وَكَانُوا۟ يَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ 82
Translations
And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.
Transliteration
Wa kanoo yanhatoon mina al-jibal buyootan aamineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamud who carved houses out of mountains for protection and dwelling, living in security and abundance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that despite their architectural skill and secure lifestyle, they remained heedless of Allah's signs and disobeyed their prophet Salih, ultimately leading to their destruction. The verse emphasizes how material capability and comfort can coexist with spiritual blindness when people reject divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Thamud within Surah Al-Hijr, which recounts stories of various nations and their responses to prophetic messages. The broader context of this surah (verses 80-84) discusses how Thamud denied their messenger and were destroyed by a great blast, illustrating the theme of divine punishment for those who reject the truth despite receiving clear signs.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this verse, Surah Al-Hijr's account of Thamud relates to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against entering the dwellings of Thamud except in a state of weeping, as they were destroyed due to their arrogance and rejection of Salih.
Themes
Key Lesson
Material success and technological advancement are meaningless without spiritual obedience and adherence to divine guidance; true security comes from accepting Allah's message, not from worldly fortifications or possessions.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ
And he had already warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the warning.
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومًا فَتَرَى ٱلْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ
Which He [i.e., Allāh] imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًا
And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone."
فَشَـٰرِبُونَ شُرْبَ ٱلْهِيمِ
And will drink as the drinking of thirsty camels.