وَزُرُوعٍ وَنَخْلٍ طَلْعُهَا هَضِيمٌ 148
Translations
And fields of crops and palm trees with softened fruit?
Transliteration
Wa zurū'in wa nakhlin tal'uhā hadīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the agricultural possessions of the people of Thamūd, specifically mentioning their crops and date palm trees whose fruits were small or defective (hadīm). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the word 'hadīm' (هضيم) means diminished, small, or of poor quality, indicating that despite their material wealth in agriculture, it was not a source of true blessing or benefit to them. This detail emphasizes the material abundance the Thamūd possessed before their destruction, yet their rejection of the Prophet Sālih meant their possessions could not save them from divine punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which recounts stories of ancient prophets and their peoples. Ayah 148 specifically describes the Thamūd's material possessions in response to their arrogant rejection of Prophet Sālih's message, setting the stage for their eventual destruction mentioned in verse 157-158.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this specific ayah, the broader narrative of Thamūd's destruction is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari (3156) where the Prophet ﷺ warned against passing through the valley of Thamūd, emphasizing the consequence of rejecting divine signs.
Themes
Key Lesson
Wealth and material abundance are not signs of divine favor if accompanied by rejection of truth and disobedience to Allah's messengers. True blessing lies not in quantity of possessions but in righteous conduct and obedience to divine guidance.