Allah says: `Say, O Muhammad, to these idolators who disbelieve in the
message of truth that you have brought: If you turn away from that which I have
brought to you from Allah, then I warn you of the punishment of Allah like the
punishment that the past nations suffered for disbelieving in the Messengers.'
[صَـعِقَةً مِّثْلَ
صَـعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ]
(a Sa`iqah like the Sa`iqah which overtook `Ad and Thamud.) and other similar
nations who did what they did,
[إِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ
الرُّسُلُ مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ]
(When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them) This is
like the Ayah:
[وَاذْكُرْ أَخَا
عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُ بِالاٌّحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِن بَيْنِ
يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ]
(And remember (Hud) the brother of `Ad, when he warned his people in
Al-Ahqaf. And surely, there have passed away warners before him and after him)
(46:21). which means that in the neighboring towns and cities, Allah sent
Messengers who commanded the people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or
associate, and they brought good news as well as warnings. They saw the
punishment Allah sent upon His enemies, and the blessings which He bestowed upon
His friends, yet despite all of this, they did not believe in them. On the
contrary, they denied them and rejected them, and said:
[لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا
لاّنزَلَ مَلَـئِكَةً]
(If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels.)
meaning, if Allah were to send Messengers, they would be angels sent from His
presence.
[فَإِنَّا بِمَآ
أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ]
(So, indeed we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.) means,
`because you are a mere human; we will not follow you because you are just men
like us.'
[فَأَمَّا عَادٌ
فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ]
(As for `Ad, they were arrogant in the land without right.) means, they were
arrogant, stubborn and disobedient.
[وَقَالُواْ مَنْ
أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً]
(and they said: "Who is mightier than us in strength'') They boasted of their
physical strength, and power; they thought that this would protect them from
Allah's punishment.
[أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ
أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً]
(See they not that Allah Who created them was mightier in strength than
them.) means, do they not realize, when they are showing enmity, that He is the
Almighty Who created all things and gave them whatever strength they have, and
that His onslaught will be far greater This is like the Ayah:
[وَالسَّمَآءَ
بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ]
(With Hands did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are able to extend the
vastness of space thereof.) (51:47) They openly opposed the Almighty and denied
His signs and disobeyed His Messenger. Allah said:
[فَأَرْسَلْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحاً صَرْصَراً]
(So We sent upon them a Sarsar wind). Some said that this was a strongly
blowing wind; others said that it was a cold wind. It was also said that it is
the wind that makes a noise. The truth that it was all of these things, for it
was a strong wind that was an apt punishment for their being deceived by their
physical strength. It was also intensely cold, as Allah says:
[بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ
عَاتِيَةٍ]
(with a Sarsar wind!) (69:6), meaning a very cold wind. It also made a
furious sound. Additionally, there is a famous river in the east which is called
Sarsar because of the noise it makes as it flows.
[فِى أَيَّامٍ
نَّحِسَاتٍ]
(in days of calamity) means, consecutive days.
[سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ
وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً]
(seven nights and eight days in succession) (69: 7). This is like the Ayah:
[فِى يَوْمِ نَحْسٍ
مُّسْتَمِرٍّ]
(on a day of calamity, continuous) (54:19) i.e., the punishment began on a
day which was of evil omen for them, and this evil omen continued for them,
[سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ
وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً]
(seven nights and eight days in succession) (69:7) until they were destroyed,
every last one of them, and their humiliation in this world was joined to their
punishment in the Hereafter. Allah says:
[لِّنُذِيقَهُمْ
عَذَابَ الْخِزْىِ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَعَذَابُ الاٌّخِرَةِ
أَخْزَى]
(that We might give them a taste of disgracing torment in this present
worldly life. But surely the torment of the Hereafter will be more disgracing.)
meaning, more humiliating for them.
[وَهُمْ لاَ
يُنصَرُونَ]
(and they will never be helped.) means, in the Hereafter, just as they were
never helped in this world, and they had no one who could protect them from
Allah or save them from His punishment.
[وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ
فَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ]
(And as for Thamud, We showed them the path of truth) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah
be pleased with him, Abu Al-Aliyah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn
Zayd said, "We explained to them. '' Ath-Thawri said, "We called them.'' Allah's
saying;
[فَاسْتَحَبُّواْ
الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى]
(but they preferred blindness to guidance;) means, `We showed them the truth
and made it clear to them through the words of their Prophet Salih, but they
opposed him and rejected him, and they slaughtered the she-camel of Allah which
He had made a sign for them of the truth of their Prophet.'
[فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ
صَـعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُونِ]
(so the Sa`iqah of disgracing torment seized them) means, Allah sent upon
them the Sayhah, earthquake, intense humiliation, punishment and torment.
[بِمَا كَانُواْ
يَكْسِبُونَ]
(because of what they used to earn) means, because of their disbelief and
rejection.
[وَنَجَّيْنَا
الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ]
(And We saved those who believed) means, `We saved them from among them, and
no harm came to them;' Allah saved them along with His Prophet Salih, peace be
upon him, because of their fear of Allah.
[وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ
أَعْدَآءُ اللَّهِ إِلَى النَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ - حَتَّى إِذَا مَا جَآءُوهَا
شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ
يَعْمَلُونَ - وَقَالُواْ لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُواْ
أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِى أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ
مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ - وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَن يَشْهَدَ
عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلاَ أَبْصَـرُكُمْ وَلاَ جُلُودُكُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَنَنتُمْ
أَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ كَثِيراً مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ - وَذَلِكُمْ ظَنُّكُمُ
الَّذِى ظَنَنتُم بِرَبِّكُمْ أَرْدَاكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ مِّنَ الُخَـسِرِينَ -
فَإِن يَصْبِرُواْ فَالنَّارُ مَثْوًى لَّهُمْ وَإِن يَسْتَعْتِبُواْ فَمَا هُم
مِّنَ الْمُعْتَبِينَ ]
(19. And (remember) the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered to the
Fire, then they will be driven.) (20. Till, when they reach it, their hearing
(ears) and their eyes and their skins will testify against them as to what they
used to do.) (21. And they will say to their skins, "Why do you testify against
us'' They will say: "Allah has caused us to speak - as He causes all things to
speak, and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return.'')
(22. And you have not been hiding yourselves (in the world), lest your ears and
your eyes and your skins should testify against you; but you thought that Allah
knew not much of what you were doing.) (23. And that thought of yours which you
thought about your Lord, has brought you to destruction; and you have become of
those utterly lost!) (24. Then, if they bear the torment patiently, then the
Fire is the home for them, and if they seek to please Allah, yet they are not of
those who will ever be allowed to please Allah.)