• The people of Lot warned

• They reject the warning

• They are punished

• Shu’aib’s people also transgressed and were punished

Al-Hijr (The Rock) Verses 61 – 79

فَلَمَّا جَاءَ آلَ لُوطٍ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

So when came the messenger unto the family of Lot, (15:61)1

قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ مُنْكَرُونَ

He2said: “Verily ye are people unknown.”3(15:62)4

قَالُوا بَلْ جِئْنَاكَ بِمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ

Said they:5“Nay, come we unto thee with that6in which they have been doubting” (15:63)7

وَأَتَيْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ

“And come we unto thee with the truth, and verily we are certainly truthful” (15:64)8

فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَاتَّبِعْ أَدْبَارَهُمْ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ وَامْضُوا حَيْثُ تُؤْمَرُونَ

“So go thou forth with thy followers in a part of the 9night and thyself follow their rear, and let not any one of you turn back, and go ye forth whither ye are bidden” (15:65)

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ ذَٰلِكَ الْأَمْرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مَقْطُوعٌ مُصْبِحِينَ

And We revealed unto him this decree (of Ours) that the roots10of these shall be cut off in the morning. (15:66)11

وَجَاءَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

And came the people of the town rejoicing (15:67)12

قَالَ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ضَيْفِي فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ

He said: “Verily these are my guests, therefore disgrace me not,” (15:68)13

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ

“Fear ye (the wrath of) God, and put me not to shame.” (15:69)14

قَالُوا أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ

Said 15they: “Have we not for bidden thee against 16(protecting) other people.” (15:70)17

قَالَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ بَنَاتِي إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ

Said he:18(Here) are these my daughters (ye may wed them) if ye desire to do so;”19(17:71)20

لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِي سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

And verily by thy life (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!) certainly they were in their intoxication (of their lust) wandering bewildered21(15:72)22

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ

So the (violent) blast seized them (while) entering upon the dawn,23(15:73)24

فَجَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ

Thus did We turn it upside down and rained down on them stones of baked 25clay; (15:74)26

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

Verily in this are signs for those who scan27heedfully. (15:75)28

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُقِيمٍ

And verily it is on a (high) way that (still) 29stands. (15:76)30

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Verily in this there is a sign for the believers. (15:77)31

وَإِنْ كَانَ أَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ لَظَالِمِينَ

And verily the inhabitants of El-Aika32too were most surely unjust ones. (15:78)

فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ

We inflicted retribution on them, and indeed they were both33on a (high) way, (still) open.34(15:79)

Commentary

Verse 79

Often the caravans of the people which passed the place lying between Hejaz and Syria saw the punishment the people had met in the total destruction of the places lying in ruins.

• 1. Refer to verses 11:77-83 & 21:71.
• 2. Lot.
• 3. Strangers.
• 4. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 5. The angels.
• 6. The torment.
• 7. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 8. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 9. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 10. Even the last one of them to be destroyed.
• 11. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 12. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 13. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 14. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 15. The people.
• 16. Entertaining.
• 17. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 18. Lot.
• 19. This was said by the people to Lot before knowing that his guests were angels.
• 20. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 21. Absence of mind.
• 22. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 23. The day was breaking.
• 24. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 25. Refer to verses 105:4 & 11:82.
• 26. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 27. Examine - Readers of signs who decipher the features.
• 28. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 29. Exist - The towns.
• 30. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 31. Refer to verses 11:77-83.
• 32. ‘Shu’aib’ was the apostle of God sent to ‘Midyan’ and Aika’ - The people who were destroyed by a Violent Sound. Refer to verses 26:176, 38:12-13 & 50:14.
• 33. The Two Towns - viz Sodom & Midian.
• 34. Followed - Open still to traffic.