فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ ٱلظُّلَّةِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ 189
Translations
And they denied him, so the punishment of the day of the black cloud seized them. Indeed, it was the punishment of a terrible day.
Transliteration
Fa-kadhdhabo-hu fa-akhatha-hum 'adhābu yawmi adh-dhullah. Innahu kāna 'adhāba yawmin 'adhīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamūd who rejected the Prophet Salih and were punished by Allah with the torment of 'the Day of the Shadow' (yawm adh-dhullah)—a destructive wind carrying a dark cloud that engulfed them with severe punishment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a supernatural calamity wherein a cold wind with a dark overshadowing cloud destroyed the disbelievers in a single day, exemplifying Allah's swift and overwhelming punishment for those who reject His messengers.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, a Meccan surah that recounts stories of previous nations and their rejection of prophets sent to them. The narrative of Thamūd and their rejection of Salih serves as a warning to the Quraysh about the inevitable consequences of denying the truth, establishing a thematic pattern throughout the surah of divine justice against rejectors.
Related Hadiths
While no directly specific hadith details this incident, the broader narrative of Thamūd's destruction is mentioned in various collections. Related contextual references appear in Tafsir Ibn Kathir and discussions of Surah Al-A'raf (7:78) which describes a similar punishment. The concept of swift divine punishment is reinforced in authentic reports about the destruction of Ad and Thamūd.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah emphasizes that rejecting Allah's messengers inevitably leads to severe divine punishment, no matter how powerful or resourceful a people may be. For believers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of heeding the message of the prophets and recognizing that Allah's justice is certain and inescapable.