Surah 54. Al-Qamar

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Verses [Section]: 1-22[1], 23-40 [2], 41-55 [3]

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Quran Text of Verse 23-40كَذَّبَتْDeniedثَمُوْدُThamudبِالنُّذُرِ the warnings فَقَالُوْۤاAnd saidاَبَشَرًاIs (it) a human beingمِّنَّاamong usوَاحِدًاoneنَّتَّبِعُهٗۤ ۙ(that) we should follow himاِنَّاۤIndeed weاِذًاthenلَّفِیْ(will be) surely inضَلٰلٍerrorوَّ سُعُرٍ and madness ءَاُلْقِیَHas been sentالذِّكْرُthe Reminderعَلَیْهِto himمِنْۢfromبَیْنِنَاamong usبَلْNayهُوَheكَذَّابٌ(is) a liarاَشِرٌ insolent سَیَعْلَمُوْنَThey will knowغَدًاtomorrowمَّنِwhoالْكَذَّابُ(is) the liarالْاَشِرُ the insolent one اِنَّاIndeed Weمُرْسِلُوا(are) sendingالنَّاقَةِthe she-camelفِتْنَةً(as) a trialلَّهُمْfor themفَارْتَقِبْهُمْso watch themوَ اصْطَبِرْؗand be patient 54. Al-Qamar Page 530وَ نَبِّئْهُمْAnd inform themاَنَّthatالْمَآءَthe waterقِسْمَةٌۢ(is) to be sharedبَیْنَهُمْ ۚbetween themكُلُّeachشِرْبٍdrinkمُّحْتَضَرٌ attended فَنَادَوْاBut they calledصَاحِبَهُمْtheir companionفَتَعَاطٰیand he tookفَعَقَرَ and hamstrung فَكَیْفَSo howكَانَwasعَذَابِیْMy punishmentوَ نُذُرِ and My warnings اِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَرْسَلْنَا[We] sentعَلَیْهِمْupon themصَیْحَةًthunderous blastوَّاحِدَةًsingleفَكَانُوْاand they becameكَهَشِیْمِlike dry twig fragmentsالْمُحْتَظِرِ (used by) a fence builder وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyیَسَّرْنَاWe have made easyالْقُرْاٰنَthe Quranلِلذِّكْرِfor remembranceفَهَلْso is (there)مِنْanyمُّدَّكِرٍ who will receive admonition كَذَّبَتْDeniedقَوْمُ(the) peopleلُوْطٍۭ(of) Lutبِالنُّذُرِ the warnings اِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَرْسَلْنَا[We] sentعَلَیْهِمْupon themحَاصِبًاa storm of stonesاِلَّاۤexceptاٰلَ(the) familyلُوْطٍ ؕ(of) LutنَجَّیْنٰهُمْWe saved themبِسَحَرٍۙby dawn نِّعْمَةً(As) a favorمِّنْfromعِنْدِنَا ؕUsكَذٰلِكَThusنَجْزِیْWe rewardمَنْ(one) whoشَكَرَ (is) grateful وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyاَنْذَرَهُمْhe warned themبَطْشَتَنَا(of) Our seizureفَتَمَارَوْاbut they disputedبِالنُّذُرِ the warnings وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyرَاوَدُوْهُthey demanded from himعَنْthey demanded from himضَیْفِهٖhis guestsفَطَمَسْنَاۤso We blindedاَعْیُنَهُمْtheir eyesفَذُوْقُوْاSo tasteعَذَابِیْMy punishmentوَ نُذُرِ and My warnings وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyصَبَّحَهُمْseized them in the morningبُكْرَةًearlyعَذَابٌa punishmentمُّسْتَقِرٌّۚabiding فَذُوْقُوْاSo tasteعَذَابِیْMy punishmentوَ نُذُرِ and My warnings وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyیَسَّرْنَاWe have made easyالْقُرْاٰنَthe Quranلِلذِّكْرِfor remembranceفَهَلْso is (there)مِنْanyمُّدَّكِرٍ۠who will receive admonition

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Translation of Verse 23-40

(54:23) Thamud denied the warnings.

(54:24) Saying, ‘Shall we follow a mortal, one out of ourselves? In that case we should be in an error, and hardships.¹⁸

(54:25) Has the admonition been sent down upon him alone out of us all? Rather, he is a big liar, most impudent.’

(54:26) Tomorrow they shall surely know who is the big liar, most impudent.

(54:27) We are sending a she-camel as trial for them; so watch them and remain patient.

(54:28) And inform them that the water is to be shared between them. Each drink will be attended.¹⁹

(54:29) But they called their companion.²⁰ He took in hand²¹ and hamstrung (her).

(54:30) So, how was My chastisement and My warnings?

(54:31) We sent upon them a single Cry, and they became like stubble of a pen-owner.²²

(54:32) Indeed, We have made the Qur’an easy for admonition. So is there anyone to receive admonition?

(54:33) Lut’s folks denied the warnings.

(54:34) We sent against them a storm of stones – except for Lut’s household; We delivered them by the morning.

(54:35) A favor from Us. That is how We reward him who gives thanks.

(54:36) He had already warned them of Our assault. But they disputed the warnings.

(54:37) They even sought his guests from him. So We blinded their eyes.²³ Taste then, My chastisement and My warnings.

(54:38) A pervasive chastisement visited them by early morning.

(54:39) So, taste My chastisement and My warnings.

(54:40) Indeed, We have made the Qur’an easy for admonition. So is there anyone to receive admonition?

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Commentary

18. This was roughly the understanding of “su`ur” by Qatadadh as in Ibn Jarir.

“Su`ur” (pl. of “sa`ir”) is for fires. So, one opinion is that Salih used to threaten them with the fire, so they used the word to return it in kind, meaning, if they followed him, then, far from receiving guidance, they will run into misguidance, and, in consequence land into the very fire he was promising. “Insanity” is another meaning assigned to the word (Alusi).

19. The main well of the town was divided between them: a day for the she-camel to drink, (when it emptied it), and another day for the people to draw from (Ibn Jarir).

The camel itself had emerged pregnant, miraculously from a rock. For other details see Surah al-Shams, note 10 and 11, as well as Surah al-A`raf note 110 & 114; Hud, note 73; and Shu`ara, 119.

20. That was a mischievous group – altogether nine. They had earlier threatened that they would kill Saleh if he did not give up preaching. They appointed a comrade of theirs who hamstrung the camel (Ibn Jarir).

21. “He undertook (to hamstrung)” could be another possible rendering (Au.).

It could also be said that he exchanged wine cups, got drunk and then hamstrung her (Sayyid). The word, “ta`ata” (roughly: exchanged), offers some support for this meaning, although no such report has come down to us from the scholars of the past (Au.).

22. Another, out of several possible meanings of the word “muhtadir”, as thought by Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah, is “burnt out.” Yet another legitimate opinion is that “hashim” refers to the materials left after use, while “muhtadir” refers to the maker of animal pens” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

23. Informed by Lut’s wife of the arrival of guests unmatched by anyone in beauty, the leading rogues of the town rushed to Lut’s house demanding that they be handed over to them. They would almost break open the door to his house when Jibril emerged and with a single stroke of his wing blinded the pack. They fumbled about in the lanes, retreating and threatening Lut until struck by the chastisement meant for all (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).