فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً ۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ 158
Translations
And the punishment seized them. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
Transliteration
Fa-akhdhathumu al-'adhabu. Inna fee dhalika la-ayah. Wa ma kana akthharuhum mu'mineen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the divine punishment that befell the people of Thamud who rejected the signs of Allah and the message of Prophet Salih, particularly when they hamstrung the she-camel—a miraculous sign sent by Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this punishment was a seismic catastrophe that destroyed them utterly, serving as an irrefutable sign (ayah) of Allah's power and justice. Despite this clear evidence of divine punishment, most of the people who witnessed it or heard of it still refused to believe, demonstrating the hardness of hearts that reject truth.
Revelation Context
Surah Ash-Shu'ara is a Meccan surah that recounts the stories of various prophets and their peoples' rejection of divine guidance. This particular ayah occurs within the narrative of Prophet Salih and the people of Thamud (verses 141-159), part of a broader Quranic pattern of presenting historical examples to warn the Quraysh and others of the consequences of rejecting Allah's messengers.
Related Hadiths
The story of Thamud and the she-camel is referenced in multiple hadiths. In Sahih Bukhari, there are accounts of the Prophet (ﷺ) warning against the fate of Thamud. In Sahih Muslim, there are hadiths about the Prophet's companions being warned not to enter the dwellings of Thamud except in a state of weeping, due to the punishment that befell them.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that clear signs and evidence of Allah's truth are often presented to people, yet many still choose disbelief due to arrogance, pride, or hardened hearts—a sobering reminder for believers to remain humble, receptive to divine guidance, and grateful for the gift of faith, lest we share the fate of those who rejected it.