وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَـٰرِهِينَ 149
Translations
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
Transliteration
Wa tanḥitūna mina al-jibāli buyūtan fārahīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamūd who carved houses out of mountains with skill and expertise, doing so in a state of arrogance and defiance toward Allah's signs. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the word 'fārahīn' (rejoicing/exulting) indicates their proud boasting in their architectural accomplishments, which they used as a means of rebellion against the divine message brought by the Prophet Ṣāliḥ. Their material ingenuity and worldly mastery became a source of spiritual blindness rather than gratitude to their Creator.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, a Meccan chapter that recounts the stories of previous nations who rejected their prophets. The context specifically addresses the people of Thamūd and their rejection of Prophet Ṣāliḥ's message. Their advanced architectural skills exemplified their technological progress, yet this advancement only deepened their arrogance and hastened their destruction.
Related Hadiths
The theme of arrogance leading to destruction is reflected in numerous ḥadīths, such as: 'No one enters Paradise who has an atom's weight of pride in his heart' (Sahih Muslim 91). Additionally, the account of Thamūd's destruction is referenced in various ḥadīths warning against following the paths of those who rejected prophets.
Themes
Key Lesson
Material achievements and technical prowess are meaningless and destructive when coupled with arrogance and rejection of divine guidance; believers must recognize that all skills and abilities are gifts from Allah to be used in service of His truth, not as instruments of pride and defiance.