Tafheem ul Quran
Surah 16 An-Nahl, Ayat 112-113
وَضَرَبَ اللّٰهُ مَثَلًا قَرۡيَةً كَانَتۡ اٰمِنَةً مُّطۡمَـئِنَّةً يَّاۡتِيۡهَا رِزۡقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّنۡ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتۡ بِاَنۡعُمِ اللّٰهِ فَاَذَاقَهَا اللّٰهُ لِبَاسَ الۡجُـوۡعِ وَالۡخَـوۡفِ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَصۡنَعُوۡنَ
﴿16:112﴾
وَلَـقَدۡ جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَكَذَّبُوۡهُ فَاَخَذَهُمُ الۡعَذَابُ وَهُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ
﴿16:113﴾
(16:112) Allah sets forth the parable of (the people of) a town who were
secure and content and whose sustenance came in abundance from every quarter.
But then the people of the town showed ingratitude towards Allah for His bounties,
so Allah afflicted them with hunger and fear in punishment for their evil deeds.
(16:113) Most certainly a Messenger came to them from among them; but they
rejected him, calling him a liar. Therefore chastisement seized them while they
engaged in wrong-doing.112
Notes
112. That habitation has not been specified here nor have the commentators
definitely pointed out which that habitation was. However, there is a saying
of Ibn Abbas (which seems to be correct) that the place referred to is Makkah
itself. In that case, hunger and fear will mean the famine which prevailed over
the people of Makkah for several years during the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace
be upon him).