54- Surat Alqamar/Tafseer
55 Verses Meccan, (revealed in Mecca)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Besmi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Eqtarabati alsa-atu wa-nshaqqa alqamar (1).
The Hour has come near, and the moon has split.
Wa in yaraww ayatan you'redu wa yaqulu sihrun mustamirr (2).
And if they see a sign, they turn away and say passing magic.
Wa kazzabu wa-ttabau ahwa-ahum wa kullu amrin mustaqirr (3).
And they denied, and followed their desires, while every matter has to be settled.
Wa la-qad ja-ahum mina al-anbai ma feehi muzdajar (4).
And there has already come to them of the news that in which there is deterrence.
Hikmatun balighatun fa-ma tughni alnuzur (5).
A perfect wisdom, but the warnings do not avail.
Fa-tawalla anhum yawma yadu aldai ila shay-in nukur (6).
So turn aside from them, the day when the Caller calls to a terrible thing.
Khushsha-an absaruhum yakhrujuna mina al-ajdathi ka-annahum jaradun muntashir (7).
Their eyes humbled, they will come out of the graves as if they were locusts spreading.
Muhti-ina ila aldai yaqulu al-kafiruna haza yawmun asir (8).
Racing ahead towards the Caller, the disbelievers will say this is a difficult day.
Kazzabat qablahum qawmu nuhin fa-kazzabu abdana wa qalu majnunun wa-zdujir (9).
The people of Noah denied before them, so they denied Our servant, and said a madman, and He was threatened.
Fa-daa Rabbahu anni maghlubun fa-ntasir (10).
So He invoked His Lord, indeed I am overpowered, so defend.
Fa-fatahna abwaba alsamai bima-in munhamir (11).
So We opened the gates of the sky with water, pouring down profusely.
Wa fajjarna al-arda auyunan fa-ltaqa al-mau ala amrin qad qudir (12).
And We caused the earth to burst with springs, so the water met for a matter already predestined.
Wa hamalnahu ala zati alwahin wa dusur (13).
And we carried Him on that of planks and nails.
Tajri bi-a'yunina jaza-an li-man kana kufir (14).
Sailing under Our Eyes as reward for he who had been denied.
Wa la-qad taraknaha ayatan fa-hal men muddakir (15).
And indeed, We left it as a sign, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Fa-kayfa kana azabi wa nuzur (16).
And how were My punishment and warnings?.
Wa la-qad yassarna al-qurana li-zzekri fa-hal men muddakir (17).
And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Kazzabat Adun fa-kayfa kana azabi wa nuzur (18).
Ad denied, and how were My punishment and warnings?.
Inna arsalna alayhim rihan sarsaran fee yawmi nahsin mustamirr (19).
Indeed, We sent upon them a screaming wind on a day of continuous misfortune.
Tanziu alnasa ka-annahum a'jazu nakhlin munqair (20).
Extracting the people as if they were trunks of uprooted palm-trees.
Fa-kayfa kana azabi wa nuzur (21).
And how were My punishment and warnings?.
Wa la-qad yassarna al-qurana li-zzekri fa-hal men muddakir (22).
And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Kazzabat Thamud bi-nnuzur (23).
Thamud denied the warnings.
Fa-qalu a-basharan minna wahidan nattabi-uhu inna izan la-fee dalalin wa su-ur (24).
And they said Is it one human being among us that we should follow?, indeed, we would then be in error and madness.
A-aulqiya alzekru alayhi men baynina bal huwa kazzabun ashir (25).
Has the reminder been sent down upon him from among us?, rather, He is an insolent liar.
Sa-ya'lamuna ghadan mani al-kazzabu al-ashir (26).
They will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar.
Inna mursilu alnaqati fitnatan lahum fa-rtaqibhum wa-stabir (27).
Indeed, We are going to send the she-camel as a trial for them, so watch them and be patient.
Wa nabbi'hum anna al-maa qismatun baynahum kullu shirbin muhtadar (28).
And inform them that the water is to be shared between them, each drink attended.
Fa-nadaww sahibahum fa-ta-ata fa-aqar (29).
But they called their companion, so he dared and slaughtered.
Fa-kayfa kana azabi wa nuzur (30).
And how were My punishment and warnings?.
Inna arsalna alayhim sayhatan wahidatan fa-kanu ka-hasheemi al-muhtazir (31).
Indeed, We sent upon them one blast, and they became like dry twigs of a barn builder.
Wa la-qad yassarna al-qurana li-zzekri fa-hal men muddakir (32).
And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Kazzabat qawmu Lutin bi-nnuzur (33).
The people of Lot denied the warnings.
Inna arsalna alayhim hasiban illa ala Lutin najjaynahum bi-sahar (34).
Indeed, We sent upon them a rain of stones except the family of Lot, We saved them before Dawn.
Ni'matan men indina ka-zalika najzi man shakar (35).
As a favor from us, thus do We reward he who is grateful.
Wa la-qad anzarahum batshatana fa-tamaraww bi-nnuzur (36).
And indeed, He had warned them of Our assault but they disputed the warnings.
Wa la-qad rawaduhu an dayfihi fa-tamasna a'yunahum fa-zuqu azabi wa nuzur (37).
And they had demanded from Him His guests, but We obliterated their eyes, so taste My punishment and warnings.
Wa la-qad sabbahahum bukratan azabun mustaqirr (38).
And there came upon them by morning an abiding punishment.
Fa-zuqu azabi wa nuzur (39).
So taste My punishment and warnings.
Wa la-qad yassarna al-qurana li-zzekri fa-hal men muddakir (40).
And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Wa la-qad ja-a ala Fir'awna alnuzur (41).
And indeed, the warnings came to the people of Pharaoh.
Kazzabu bi-ayatina kulliha fa-akhaznahum akhza Azizin Muqtadir (42).
They denied Our signs, all of them, so we seized them with a seizure of a Almighty, a Most Perfect in Ability.
A-kuffarukum khayrun men aula-ikum am lakum bara-atun fee alzubur (43).
Are your disbelievers better than those or Do you have immunity in the scripture?.
Am yaquluna nahnu jamiun muntasir (44).
Or Do they say, we are an assembly, supporting?.
Sa-yuhzamu al-jamu wa yuwalluna aldubur (45).
The assembly will be defeated, and they will turn the backs.
Bali alsa-atu mawiduhum wa alsa-atu ad-ha wa ammar (46)
But the Hour is their appointment , and the Hour is more calamitous and more bitter.
Inna al-mujrimeena fee dalalin wa su-ur (47).
Indeed, the criminals are in error and madness.
Yawma yus-habuna fee alnari ala wujuhihim zuqu massa saqar (48).
On the day when they will be dragged into the Fire on their faces, taste the touch of Saqar.
Inna kulla shay-in khalaqnahu bi-qadar (49).
Indeed, all things We have created with predestination.
Wa ma amruna illa wahidatun ka-lamhin bil-basar (50).
And Our command is but one, like a glance of the eye.
Wa la-qad ahlakna ashya-akum fa-hal men muddakir (51).
And indeed, We have destroyed your kinds, so Is there any who will receive admonition?.
Wa kullu shay-in fa-aluhu fee alzubur (52).
And everything they did is in written records.
Wa kullu saghirin wa kabirin mustatar (53).
And every small and great is written down.
Inna al-muttaqina fee jannatin wa nahar (54).
Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and rivers.
Fee maq-adi sidqin inda Malikin Muqtadir (55).
In a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Most Perfect in Ability.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Alqamar serves as a declaration from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that the Hour has drawn near, and that the splitting of the moon during the time of Allah's Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) was one of its signs, and Allah's Messenger said in narration of Anas bin Malik: "I and the last Hour have been sent like this, and He (PBUH) joined the forefinger with the middle finger" (Sahih Muslim 2951 e). Allah then cites five examples of the destruction of previous nations: the people of Noah, Ad, Thamud, the people of Lot, and the people of Pharaoh, so that the infidels of Quraish might take heed.
Abdullah bin Umar reported that his father, Umar bin Al-Khattab, asked Abu Waqid Al-Laithi What the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to recite on Eid Al-Adha and Eid Al-Fitr, he said He (PBUH) used to recite in them {Qaaf, by the Honored Quran, Surat Qaaf}, and {The Hour has come near, and the moon has split, the current Surah} (Sahih Muslim 891). Imam Ibn Katheer said that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) used to recite them in major gathering for they encompass the themes of Divine promise and warning, the origin and destruction of creation, the Oneness of Allah, the affirmation of prophethood, and other profound subjects.
Allah Almighty says in the first verse (1) "The Hour has come near, and the moon has split", that is, Allah confirms that the time of the day of resurrection has approached, so Allah warns His servants that the resurrection is imminent and the world's end is drawing close; He commands them to prepare for the terrors of the resurrection before it suddenly befalls them while they are remain heedless and unaware. And Allah confirms that the moon has split, as it cleft apart during the time of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) while He was in Mecca, prior to His migration to Medina. The disbelievers of Mecca had asked Him for a sign, so He showed them the splitting of the moon, a sign and proof of the truthfulness of His words and the reality of His prophethood, as Anas bin Malik: "The people of Mecca asked Allah's Messenger (PBUH) to show them a sign (miracle), so He showed them the moon split in two halves between which they saw the Hiraa mountain" (Sahih Albukhari 3868).
And Abdullah bin Mas'ud reported: "We were along with Allah's Messenger (PBUH) at Mina, that moon was split up into two, one of its parts was behind the mountain and the other one was on this side of the mountain, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said to us Bear witness to this" (Sahih Muslim 2800 b). Muhammad bin Jubair bin Mut'im narrated from His father "The moon was split during the time of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) until it became as two sections, one above this mountain and one above that mountain, so they said Muhammad has cast a spell upon us, some of them said If He could cast a spell upon us, he can not cast a spell upon all of the people" (Jami' Altirmidhi 3289).
Imam Al-Qurtubi stated that some held the view that the splitting of the moon has not yet occurred but is still to come, meaning that the Hour and the splitting of the moon have drawn near, and that when the Hour arrives, the heavens, along with the moon and other celestial bodies, will split apart. Al-Qushayri expressed the same view and Al-Hassan said: the Hour has drawn near, and when it arrives, the moon will split following the second blast of the Trumpet. Imam Al-Qurtubi said, refuting this view: It has been established through the transmission of trustworthy narrators that the moon split in Mecca, a fact evident from the text of revelation, and that this occurred in response to the Prophet's supplication to Allah, as a challenge to the disbelievers. Imam Ibn Katheer said: Scholars are in agreement that the splitting of the moon occurred during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) and that it was one of the magnificent miracles, and Masruq bin Al-Ajda' reported from Abdullah bin Mas'ud: "Five things have passed: Al-Lizam, the defeat of the Roman, the mighty grasp, the splitting of the moon, and the smoke" (Sahih Albukhari 4825).
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (2,3) "And if they see a sign, they turn away and say passing magic, and they denied, and followed their desires, while every matter has to be settled", that is, if the polytheists of Quraish see a sign pointing to the truthfulness of the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), and an indication of the veracity of the message He brought from His Lord, they turn away from it, rejecting it and denying that it is absolute truth saying this is passing magic; Muhammad has bewitched us, making us imagine through His sorcery that we see the moon split into two. Anas, Qatadah, Mujahid, Al-Farra', Al-Kisa'i, Abu Ubaidah, and Alnahhas held that the meaning of the Arabic term "Mustamirr" is passing or fleeting, so it signifies something false and vanishing, possessing no permanence. Conversely, Abu Al-Aliyah and Aldahhak interpreted it as firm, strong, and immense. Imam Al-Tabari adopted the view of those who interpreted it as passing magic, deriving this meaning from the expression this magic has Marra: passed or gone away, when it has vanished.
The polytheists of Quraish rejected Allah's signs and followed their own desires, meaning they preferred to follow the path of denial to which their own desires beckoned them, rather than affirming the truthfulness of the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) and the validity of which they had come to know with certainty, and the reality of the message He brought to them from His Lord. Then Allah confirms that every matter has to be settled, so every matter, whether good or evil, has a settled outcome and final destination; the good finds its settled place its people in Paradise, and the evil finds its settled place with its people in Hellfire. Qatadah said that this means that good will befall the people of good and evil will befall the people of evil, and Mujahid said that every matter has to be settled on the day of resurrection.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (4,5) "And there has already come to them of the news that in which there is deterrence, a perfect wisdom, but the warnings do not avail", that is, there has already come to the polytheists of Quraish, who denied Allah's signs and followed their own desires, news of the previous nations, those nations denied Allah's Messengers as these polytheists do, and Allah sent upon them the punishments recounted in this Quran, news containing a deterrent for them from polytheism and persisting in their denial. And Allah affirms that the Holy Quran is a perfect wisdom regarding Allah's guidance of whom He guides and His leading astray of whom He leads astray, but the warnings avail nothing when they deny and reject them as Allah says in Aya (101) of Surat Yunus {But of no avail will be signs and warners to a people who do not believe.}
Allah Almighty says in the next three verses (6-8) "So turn aside from them, the day when the Caller calls to a terrible thing, their eyes humbled, they will come out of the graves as if they were locusts spreading, racing ahead towards the Caller, the disbelievers will say this is a difficult day", that is, Turn away O Muhammad, from those who, whenever they see a sign, turn away and say This is passing magic. Turn away and Await for they shall face the day when the Caller of Allah summons them to the gathering place of the resurrection, and that is truly a terrible event with all the trials, upheavals, and terrors it entails. It has also been said that it means: Turn away from them, O Muhammad, on the day of resurrection and Do not concern Yourself with them or their state, for they are being summoned to a terrible thing and will suffer a severe punishment.
Then Allah says "Their eyes humbled" meaning that their eyes cast down in humiliation, Imam Al-Tabari said that Allah Almighty attributed humility: Khushu' specifically to the eyes rather than the rest of the body, even though the intent encompasses the entire body, because the signs of humiliation in the humbled and the might in the mighty are most evident in the eyes compared to the rest of the physique; thus Allah singled out the eyes for this description. They will emerge from the graves as if they were scattered locusts, as in their spreading out and the speed of their movement towards the place of reckoning, in response to the Caller, they resemble scattered locusts spread across the horizons.
Imam Al-Qurtubi said: {They will come out of the graves as if they were locusts spreading, racing ahead towards the Caller}, and Allah says elsewhere: {On a day when people will be like scattered moths, Surat Alqari'ah Aya 4}, these are two descriptions corresponding to two different times, one of them is upon emerging from the graves; they come out in a state of panic, not knowing where to turn, and thus collide and mingle with one another, resembling scattered moths swarming together without a specific destination, and the other occurs when they hear the Caller; they then head towards him, becoming like scattered locusts for locusts move towards a specific destination. They will race ahead towards the Caller, neither disobeying nor lagging behind, and the disbelievers will say this is a difficult day, meaning a day of terrible dread and calamitous.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (9,10) "The people of Noah denied before them, so they denied Our servant, and said a madman, and He was threatened, so He invoked His Lord, indeed I am overpowered, so defend", that is, Allah mentions a series of events concerning previous nations to offer solace and comfort to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) saying the people of Noah denied before Your people, as they openly denied the Prophet Noah, peace be upon Him, declared Him a liar, and accused Him of madness. And He has been deterred from His prophethood through insults and threats of death. Ibn Zayd said: they accused Him, rebuffed Him, and threatened Him that if He did not desist, He would be among those stoned to death, and he recited {They said if You do not desist O Noah! You will surely be of those who are stoned, Surat Alshu'araa Aya 116}, and Imam Ibn Katheer said that it is a sound and apt interpretation. So the Prophet Noah called upon His Lord saying indeed I am overpowered, so defend, meaning they have rebelled and acted arrogantly, and I have no strength to contend with them, so vindicate me against them by inflicting a punishment from You for their disbelief in You.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (11,12) "So We opened the gates of the sky with water, pouring down profusely, and We caused the earth to burst with springs, so the water met for a matter already predestined", that is, Allah responded to the supplication of His Prophet Noah, peace be upon Him, and opened the gates of the sky with water in great abundance, and Allah caused springs of water to gush forth from the earth, and the water of the heaven and the water of the earth met in accordance with a matter that Allah had ordained and decreed. Qatadah said: it was decreed for them that should they disbelieve, they would be drowned.
Allah Almighty says in the next three verses (15-17) "And indeed, We left it as a sign, so Is there any who will receive admonition?, and how were My punishment and warnings?, and indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?", that is, Allah left the ship in which He carried the Prophet Noah and those with Him as a sign, meaning a lesson and admonition for the nations that came after Noah's people, so that they may take heed, refraining from following the same path of disbelief in Allah and rejection of His Messengers lest they suffer a similar punishment. Qatadah said: Allah preserved Noah's Ark until early generations of this Ummah encountered it. Imam Ibn Katheer said: the apparent meaning refers to the category of ships in general, similar to Allah's saying {And a sign for them is that We carried their progeny on the laden ship, and We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride, Surat Yaseen Ayat 41,42}.
Allah says "So Is there any who will receive admonition?" meaning Is there anyone who will reflect and take heed of what We did to that nation which disbelieved in its Lord and disobeyed His Messenger Noah, peace be upon Him, lest a similar punishment befall him, resulting from his disbelief in his Lord and disobeying of His Messenger Muhammad (PBUH). And as narrated bu Ibn Is-haq: "A man asked Al-Aswad Is it Fahal men muddakir: so Is there any who will receive admonition? or Mudhdhakir: so Is there any who will remember?, Al-Aswad replied I have heard Abdullah bin Mas'ud reciting it Fahal men muddakir, I also heard the Prophet (PBUH) reciting it Fahal men muddakir with the letter d" (Sahih Albukhari 4871).
Allah says "And how were My punishment and warnings?", so how was My punishment for those who disbelieved in Me, denied My Messengers, and failed to heed the warnings brought by My warners?. And Allah says "And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?", so We have made the Quran easy, clarifying and detailing it for the purpose of remembrance,and We made it accessible for anyone who wishes to reflect, take heed, and learn a lesson. Alsuddi said that it means We have made its recitation easy upon the tongue. Aldahhak reported from Ibn Abbas: Were it not for the fact that Allah made it easy for human tongues, no one among creation would have been able to speak the words of Allah, Almighty. Imam Ibn Katheer said: Among the ways in which Allah has made the recitation of the Quran easy for people is what was narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that the Holy Quran was revealed in seven dialects (Sahih Muslim 821). And Allah says "so Is there any who will receive admonition?", so Is there anyone who will take heed through the Quran, the memorization of meaning of which Allah has made easy?.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (18,19) "Ad denied, and how were My punishment and warnings?, indeed, We sent upon them a screaming wind on a day of continuous misfortune", that is, Allah tells about Ad, the people of the Prophet Hud, peace be upon Him, saying that they too rejected their Messenger, just as the people of the Prophet Noah had done. And how was Allah's punishment for them for their disbelief in Him and rejection of His Prophet Hud?, and How then was Allah's warnings, manifested in the punishment He inflicted upon them, to those who followed their ways and persisted, just as they had, in error and misguidance?. Allah sent against the people of Ad when they persisted in their tyranny and disbelief in Allah a screaming wind that blows with intense violence and cold, and whose sound is a shrill whistling. And Allah says "On a day of continuous misfortune", as it brought upon them a succession of misfortunes and a torment that endured until their destruction. Aldahhak, Qatadah, and Alsuddi said: The misfortune and destruction were continuous for them for it was a day in which their worldly torment became linked to their torment in the Hereafter, and Imam Al-Tabari said: It was a day in which affliction and torment persisted for them until it brought them to Hellfire.
Allah Almighty says in the next three verses (20-22) "Extracting the people as if they were trunks of uprooted palm-trees, and how were My punishment and warnings?, and indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?", that is, Allah imposed the wind upon Ad for successive seven nights and eight days as mentioned in Ayat (6,7) of Surat Alhaqqah, so it extracted them as if they were trunks of uprooted palm-trees. Imam Ibn Katheer said that the wind would seize one of them, left him high until he vanished from sight and then hurl him headfirst to the ground; the impact would shatter their skull, leaving behind a headless corpse. Imam Al-Qurtubi said: The wind tore them up from beneath their feet, just as a palm tree is uprooted from its base. And it has been said that they dug pits and took shelter in them; the wind would tear them out and shatter them, leaving the pits looking like the stumps of date palms, with their content destroyed, only the hollowed-out cavities remained.
Allah says "And how were My punishment and warnings?", so how was My punishment for those who disbelieved in Me, denied My Messengers, and failed to heed the warnings brought by My warners?. And Allah says "And indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so Is there any who will receive admonition?", so We have made the Quran easy, clarifying and detailing it for the purpose of remembrance,and We made it accessible for anyone who wishes to reflect, take heed, and learn a lesson. Alsuddi said that it means We have made its recitation easy upon the tongue. Aldahhak reported from Ibn Abbas: Were it not for the fact that Allah made it easy for human tongues, no one among creation would have been able to speak the words of Allah, Almighty. Imam Ibn Katheer said: Among the ways in which Allah has made the recitation of the Quran easy for people is what was narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that the Holy Quran was revealed in seven dialects (Sahih Muslim 821). And Allah says "so Is there any who will receive admonition?", so Is there anyone who will take heed through the Quran, the memorization of meaning of which Allah has made easy?.
Allah Almighty says in the next four verses (23-26) "Thamud denied the warnings, and they said Is it one human being among us that we should follow?, indeed, we would then be in error and madness, Has the reminder been sent down upon him from among us?, rather, He is an insolent liar, they will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar", that is, Allah tells about Thamud, the people of the Prophet Salih, peace be upon Him, saying that they too rejected their Messenger, and they said if we were to Follow Salih, while He is but a human being like us, we would indeed be in error and madness, meaning straying from the truth and deviating from the right path, so we would be truly lost if we were to surrender our leadership entirely to one of our own. Imam Al-Qurtubi said that the meaning of the verse is: We would then be plunged into misery and hardship as a result of what would be required from us.
They then marveled that revelation was bestowed upon Him specifically, to the exclusion of themselves, and this reflected their rejection of the very idea that Allah would send a Messenger from among the Children of Adam, subsequently they accused Him of lying saying "Rather, He is an insolent liar", meaning one who goes to extremes in lying, so He is not what He claims to be, but merely seeks to aggrandize Himself and act arrogantly towards us without any justification. Allah threatened them with a severe threat and a certain warning saying "They will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar". Imam Al-Qurtubi said: They will come to know tomorrow who is the insolent liar when they will see the punishment on the day of resurrection or when the punishment befalls them in this world, and Imam Al-Tabari said: Tomorrow, on the day of resurrection when you will return to your Lord, you will come to know who among you is the insolent liar, you or Our Messenger Salih.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (27,28) "Indeed, We are going to send the she-camel as a trial for them, so watch them and be patient, and inform them that the water is to be shared between them, each drink attended", that is, Allah brought forth for them a massive, pregnant she-camel from a solid rock, exactly as they had requested, to serve as Allah's proof against them regarding the truthfulness of Salih, peace be upon Him, and the message He brought them. Then Allah says, commanding His Messenger Salih "So watch them and be patient", meaning await for the outcome of their affairs and remain patient with them. And Allah commanded Him to tell them that the water will be divided between them and the she-camel, where they will drink from it one day, and the she-camel will drink one day where on the day the she-camel drinks, they will drink her milk. But they called their comrade who is the wretched one as mentioned in Surat Alshams to kill the she-camel, and it was said that his name was Qadar bin Salif, so he slaughtered her, then Allah says how was His punishment for those who disbelieved in their Lord from the people of Thamud and denied His Messenger Saleh, and how was His warnings of what He did to them of punishment that inflicted on them, where Allah punished them with one thunderous blast, so they perished until the last of them and none of them remained, and they became like dry twigs of the one who takes a barn for his livestock, where farmers, in the past, used to make a barn for livestock from the branches of dry trees. And Allah has made the Holy Quran easy for those who receive admonition, and be admonished by it, so that Allah says again "so is there any who will receive admonition?".
Then Allah tells about the people of the Prophet Lot in the next eight verses (33-40) "The people of Lot denied the warnings, indeed, We sent upon them a rain of stones except the family of Lot, We saved them before Dawn, as a favor from us, thus We reward he who is grateful, and indeed, He warned them of our seizure but they disputed the warnings, and indeed, they demanded from Him his guests, so We blinded their eyes, so taste My punishment and My warnings, and indeed, there overtook them in the early morning a settled punishment, so taste My punishment and My warnings, and indeed, We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is there any who will receive admonition?", that is, the people of the Prophet Lot denied Him and practiced sodomy, which is an indecency that no one from the worlds had ever done before them as mentioned in Surat Ala'araf Ayat (80-84), so that Allah destroyed them with a punishment with which no nation from the nations was destroyed, where He sent rain upon them from stones of hard clay, then Allah saved Lot and His family except His wife because she betrayed the Prophet Lot by not believing and cooperating with His people against Him as mentioned in Surat Altahrim Aya (10). The Prophet Lot and His people came out at the end of the night and were saved from what befell their people, and that was a blessing from Allah upon the Prophet Lot, and so does Allah reward the grateful ones.
Although the Prophet Lot warned them from Allah's punishment, they did not turn to Him and doubted Him, and when the Angels came to the Prophet Lot in the form of beautiful men, they tried to reach them, so that Allah blinded their eyes, and Allah said to them "So taste My punishment and My warnings", where the punishment from which they cannot escape befell them in the early morning, then Allah said again "So taste My punishment and My warnings", and Allah has made the Holy Quran easy for those who receive admonition, and be admonished by it, so that Allah says "So is there any who will receive admonition?".
And then Allah cites the example of Pharaoh in the next two verses (41,42) "And indeed, the warnings came to the family of Pharaoh, they denied all our signs, so we seized them, a seizure of the All-Mighty, the Most Perfect in Ability", where Allah sent Moses, the son of Imran, and His brother Aaron to Pharaoh and his people, and Allah supported them with nine evident signs as mentioned in Surat Alisraa Aya (111), but they denied all these signs so that Allah seized them with a punishment of the All-Mighty, and the Most Perfect in Ability, where He says in Surat Alisraa Aya (136) "So We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them".
Then Allah addresses the infidels of Quraish in the next four verses (43-46) "Are your disbelievers is better than those or do you have an exemption in the scripture, or do they say, we are an assembly, supporting, the assembly will be defeated, and they will turn the backs, but the Hour is their appointment, and the Hour is more calamitous and worse", where Allah asks the infidels of Quraish if their disbelievers are better than those who were mentioned above from the people of Noah, Ad, Thamud, Lot, and Pharaoh, who were destroyed because of their denial of the Messengers and their disbelief in their books or do they have an exemption from Allah that no torment will come to them. Although they thought that they are supportive of each other and that their gathering suffices them from Allah, but Allah assures that they will defeated and turned away, and Ibn Abbas said about the cause of revelation of this Aya: "While Allah's Messenger was in a tent on the day of the battle of Badr said: O Allah! I request you your covenant and promise, If You wish that you will not be worshipped henceforth, on that Abu Bakr held the Prophet by the hand and said: ''That is enough O Allah's Messenger, you have appealed to your Lord too pressingly", while the Prophet was putting on His armor. So Allah's Messenger went out reciting "Sa-youhzamu aljam-u wa youwalluna aldubur, bali alsa'atu maweduhum wa alsa'atu ad-ha wa ammar", "The assembly will be defeated, and they will turn the backs, but the Hour is their promised time, and the Hour is more calamitous and worse".
Allah has promised the criminals the day of resurrection, and He has threatened them with a painful torment on that day where He says in the next four verses (47-50) "Indeed, the criminals are in an error and madness, the day they will be dragged into the Fire on their faces, taste the touch of Saqar, indeed, We have created every thing by a predestination, and Our command is nothing but one, like the glance of the sight", where the criminals who said that if they followed a human being like them, they would be in error and madness as mentioned above, they will actually be in error and madness on the day of resurrection for they refused to follow their Messengers, and they will be dragged on their faces and will be cast into Hellfire, and then it will be said to them as a kind of reprimand "Taste the touch of Saqar", and Saqar is one of the names of the Hellfire, and as narrated by Abu Hurayrah ''The infidels of Quraish came to Allah's Messenger arguing about "destiny" Qadar, so these two verses was revealed "The day they will be dragged into the Fire on their faces, taste the touch of Saqar., indeed, We have created every thing by a predestination", that is, Allah has destined all things before they were created, where as mentioned in Surat Alhadid Aya (22) "No calamity strikes either on the earth or in yourselves but it is in a book before We bring it into existence, indeed, that is easy for Allah". And when Allah's decree for His creation, which was written before, is implemented, it will be once, as fast as the glance of sight, neither slow nor delayed.
And Allah says in the last five verses (51-55) "And indeed, We have destroyed your ancestors, so is there any who will receive admonition?, and everything they did is in the written books, and every small and big is written down, indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and rivers, in a seat of honor with a king, Most Perfect in Ability", where Allah addresses the infidels of Quraish and says that He destroyed the like of them, and their ancestors from the infidels of the previous nations, so is there any one who take lesson from the torment that befell them?, and despite the torment that they faced in the worldly life, they will face the torment on the day of resurrection where every thing they did is listed for them in the book that the Angels wrote whether it is something small or big. In contrast to their condition, the righteous will be in eternal bliss in gardens under which rivers flow, and they will be in the abode of honor and grace from the King who is Able to do whatever He wills.