator’s note
- By which he tortured people. ↩
38:13
وَثَمُودُ وَقَوۡمُ لُوطٖ وَأَصۡحَٰبُ لۡـَٔيۡكَةِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ ١٣
And [the tribe of] Thamūd and the people of Lot and the companions of the thicket [i.e., people of Madyan]. Those are the companies.1
1 translator’s note
- That were defeated, among whom will be the disbelievers of Quraysh and others. ↩
38:14
إِن كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ ١٤
Each of them denied the messengers, so My penalty was justified.
38:15
وَمَا يَنظُرُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا صَيۡحَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٖ ١٥
And these [disbelievers] await not but one blast [of the Horn]; for it there will be no delay.1
1 translator’s note
- Or "respite." More literally, "a period between two milkings of a she-camel," which also alludes to the meanings of "return" or "repetition." ↩
38:16
وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبۡلَ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ١٦
And they say, "Our Lord, hasten for us our share [of the punishment] before the Day of Account."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy