كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَىٰهَآ 11
Translations
Thamūd denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,
Transliteration
Kadhdhbat Thamud bi-taghwaha
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that the people of Thamud rejected the truth out of their own arrogance and transgression. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'bi-taghwaha' (in their transgression) indicates that their rejection was rooted in pride and rebellion against Allah's signs, not from doubt or lack of clarity. The ayah emphasizes that their destruction was a direct consequence of their willful denial despite receiving clear guidance through the prophet Salih.
Revelation Context
Surah Ash-Shams is a Meccan surah that uses natural phenomena to illustrate divine signs and human accountability. This ayah appears in the surah's concluding section, which recounts the fates of nations that rejected their messengers—specifically Thamud, who famously rejected Prophet Salih and killed the she-camel (the miraculous sign). The context emphasizes the consequences of arrogant rejection of divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The story of Thamud is extensively referenced in hadiths. Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned his companions not to enter the dwellings of Thamud, as they were a people who angered Allah. Additionally, Surah Al-Fil (105) and multiple ahadith discuss how nations that rejected messengers faced divine punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Pride and arrogance blind the heart to truth, even when clear signs are presented; believers must guard against taghwa (transgression) and humble themselves before Allah's guidance, lest they follow the path of those destroyed before them.