بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Ash-Shams 91:11
The Sun · Juz 30 · Page 595
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ ١١
Thamūd denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 91:11–15
The Rejection of Thamud and Allah's Destruction of Them
Allah informs that Thamud rejected their Messenger because of the injustice and transgression they practiced. This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah and others. Therefore, this resulted in a rejection in their hearts for the guidance and conviction their Messenger came to them with.
إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَهَا
(When their most wicked went forth.) meaning, the most wicked person of the tribe, and he was Qudar bin Salif, the one who killed the she-camel. He was leader of the tribe of Thamud, and he is the one whom Allah refers to in His saying,
فَنَادَوْاْ صَحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ
(But they called their comrade and he took (a sword) and killed (her).) (54:29) This man was mighty and respected among his people. He was of noble lineage and a leader who was obeyed. This is just as Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Zam`ah. He said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a sermon in which he mentioned the she-camel and he mentioned the man who killed her. Then he said,
«إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَهَا
انْبَعَثَ لَهَا رَجُلٌ عَارِمٌ عَزِيزٌ مَنِيعٌ فَي رَهْطِهِ مِثْلُ أَبِي زَمْعَة»
((When their most wicked went forth.)( A strong and mighty man who was invincible among his tribe, like Abu Zam`ah, went forth to her.) This Hadith was recorded by Al-Bukhari in his Book of Tafsir, and Muslim in his Book of the Description of the Hellfire. At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i both recorded it in their Sunans in their Books of Tafsir.
The Story of Salih's She-Camel
Allah then says,
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
(But the Messenger of Allah said to them) referring to Salih.
نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ
(That is the she-camel of Allah!) meaning, `beware of touching the she-camel of Allah with any harm.'
وَسُقْيَهَا
(and its drink!) meaning, `do not transgress against her in her drinking, for she has been allocated a day to drink and you have been allocated a day to drink, as is known to you.' Then Allah says,
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا
(Then they denied him and they killed it.) which means they rejected what he came with. This resulted in them killing the she-camel that Allah had brought out of the rock as a sign for them and a proof against them.
فَدَمْدمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنبِهِمْ
(So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin,) meaning, He became angry with them and He annihilated them.
فَسَوَّاهَا
(Fasawwaha!) meaning, He made the punishment descend upon them all equally. Qatadah said, "It has reached us that the leader of tribe of Thamud did not kill the she-camel until their youth, their elderly, their males and their females all pledged allegiance to him. So when the people cooperated in killing her, Allah destroyed them all with the same punishment due to their sin." Allah said,
وَلاَ يَخَافُ
(And He feared not) it has also been recited as (فَلَا يَخَافُ) (So He feared not)
عُقْبَهَا
(the consequences thereof.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah does not fear any consequences from anyone else." Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Bakr bin `Abdullah Al-Muzani and others all said the same. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Ash-Shams, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.
Page 595
91:1
وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ١
By the sun and its brightness
91:2
وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ٢
And [by] the moon when it follows it
91:3
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا ٣
And [by] the day when it displays it1
1 translator’s note
- The earth. Also interpreted as the sun. The same applies to the following verse. ↩
91:4
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰهَا ٤
And [by] the night when it covers [i.e., conceals] it
91:5
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا ٥
And [by] the sky and He who constructed it
91:6
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا ٦
And [by] the earth and He who spread it
91:7
وَنَفۡسٖ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا ٧
And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., balanced and refined it, creating in it sound tendencies and consciousness. ↩
91:8
فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا ٨
And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,
91:9
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا ٩
He has succeeded who purifies it,
91:10
وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا ١٠
And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].
91:11
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ ١١
Thamūd denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,
91:12
إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشۡقَىٰهَا ١٢
When the most wretched of them was sent forth.1
1 translator’s note
- To hamstring the she-camel which had been sent by Allāh as a sign to them. ↩
91:13
فَقَالَ لَهُمۡ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقۡيَٰهَا ١٣
And the messenger of Allāh [i.e., Ṣāliḥ] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allāh or [prevent her from] her drink."
91:14
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمۡدَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمۡ فَسَوَّىٰهَا ١٤
But they denied him and hamstrung1 her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them].
1 translator’s note
- And then killed. ↩
91:15
وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقۡبَٰهَا ١٥
And He does not fear the consequence thereof.1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh is not asked about what He does, but His servants will be asked. See 21:23. ↩
92:1
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰ ١
By the night when it covers1
1 translator’s note
- With darkness. ↩
92:2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ ٢
And [by] the day when it appears
92:3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ ٣
And [by] He who created the male and female,
92:4
إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ ٤
Indeed, your efforts are diverse.
92:5
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ٥
As for he who gives and fears Allāh
92:6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٦
And believes in the best [reward].
92:7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ ٧
We will ease him toward ease.
92:8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٨
But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need
92:9
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٩
And denies the best [reward],
92:10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ ١٠
We will ease him toward difficulty.
92:11
وَمَا يُغۡنِي عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ ١١
And what will his wealth avail him when he falls?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., when he dies or is destroyed. It can also mean when he falls into the Hellfire. ↩
92:12
إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ ١٢
Indeed, [incumbent] upon Us is guidance.
92:13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ ١٣
And indeed, to us belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
92:14
فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارٗا تَلَظَّىٰ ١٤
So I have warned you of a Fire which is blazing.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy