Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
An-Najm 53:49–54
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ (and that He is the One who is the Lord of Sirius ...53:49) The word shi` ra with the diacritical symbol kasrah under the letter shin is the name of a star, called Sirius which is behind Jauza'. Some of the Arab tribes worshipped the mighty star, Sirius, because they regarded it as a source of good or bad luck for them. Allah mentions this star in particular in order to refute their false notion and to affirm that He is the Lord and Master of this star as well, although He is the Creator, Master and Lord of all the stars, heavens and the earth.
53:50–52Page 528
وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهۡلَكَ عَادًا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ٥٠
And that He destroyed the first [people of] ʿAad
وَثَمُودَاْ فَمَآ أَبۡقَىٰ ٥١
And Thamūd - and He did not spare [them] -
وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ هُمۡ أَظۡلَمَ وَأَطۡغَىٰ ٥٢
And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing.
وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ (and that He has destroyed the earlier ` Ad, and Thamud, so spared none,...53:50-51) The people of ` Ad were among the strongest, fiercest people and the most rebellious against Allah. There are two branches of this people: one of them is known as 'ula [ the first ] and ` ukhra [ the latter or the second ]. Holy Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) was sent to ` Ad, but they disobeyed him, as a result Allah annihilated the entire nation by a violently furious wind. This is the first nation that was destroyed in punishment after the destruction of the people of Holy Prophet Nuh علیہ السلام (Mazhari) Holy Prophet Salih (علیہ السلام) was sent to the tribe of Thamud, being the second ` Ad, but they too disobeyed their Prophet. Those who transgressed were caught by the awesome Cry of Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) and their hearts were burst by the horrific sound resulting in the mass destruction of those people. (See Ma` ariful Qur'an Vol. 4/p. 651 and the cross-reference given there. [ Tr.])
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ (And He destroyed the overturned towns also,... 53:53) The word Mu'tafikah literally means mu'talifah (joined together). These were a few settlements adjacent to the city. Holy Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) was sent to them. Because of disobedience and commission of shameful and unspeakable sins, their cities [ of Sodom and Gomorrah ] were turned upside down by Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) .
فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ (so covered they were by that which covered.... 53:54). This refers to the fact that the cities were first overturned, and after that stones of hard clay were sent down on them, which covered them.
Here ends the teachings of the scriptures of Musa and Ibrahim (علیہما السلام) .
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences