فَأَعْرَضُوا۟ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ ٱلْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَـٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَىْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَىْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ 16
Translations
But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees.
Transliteration
Fa-a'radoo fa-arsalnā 'alayhim sayla al-'arimi wa-baddalnāhum bi-jannatayihim jannatayni dhawātā uklin khamtin wa-athl wa-shay'in min sidrin qalīl
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the punishment that befell the people of Saba (ancient Yemen) when they turned away from Allah's signs and neglected the dam (al-'arim) that protected their gardens. Allah sent a devastating flood that destroyed their prosperous two gardens, replacing them with two gardens bearing only bitter fruit (khamt - lote trees with thorns), acacia trees (athl), and sparse lote trees (sidr). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a clear manifestation of divine justice—the people's arrogance and ingratitude led to the loss of their worldly blessings, serving as a lesson about the consequences of rejecting divine guidance.
Revelation Context
Surah Saba is a Meccan surah that recounts the story of the people of Saba and their magnificent dam as a cautionary tale for the Quraysh. This ayah falls within the broader narrative that illustrates how even those blessed with tremendous wealth and engineering prowess can lose everything through heedlessness and rejection of Allah's message. The context highlights the transience of worldly possessions without faith and obedience.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly addresses this ayah, the principle is reflected in various hadiths about gratitude and the consequences of ingratitude. A related theme appears in hadiths emphasizing that blessings are preserved through gratitude and lost through ingratitude, as found in various collections including Sunan Ibn Majah and Jami' at-Tirmidhi.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material abundance and technological achievement offer no protection against divine punishment when coupled with spiritual heedlessness and ingratitude. True security lies in faith, obedience, and gratitude to Allah, not in earthly possessions or capabilities.