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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
As for Thamud, We showed them the right path, but they preferred blindness [21] over guidance. So the thunderbolt of a humiliating punishment seized them as a recompense for what they used to do.
[21]
The Punishment of Earthquake and Cry Upon the People of Thamud:
They are also called the second ‘Ad, and to them Sayyiduna Salih ؑ was sent. They demanded from Sayyiduna Salih ؑ that a she-camel should come forth from the mountain. Allah Almighty fulfilled this demand. Through this, they became certain that there was some supernatural being supporting Sayyiduna Salih ؑ, and that he was indeed a Messenger of Allah. But despite all this, they did not accept the guidance brought by Sayyiduna Salih ؑ, nor were they willing to abandon their ignorant and polytheistic customs. These people were in no way inferior to their predecessor nation, ‘Ad, in stature, build, and strength. They were excellent experts in the art of construction and stone carving. They would carve not only houses out of the mountains, but also make roads and had settled entire communities within the mountains themselves. When their days were numbered due to their disobedience, a double punishment befell them: from below, an earthquake, which caused cracks and fissures in their houses inside the mountains, and from above, a thunderous blast so severe that their livers burst.
[21]
The Punishment of Earthquake and Cry Upon the People of Thamud:
They are also called the second ‘Ad, and to them Sayyiduna Salih ؑ was sent. They demanded from Sayyiduna Salih ؑ that a she-camel should come forth from the mountain. Allah Almighty fulfilled this demand. Through this, they became certain that there was some supernatural being supporting Sayyiduna Salih ؑ, and that he was indeed a Messenger of Allah. But despite all this, they did not accept the guidance brought by Sayyiduna Salih ؑ, nor were they willing to abandon their ignorant and polytheistic customs. These people were in no way inferior to their predecessor nation, ‘Ad, in stature, build, and strength. They were excellent experts in the art of construction and stone carving. They would carve not only houses out of the mountains, but also make roads and had settled entire communities within the mountains themselves. When their days were numbered due to their disobedience, a double punishment befell them: from below, an earthquake, which caused cracks and fissures in their houses inside the mountains, and from above, a thunderous blast so severe that their livers burst.
