وَفِى ثَمُودَ إِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ 43
Translations
And in Thamūd, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time."
Transliteration
Wa fi Thamuuda idh qeela lahum tamatta'oo hatta heen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamud, who were given respite and allowed to enjoy their worldly pleasures for a limited time before Allah's punishment befell them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the phrase 'until a time' (hatta heen) indicates a predetermined period of grace that God grants to nations, after which His judgment is executed. The ayah serves as a warning that worldly enjoyment without obedience to Allah is temporary and will inevitably be followed by divine punishment for those who reject their prophets.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Adh-Dhariyat, a Meccan surah that repeatedly references past nations destroyed for their disbelief, particularly Thamud. The broader context of the surah is to warn the Quraysh of Mecca by recounting the fate of previous peoples, with Thamud serving as a prominent historical example of rejection of the Prophet Salih and the consequences thereof.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of Thamud is referenced in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 3268) where the Prophet Muhammad warned against passing by their dwellings except in a state of weeping, due to the severity of their punishment. Additionally, various ahadeeth in Sunan Ibn Majah discuss the signs of Thamud's destruction as a lesson for believers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that indulgence in worldly pleasures without submission to Allah and His messengers is fleeting and deceptive, and serves as a sobering reminder that every nation is given a fixed term by Allah before accountability. Believers should not be deceived by temporary prosperity or comfort, but should prioritize obedience and faith, recognizing that divine punishment comes to those who persistently reject divine guidance.