فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسَوَّىٰهَا 14
Translations
But they denied him and hamstrung her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them].
Transliteration
Fakaddhabūhu fa'aqarū-hā fadamdama 'alayhim rabbuhum bidhanbihim fasawwāhā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamud who rejected the Prophet Salih and killed the she-camel (the miraculous sign) that Allah had sent to them. As a consequence, Allah's punishment overwhelmed them, destroying them completely and leveling their civilization to the ground. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, 'fadamdama' (He caused to descend upon them) refers to Allah's overwhelming and comprehensive punishment, while 'fasawwāhā' (He made it level) emphasizes the total destruction of their society—both the people and their dwellings were demolished.
Revelation Context
Surah Ash-Shams is a Meccan chapter that emphasizes Allah's power and signs in creation, followed by lessons from past nations. This ayah concludes the account of Thamud within the broader context of the surah's theme of divine justice: those who reject Allah's signs and His messengers face inevitable destruction. The story of Thamud serves as a warning to the Meccan polytheists who similarly rejected Prophet Muhammad.
Related Hadiths
The story of the she-camel of Thamud is referenced in multiple Quranic accounts (Surah Al-A'raf 7:73-79, Surah Ash-Shu'ara 26:141-158). While not a direct hadith on this specific ayah, Sunan Ibn Majah and other hadith collections contain reports about the ruins of Thamud, which the Prophet warned his companions against entering due to the divine punishment that befell them.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah demonstrates that rejecting Allah's clear signs and miracles, and committing transgression against them, incurs swift and complete divine punishment that extends to one's entire community and civilization. For believers today, it serves as a powerful reminder to heed the warnings of Allah and His messengers, and to recognize that defying divine guidance leads to inevitable destruction.
Related Ayahs
لَـَٔاكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٍ مِّن زَقُّومٍ
Will be eating from trees of zaqqūm
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allāh and of the angels and the people, all together,
فَإِن رَّجَعَكَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَىٰ طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ فَٱسْتَـْٔذَنُوكَ لِلْخُرُوجِ فَقُل لَّن تَخْرُجُوا۟ مَعِىَ أَبَدًا وَلَن تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ مَعِىَ عَدُوًّا ۖ إِنَّكُمْ رَضِيتُم بِٱلْقُعُودِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَٱقْعُدُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَـٰلِفِينَ
If Allāh should return you to a faction of them [after the expedition] and then they ask your permission to go out [to battle], say, "You will not go out with me, ever, and you will never fight with me an enemy. Indeed, you were satisfied with sitting [at home] the first time, so sit [now] with those who stay behind."
فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ أُولَىٰهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَآ أُو۟لِى بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا۟ خِلَـٰلَ ٱلدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا
So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.