Source: Ibn Kathir
(31) Verily, We sent against them a single Saihah (torment - awful cry, etc.), and they became like the dry stubble of a fold-builder.
(Verily, We sent against them a single Sayhah, and they became like straw Al-Muhtazir.) They all perished and none of them remained. They were no more, they died out, just as plants and grass dry and die out. As-Suddi said that they became like the dry grass in the desert when it becomes burned and the wind scatters it all about. Ibn Zayd said, "The Arabs used to erect fences (Hizar, from which the word, Al-Muhtazir, is derived) made of dried bushes, around their camels and cattle, so Allah said,
(like straw Al-Muhtazir.)
(32) And indeed, We have made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)?
| The Story of the People of the Prophet Lut |
(33) The people of Lout (Lot) belied the warnings.
Allah the Exalted states that the people of Lut defied and denied their Messenger and committed sodomy, the awful immoral sin that no people in the history of mankind had committed before. This is why Allah destroyed them with a type of torment that He never inflicted upon any nation before them. Allah the Exalted commanded Jibril, peace be upon him, to raise their cities to the sky and then turn them upside down over them, followed by stones made of marked Sijjil.
(34) Verily, We sent against them a violent storm of stones (which destroyed them all), except the family of Lout (Lot), whom We saved in last hour of the night,
(Verily, We sent against them Hasib (a violent storm of stones) except the family of Lut, them We saved in the last hour of the night.) They left the city in the last part of the night and were saved from the torment that struck their people, none of whom believed in Lut. And even Lut's wife suffered the same end as her people. Allah's Prophet Lut left Sodom with his daughters in safety, unharmed.
(35) As a Favour from Us, thus do We reward him who gives thanks (by obeying Us).
(36) And he [Lout (Lot)] indeed had warned them of Our Grasp, but they did doubt the warnings!
(Thus do We reward him who gives thanks. And he indeed had warned them of Our punishment,) meaning, before the torment struck his people, he warned them of Allah's torment and punishment. They did not heed the warning, nor listen to Lut, but instead doubted and disputed the warning.
(37) And they indeed sought to shame his guest (by asking to commit sodomy with them). So We blinded their eyes, "Then taste you My Torment and My Warnings."
(And they indeed sought to shame his guests) that is the night the angels Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to him in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for Lut's people. Lut hosted his guests, while his wife, the evil old one, sent a message to her people informing them of Lut's guests. They came to him in haste from every direction, and Lut had to close the door in their faces. They came during the night and tried to break the door; Lut tried to fend them off, while shielding his guests from them, saying,
(These are my daughters if you must act (so).) (15:71), in reference to their women,
(They said: "Surely, you know that we have neither any desire nor need of your daughters!'')(11:79), meaning, `we do not have any desire for women,'
(and indeed you know well what we want!)(11:79) When the situation became serious and they insisted on coming in, Jibril went out to them and struck their eyes with the tip of his wing, causing them to lose their sight. They went back feeling for the walls to guide them, threatening Lut with what would befall him in the morning.
(38) And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.
Allah the Exalted said,
(And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.) meaning, a torment that they had no way of escaping or avoiding,
(39) "Then taste you My Torment and My Warnings."
(40) And indeed, We have made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)?
| The Story of Fir`awn and His People |
(41) And indeed, warnings came to the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) [through Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron)].
(42) (They) belied all Our Signs, so We seized them with a Seizure of the All-Mighty, All-Capable to carry out what he Will (Omnipotent).
Allah the Exalted narrates to us the story of Fir`awn and his people. A Messenger came to them from Allah, Musa supported by his brother Harun. Their Messengers delivered good news if they believe, and a warning if they rejected the Message. Allah supported Musa and Harun with tremendous miracles and great signs, but Fir`awn and his people rejected all of them. Allah took them the way the All-Mighty, the All-Capable would; He destroyed them all leaving none surviving to tell the story of what happened to them.
(43) Are your disbelievers (O Quraish!) better than these [nations of Nuh (Noah), Lout (Lot), Salih (Saleh), and the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), etc., who were destroyed)? Or have you an immunity (against Our Torment) in the Divine Scriptures?
Advising and Threatening the Quraysh Allah said,
(Are your disbelievers) meaning, `O idolators of the Quraysh,'
(better than these) meaning better than the nations that were mentioned here, who were destroyed on account of their disbelief in the Messengers and rejecting the Scriptures. `Are you better than these'
(Or have you immunity in the Divine Scriptures), `do you have immunity from Allah that the torment and punishment will not touch you' Allah said about the Quraysh,
(44) Or do they say: "We are a great multitude, and we shall be victorious?"
(Or say they: "We are a great multitude, victorious'') stating that they believed they will support each other and their great gathering will avail them against those who intend to harm them.
(45) Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs.
(Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs.) affirming that their gathering shall scatter, and they shall be defeated.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet, while in a dome-shaped tent on the day of the battle of Badr, said, (O Allah! I ask you for the fulfillment of Your covenant and promise. O, Allah! If You wish (to destroy the believers), You will never be worshipped on the earth after today.) Abu Bakr caught him by the hand and said, `This is sufficient, O Allah's Messenger! You have sufficiently asked and petitioned Allah.' The Prophet was clad in his armor at that time and went out, saying,
(Their multitude will be put to flight and they will show their backs. Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time and that Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.)''
Al-Bukhari also recorded that Yusuf bin Mahak said, "I was with the Mother of the faithful, `A'ishah, when she said, `When I was still a young playful girl in Makkah, this Ayah was revealed to Muhammad,
(Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time and that Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.)'' This is the abridged narration that Al-Bukhari collected, but he also collected a longer narration of it in the Book of the Virtues of the Qur'an.
| The Destination of the Criminals |
Allah the Exalted states that the criminals are misguided away from the truth and engulfed in confusion, because of the doubts and uncertainty they are in. This description befits every disbeliever and innovator of all types and forms of sects.
(The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire), meaning, just as they were consumed in doubt, suspicion, and hesitation, they ended up in the Fire. And just as they were misguided, they will end up being dragged on their faces, unaware of where they will be taken. They will be admonished and criticized,
("Taste you the touch of Hell!'')
| Everything was created with Qadar |
Allah's statement,
(Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.) is similar to several other Ayat,
(He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements (Faqaddarahu Taqdir).) (25:2) and,
(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (Qaddara) and then guided.)(87:1-3), i.e., He measured out the total sum (Qadar) of everything and then guided the creation to it. The Imams of the Sunnah relied on this honorable Ayah as evidence that Allah created the creation with destined limits before they were created. He knew everything that will occur before it occurred and recorded everything that will occur before they occurred. They used this Ayah and similar Ayat and Hadiths to refute the Qadariyyah sect, who started their sect during the latter time of the Companions. I mentioned this subject in detail in my explanation on the chapter on the faith of Sahih Al-Bukhari. I will mention here some Hadiths pertaining to this honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The idolators of the Quraysh came to the Messenger of Allah arguing with him and discounting the Qadar. This Ayah was revealed,
(The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire: "Taste you the touch of Hell!'' Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.)'' Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. Al-Bazzar recorded that `Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his father narrated that his grandfather said, "These Ayat were revealed about those who deny Al-Qadar,
(Verily, the criminals are in error and will burn. The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire: "Taste you the touch of Hell!'' Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.)'
Allah said,
(And Our commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye.) This is information about the execution of His will in His creation, just as He informed us the execution of His decree in them,
(And Our commandment is but one) meaning, `We only command a thing once, without needing to repeat the command; and whatever We command comes to existence faster than the blinking of an eye without any delay, not even for an instant.'
(And indeed, We have destroyed your likes), i.e. the earlier nations who denied their Messengers,
(then is there any that will remember) meaning is there any that will receive admonition by remembering the humiliation and torment that Allah decreed for them
(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire, as was done in the past with the people of their kind.)(34:54)
(And everything they have done is noted in Az-Zubur.) meaning, everything they did is recorded in the Books of Record entrusted to the angels, peace be upon them,
(And everything, small and large,) meaning, of their actions,
(is written down.) everything that they do is recorded and written in their Record of deeds, which leave nothing, whether large or small, but it is recorded and counted. Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said that the Messenger of Allah said, (O `A'ishah! Beware of small sins, because there is someone assigned by Allah who records them.) An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah also collected this Hadith.
| The Good End for Those with Taqwa |
Allah said,
(Verily, those who have Taqwa, will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers.), unlike the end that the miserable are facing, loss, confusion and being dragged in the Fire on their faces, as well as being disgraced, punished and threatened.
(55) In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour).
(In a seat of truth,) in the Dwelling of Allah's honor, encompassed by His pleasure, favors, bounties, generosity, and compassion,
(near the Muqtadir King.) meaning with the Magnificent King Who created everything and measured its destiny; He is able to grant them whatever they wish and asks for.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Prophet said, (Verily, the just will be with Allah on podiums of light, to the right of Ar-Rahman, and both of His Hands are right. They are those who are just and fair in their judgment and with their families and those whom they are responsible for.) Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith.
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Iqtarabat (Al-Qamar). All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and success and immunity from error come from Him.
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