Hud: 62

Ayah

Word by Word

قَالُواْ

They said

يَٰصَٰلِحُ

O Salih

قَدۡ

Verily

كُنتَ

you were

فِينَا

among us

مَرۡجُوّٗا

the one in whom hope was placed

قَبۡلَ

before

هَٰذَآۖ

this

أَتَنۡهَىٰنَآ

Do you forbid us

أَن

that

نَّعۡبُدَ

we worship

مَا

what

يَعۡبُدُ

worshipped

ءَابَآؤُنَا

our forefathers

وَإِنَّنَا

And indeed we

لَفِي

surely (are) in

شَكّٖ

doubt

مِّمَّا

about what

تَدۡعُونَآ

you call us

إِلَيۡهِ

to it

مُرِيبٖ

suspicious

Translation

They said: "O Salih! thou hast been of us! a centre of our hopes hitherto! dost thou (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers worshipped? But we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which thou invitest us."

Tafsir

"The Conversation between Salih and the People of Thamud

Allah says;

قَالُواۡ يَا صَالِحُ

They said:""O Salih!

Allah, the Exalted, mentions what transpired in the discussion between Salih and his people. Allah informs of their ignorance and obstinacy in their statement,

قَدۡ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرۡجُوًّا قَبۡلَ هَـذَا

You have been among us as a figure of good hope till this!

They were saying in this, ""We had hope in your strong intellect before you began saying what you have said.""

أَتَنۡهَانَا أَن نَّعۡبُدَ مَا يَعۡبُدُ ابَاوُنَا

Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped,

""what those who were before us were upon.""

وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَا إِلَيۡهِ مُرِيبٍ

But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us.

This alludes to the great amount of doubt that they had

قَالَ يَا قَوۡمِ أَرَأَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةً مِّن رَّبِّي

He said:""O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord...""

`In reference to what He (Allah) has sent me with to you, I am upon conviction and sure evidence.'

وَاتَانِي مِنۡهُ رَحۡمَةً فَمَن يَنصُرُنِي مِنَ اللّهِ إِنۡ عَصَيۡتُهُ

and there has come to me a mercy from Him, who then can help me against Allah, if I were to disobey Him!

`and abandon calling you to the truth and the worship of Allah alone. If I did so, you would not be able to bring me any benefit, nor increase me!

فَمَا تَزِيدُونَنِي غَيۡرَ تَخۡسِيرٍ

Then you increase me not but in loss.""

غَيۡرَ تَخۡسِيرٍ

(but in loss.)'

This means loss and ruin

Salih said:

وَيَا قَوۡمِ هَـذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللّهِ لَكُمۡ ايَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأۡكُلۡ فِي أَرۡضِ اللّهِ

وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأۡخُذَكُمۡ عَذَابٌ قَرِيبٌ

""And O my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign to you, so leave her to graze in Allah's land, and touch her not with evil, lest a near torment should seize you.""

Allah tells:

فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُواۡ فِي دَارِكُمۡ ثَلَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ

ذَلِكَ وَعۡدٌ غَيۡرُ مَكۡذُوبٍ

But they slaughtered her. So he said:""Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise (a threat) that will not be belied.""

فَلَمَّا جَاء أَمۡرُنَا نَجَّيۡنَا صَالِحًا وَالَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ مَعَهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَمِنۡ خِزۡيِ يَوۡمِيِذٍ

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ الۡقَوِيُّ الۡعَزِيزُ

So when Our commandment came, We saved Salih and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and from the disgrace of that Day. Verily, your Lord -- He is the All-Strong, the All-Mighty.

وَأَخَذَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ الصَّيۡحَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواۡ فِي دِيَارِهِمۡ جَاثِمِينَ

And As-Sayhah (awful cry) overtook the wrongdoers, so they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.

كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاۡ فِيهَا أَلَا إِنَّ ثَمُودَ كَفرُواۡ رَبَّهُمۡ

أَلَا بُعۡدًا لِّثَمُودَ

As if they had never lived there. No doubt! Verily, Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Thamud!

A discussion of this story has already preceded in Surah Al-A`raf and it is sufficient without having to be repeated here.

Allah is the Giver of success."