The Dwellers of Al-Aykah, were the people of Shu`ayb. Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and
others said that Al-Aykah refers to intertwined trees. Their evildoing included
associating partners with Allah (Shirk), banditry and cheating in weights and
measures. Allah punished them with the Sayhah (the awful cry or torment), the
earthquake, and the torment of the Day of Shadow. They lived near the people of
Lut, but at a later time, and the people of Lut were known to them, which is why
Allah says,
[وَإِنَّهُمَا
لَبِإِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ]
(They are both on an open route, plain to see.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid,
Ad-Dahhak and others said, "a visible route.'' This is why, when Shu`ayb warned
his people, he said to them,
[وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ
مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ]
(And the people of Lut are not far off from you!) [11:89]
[وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ
أَصْحَـبُ الحِجْرِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ - وَءَاتَيْنَـهُمْ ءَايَـتِنَا فَكَانُواْ
عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ - وَكَانُواْ يَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ
- فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُصْبِحِينَ - فَمَآ أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ
يَكْسِبُونَ ]
(80. And verily, the Dwellers of Al-Hijr denied the Messengers.) (81. And We
gave them Our signs, but they were averse to them.) (82. And they used to hew
out dwellings from the mountains, (feeling) secure.) (83. But the Sayhah
(torment - awful cry) overtook them in the early morning.) (84. And all that
they used to earn availed them not.)
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