Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). Then see what was the end of the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists and sinners).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَمْطَرْنَاwa-amṭarnāAnd We showered
عَلَيْهِمʿalayhimupon them
مَّطَرًۭا ۖmaṭarana rain
فَٱنظُرْfa-unẓurSo see
كَيْفَkayfahow
كَانَkānawas
عَـٰقِبَةُʿāqibatu(the) end
ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَl-muj'rimīna(of) the criminals
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.
84. And We rained down upon them a shower [89] [of stones]. So see how was the end of the criminals!
[89] The Fate of the People of Lut:
At this point, it is only mentioned that upon this people, due to their lewdness and then rebellion, We sent a terrible rain. However, from other places in the Quran, it is known that all the towns of this people were lifted up and thrown down to the earth from a height. Sayyiduna Jibreel ؑ came, separated that portion of the land from the earth and lifted it on his wings, then hurled it down to the ground from above. Then, from above, Allah Almighty sent a rain of stones, thus erasing every trace of this wicked people.
Why Does Such a Punishment Not Come Now?
Here, a question arises in the mind: such crimes are also happening nowadays, so why does such a punishment not come upon them? The reasons for this are as follows: 1. When Allah’s Prophet forbids a people from their lewdness or crimes, but instead of refraining, the people become arrogant and deny Allah’s Messenger and His verses, mock them, and cause them pain, then their crime becomes many times greater than the original crime, although the basic crime remains as it is. Unlike those people who are only involved in this one crime, therefore, they are not such severe criminals that they should be destroyed immediately and no excuse should be left for them. Allah’s punishment only comes when the majority of a society becomes involved in this crime. Punishment does not come merely because some people do not consider a crime to be a crime, or declare it lawful, or because a few individuals are involved in it. And when the majority of a society becomes involved in this crime, then it must face its logical consequences, and in the terminology of Shariah, these logical consequences are called Allah’s ongoing practice (Sunnatullah), in which there is never any change. For example, a decrease or cessation in the progeny of this people is also a form of punishment. Nowadays, the standard-bearer of Western civilization is America, where the law of homosexuality has also been passed, and there the issue of whites and blacks has also become intense. The whites, i.e., the ruling nation, greatly hate the old population of America, i.e., the blacks, and do not even give them equal civil rights. Now, among the white women, a trend has arisen that they prefer black men for marriage, and the only reason for this is that the whites have become accustomed to sodomy, while the blacks have remained safe from such lewdness. This trend among white women has created a serious problem for the ruling nation, and this too is a form of punishment from Allah.
2. Natural Explanations of Punishment:
Even today, Allah’s punishment continues to come in the form of various earthquakes, floods, storms, and landslides, but our superficial scientists and intellectuals of the nation search for such natural or historical explanations of this punishment and present them before the public that the minds of the people are not directed towards the reality that the Quran wants to make us understand, and which is clearly evident from its style of expression.