سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 17
وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ فَٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْعَمَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ صَـٰعِقَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And as for Thamûd, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islâmic Monotheism) through Our Messenger, (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance; so the Sâ‘iqah (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunderbolt) of disgracing torment seized them because of what they used to earn.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَمَّا
wa-ammā
And as for
ثَمُودُ
thamūdu
Thamud
فَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ
fahadaynāhum
We guided them
فَٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟
fa-is'taḥabbū
but they preferred
ٱلْعَمَىٰ
l-ʿamā
[the] blindness
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلْهُدَىٰ
l-hudā
the guidance
فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ
fa-akhadhathum
so seized them
صَـٰعِقَةُ
ṣāʿiqatu
a thunderbolt
ٱلْعَذَابِ
l-ʿadhābi
(of) the punishment
ٱلْهُونِ
l-hūni
humiliating
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used to
يَكْسِبُونَ
yaksibūna
earn
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 17) ➊ {وَ اَمَّا ثَمُوْدُ فَهَدَيْنٰهُمْ …:} For the introduction of the people of Thamud, see Surah Al-A'raf (73 to 79). For the explanation of guidance, see the commentary of Surah Al-Fatiha, Ayah: { اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ }. That is, We showed them the path of truth, but instead of accepting guidance, they preferred to remain blind and astray.
➋ {فَاَخَذَتْهُمْ صٰعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُوْنِ …:’’ الْهُوْنِ ‘‘} and {’’اَلْهَوَانُ‘‘} mean disgrace; this is a verbal noun used as an intensive active participle. The punishment that befell Thamud is sometimes called {’’ الرَّجْفَةُ ‘‘} (earthquake), sometimes {’’ الصَّيْحَةُ ‘‘} (severe cry), and here it is called a thunderbolt. From this, it is understood that it was a severe cry in which there was a thunderbolt and flame, along with a violent earthquake, due to which their livers burst and all of them perished. This humiliating punishment was the result of their evil deeds.
➋ {فَاَخَذَتْهُمْ صٰعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُوْنِ …:’’ الْهُوْنِ ‘‘} and {’’اَلْهَوَانُ‘‘} mean disgrace; this is a verbal noun used as an intensive active participle. The punishment that befell Thamud is sometimes called {’’ الرَّجْفَةُ ‘‘} (earthquake), sometimes {’’ الصَّيْحَةُ ‘‘} (severe cry), and here it is called a thunderbolt. From this, it is understood that it was a severe cry in which there was a thunderbolt and flame, along with a violent earthquake, due to which their livers burst and all of them perished. This humiliating punishment was the result of their evil deeds.
