فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنضُودٍ 82
Translations
So when Our command came, We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of layered hard clay, [which were]
Transliteration
Falammā jāʾa amrunā jaʿalnā ʿāliyahā sāfilahā wa-amṭarnā ʿalayhā ḥijāratam min sijjīlin mandūd
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the destruction of the people of Lot (Lut), where Allah inverted their cities—turning the upper parts downward—and rained upon them baked clay stones in succession. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this was a severe punishment for their rejection of the message and their abominable deeds, demonstrating Allah's power to utterly destroy those who persist in disobedience and transgression.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the historical narrative in Surah Hud recounting the story of Prophet Lot and the destruction of his people. The context follows Lot's warning to his community to abandon their immoral practices, and the arrival of Allah's command brought about their complete annihilation—a lesson about the inevitable consequences of rejecting divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of the people of Lot is referenced in various hadiths regarding the signs before the Day of Judgment and the gravity of sexual immorality. See Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah regarding warnings about the practices of the people of Lot as precursors to divine punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent disobedience and rejection of divine guidance leads to inevitable and complete destruction, serving as a powerful reminder that Allah's patience with wrongdoers has limits and that moral boundaries established by religion must be respected. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of accepting prophetic warnings and maintaining ethical standards before consequences become irreversible.