وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا ۖ فَسَآءَ مَطَرُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ 173
Translations
And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.
Transliteration
Wa-amṭarnā 'alayhim maṭaran fasā'a maṭaru al-mundhirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Allah's punishment upon the people of Lūṭ through a rain of stones (or baked clay stones according to most scholars), which destroyed them completely. The phrase 'evil was the rain of those who were warned' emphasizes that despite receiving clear warnings through the Prophet Lūṭ, they rejected the message and were consequently destroyed. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurṭubī interpret this as a decisive punishment that serves as a clear sign of Allah's justice upon those who persist in rejecting divine guidance and practicing abominable acts.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which is a Meccan surah recounting stories of various prophets and their peoples. It specifically addresses the narrative of Prophet Lūṭ and the destruction of his people (people of Sodom). This account serves as a warning to the Meccan disbelievers during the early Islamic period, demonstrating the consequences of rejecting prophetic messages.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of the people of Lūṭ is referenced in various hadith collections including Sahih Muslim and Sunan Ibn Mājah, which elaborate on the severity of homosexual acts and their consequences in Islamic teaching, reinforcing the gravity of the punishment mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that divine warnings are not empty threats—those who persistently reject guidance and engage in forbidden practices will face severe consequences. It serves as a sobering reminder for modern readers to heed prophetic guidance and moral boundaries, understanding that deviation from Allah's path leads to inevitable destruction.