وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّآ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ ٱلنَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُوا۟ بِهَا ۚ وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا 59
Translations
And nothing has prevented Us from sending signs [i.e., miracles] except that the former peoples denied them. And We gave Thamūd the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her. And We send not the signs except as a warning.
Transliteration
Wa maa mana'ana an nursilā bil-āyāti illā an kadhdhaba bihā al-awwalūn. Wa ātaynā Thamūda an-nāqata mubsiratan faẓalamū bihā. Wa mā nursilu bil-āyāti illā takhwīfan.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah states that He does not withhold sending miraculous signs except because the earlier peoples rejected them when they were sent. The example of Thamud and the she-camel is cited as a clear instance of this rejection, as they were given an unmistakable miracle yet wronged themselves by disbelieving in it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah establishes that the purpose of sending signs is not mere display, but rather to warn humanity—and those who reject them will face consequences. This reflects Allah's wisdom in that repeated rejection of signs leads to their withdrawal, as the people become deserving of punishment rather than additional miracles.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-Isra, addressing the Meccan polytheists' demands for miraculous signs similar to those given to previous nations. The surah contextually responds to their accusations and demands, emphasizing that Allah's signs were given to earlier peoples but rejected, leading to their destruction. The mention of Thamud and their she-camel directly parallels the historical account of a nation that received a clear sign yet arrogantly rejected it.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the she-camel of Thamud is extensively narrated in Sahih Muslim and Sunan Ibn Majah, where the Prophet ﷺ described how Thamud was given this miracle yet the disbelievers hamstrung it. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari contains hadiths about the Prophet ﷺ explaining that the signs given to previous prophets were rejected, leading to their peoples' destruction.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that receiving divine signs is a great blessing, but rejecting them brings severe consequences—signs are sent as merciful warnings, not forced proofs. For believers today, it emphasizes the importance of recognizing and heeding Allah's signs in creation and revelation, lest we fall into the same arrogance that destroyed those who came before us.