وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ ۚ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ 14
Translations
And the companions of the thicket and the people of Tubbaʿ. All denied the messengers, so My threat was justly fulfilled.
Transliteration
Wa-ashabu al-aykah wa-qawmu tubba'. Kullun kadhdhaba al-rusul fa-haqqa wa'id.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of the thicket (Ashab al-Aykah, the people of Shu'ayb) and the people of Tubba' (a Yemenite ruler and his nation), both of whom rejected their messengers despite receiving clear signs. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the consequence of their denial was inevitable—the fulfillment of Allah's threatened punishment came upon them, serving as a warning to those who similarly reject divine guidance. This ayah continues the pattern established in Surah Qaf of recounting nations that denied their prophets and faced destruction.
Revelation Context
Surah Qaf is Meccan and was revealed during the early period of Islamic preaching in Mecca when the Quraysh rejected Prophet Muhammad's message. This ayah is part of a sequence (verses 12-14) that catalogues various nations throughout history who rejected their messengers, serving to console the Prophet and warn the disbelievers of the consequences of denial. The historical examples provided demonstrate that rejection of messengers is not unprecedented and always results in punishment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The nations were shown to me, and I saw Moses with a group of people.' (Sahih Bukhari 3340, detailing visions of previous nations). Also relevant: 'Every nation had a messenger, and when the messenger came to them, judgment was made between them with justice.' (Tafsir context, emphasizing universal accountability).
Themes
Key Lesson
Just as past nations faced destruction for rejecting their messengers, those who turn away from divine guidance in any era face similar consequences; this ayah emphasizes that there is no escape from Allah's justice, and sincere belief in the messengers is the path to salvation and protection from punishment.
Related Ayahs
وَحَرَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَآ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
And it is prohibited to [the people of] a city which We have destroyed that they will [ever] return
يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا۟ مَسَّ سَقَرَ
The Day they are dragged into the Fire on their faces [it will be said], "Taste the touch of Saqar."
ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ
They have been put under humiliation [by Allāh] wherever they are overtaken, except for a rope [i.e., covenant] from Allāh and a rope [i.e., treaty] from the people [i.e., the Muslims]. And they have drawn upon themselves anger from Allāh and have been put under destitution. That is because they disbelieved in [i.e., rejected] the verses of Allāh and killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.
لَّا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ
Neither cool nor beneficial.