Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Ash-Shu'ara 26:149–165
26:149–165Page 373
وَتَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتٗا فَٰرِهِينَ ١٤٩
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ١٥٠
So fear Allāh and obey me.
وَلَا تُطِيعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ١٥١
And do not obey the order of the transgressors,
ٱلَّذِينَ يُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا يُصۡلِحُونَ ١٥٢
Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend."
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَحَّرِينَ ١٥٣
They said, "You are only of those affected by magic.
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."
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.
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."
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَأَصۡبَحُواْ نَٰدِمِينَ ١٥٧
But they hamstrung her and so became regretful.
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.
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٥٩
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
كَذَّبَتۡ قَوۡمُ لُوطٍ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٦٠
The people of Lot denied the messengers
إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ أَخُوهُمۡ لُوطٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ١٦١
When their brother Lot said to them, "Will you not fear Allāh?
إِنِّي لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٞ ١٦٢
Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.
فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ١٦٣
So fear Allāh and obey me.
وَمَآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٦٤
And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.
أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلذُّكۡرَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٦٥
Do you approach males among the worlds1
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.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences