كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ وَعَادٌۢ بِٱلْقَارِعَةِ 4
Translations
Thamūd and ʿAad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e., the Resurrection].
Transliteration
Kaddabat Thamodu wa 'Adun bil-Qa'i'ah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that the people of Thamud and 'Ad denied and rejected al-Qa'i'ah (the Striking Hour/Day of Judgment). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to their rejection of the signs of divine punishment and their disbelief in the resurrection and accountability. The mention of these two nations together emphasizes that despite receiving clear warnings through their prophets (Salih and Hud respectively), they persisted in denial and were subsequently destroyed by Allah's punishment as a lesson to humanity.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Haqqah was revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period and focuses on the certainty and inevitability of the Day of Judgment (Al-Haqqah). This ayah appears within a section detailing the destruction of past nations as concrete examples of divine justice, serving to warn the Quraysh and remind them that rejection of truth leads to inevitable punishment.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of 'Ad and Thamud is referenced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in various hadiths about the Prophet's warnings to his people. A relevant hadith discusses how the Prophet showed the people of Quraysh the remains and ruins of these nations as signs of Allah's power and justice.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejection of divine truth and denial of the Hereafter inevitably leads to destruction and loss, regardless of material strength or numbers. It serves as a timeless warning that arrogance and disbelief in the face of clear signs will result in divine punishment, encouraging modern readers to heed warnings and believe in Allah's justice.