Interpretation of Fortress 91 (The Sun)
After the Almighty God has drawn our attention within the beginning of this Surah to some great cosmic signs (wonders), He the Almighty out of his Compassion and Mercy upon us has wanted to warn us of losing our life in vain and to advise us to evade the path of distress and malice which leads to inhumanity, therefore He put in our hand a real example of people who didn’t think of these cosmic signs (wonders) which if they had thought about, they would have led them to be acquainted with their Creator and having the true belief, but they indulged themselves in this inferior life, God Says:
Verse no. 11
11. “(The tribe of) Thamud have denied (their Prophet) in their transgression.”
”To deny” “To deny” means to refuse to believe something despite knowing its truth.
”Thamud”: these were the people of our master Saleh (pth).
The Arabic word for “transgression” is ‘tughyan’, which means the exceeding of boundaries. It is derived from the Arabic verb ‘tagha’, ‘to transgress’, which means ‘to go beyond a limit.’
The word ‘tughyan’ can be used in Arabic for exceeding both physical and metaphorical boundaries.
For example, when the sea rages and its waters flood the shore, in Arabic you may say, “The sea ‘tagha’ over the shore”, and if someone exceeded the boundaries of the law and deviated from the path of humanity you would refer to them as a ‘transgressor’.
The preposition ‘in’ (translated from the Arabic ‘bi’) in the phrase ‘in their transgression’ indicated the reason that they denied their Prophet: namely, their unreasonable transgression. This means that the people of Thamud did not believe God’s Envoy (pth) because of their transgressions. They rejected his revelation and did not pay attention to his warning or see the evil and destruction that was folded behind their deeds.
From here, it becomes clear that the lecherous wanton cannot see the truth of the Godly Orders and the blessings that are hidden under them, just as they cannot see the realities of the forbidden things and the harm and evil which they cause.
They can only see pictures. They sense their wantonness, but cannot perceive the evil hidden therein.
They notice the straightness of the believers, but do not witness the advantages of their deeds.
Such people will never discern the facts unless they straighten on the basis of the Commands of God.
In fact, a person will not desist from their denial, whatever miracles or signs they see. Wrongful deeds stand as a veil between the spirit and the facts.
The Almighty cited the people of Thamud for us by way of example. Those people asked their Prophet to bring a she-camel forth from the rock as a miracle to prove the truth of his mission. The Almighty Allah brought forth the she-camel with her baby as they had asked, and made them share their water with her. God says: “He (Salih) said: ‘This is a she-camel. She should have her share of water as you have yours, each drinking on an appointed day’.”
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 26, Ash-Shu’ara’ (The Poets), Verse 155
Although they had seen this sign, which was as clear as the shining sun, they did not appreciate it or care about it. More than this, the most viperous and black hearted one among them advanced on the she-camel in an attempt to encroach upon her. God says:
Verse no. 12
12. “When the most wicked man advanced (in impiety).”
They were blind to the destruction that they were wooing with their actions. The Envoy warned them, but they did not give ear to his warning. They deprived the she-camel of her baby and rebelled against the Commandment of their Lord. God says:
Verse no. 13-14
13. “The envoy of Allah said to them: ‘It is Al’lah’s she-camel! And (prevent her not from having) her drink!’ “
14. “However, they disbelieved him, and bereaved her. Thus, for their sin, their Provider took away their blood and razed them.”
Thus we find that the lecher who is immersed in their forbidden lusts is nothing but the person with the most courage among people to exceed God’s Bounds and to despise His Orders.
However, what shall follow this choice to despise the Orders of God?
What shall that lechery and that daring in exceeding God’s Bounds gain for this person?
There is no doubt that perdition and ruin will follow them. God says: “Thus, for their sin, their Provider took away their blood and razed them.”
The Arabic word corresponding to the statement “took away their blood” in Arabic is ‘damdama’. This verb is composed of two words: the first is ‘dum’, which means ‘blood’ in Arabic, which is the liquid wherein the soul flows; the second is ‘duma’, which means ‘went and ceased’.
Therefore the verb ‘damdama’ tells us that God released their life’s blood when He sent out a cry that brought out their souls and dried their blood.
“To raze” in Arabic is ‘sawwa’, which means ‘to bring something to the level of the ground’, and also ‘to equalize’. The phrase “and razed them” means that Allah brought that entire tribe to the level of the ground, turning its members into bodies that were as motionless as the ground.
After the Almighty sent us this story, showing us the end of Thamud and the punishment of all those who denied the Envoy of God, He wanted to send us a warning in the following Verse. He says:
Verse no. 15
15 “Does he (the transgressor) has no fear of its consequences?”
That is: do those who deviate from the right path and sink into their wicked desires not fear the outcomes of their deeds and the ultimate punishment of their lechery?
Do they not take a lesson from what happened to the people of Thamud?
Do not they know that wantonness and exceeding God’s Bounds are always followed by destruction?
Finally, we say in short:
If anyone thinks of the universe – as we indicated at the beginning of this Fortress – until they recognize their Provider through contemplation of His Signs, and then purifies their spirit of its dirty desires by approaching Al’lah, such a person will succeed and gain blessings. On the other hand, anyone who shuns Allah and corrupts their spirit by immersing it in lechery will have misery as their fate, and will incur nothing but pain and failure. God says: “Whoever does good, it is for (the good of) his own-self; and whoever does evil, it is against it (own-self). Thereafter to your Provider you shall all be brought back.”
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 45, Al-Jathiyya (Crouching), Verse 15
Self-Activity:
1-I should have an inner moral court, as the noble prophet (cpth) recommended, that is to judge my action before sleeping every day to repent of any hesitation in my way to God or any fault I have done.
2-Avoid having bad and immoral friends, and if you have you must leave them immediately.
3- Avoid committing God’s prohibitions and forbidden desires or evil actions.
4-I have to be righteous as much as I can; obeying God’s order, having my prayers performed and reading my Qur'anic rituals.
5-Help the others and treat them kindly and be charitable as much as you can.
Questions and Exercises:
1-What is the reason behind Thamoud people's denial of our master Saleh's Message?
2-How did the Almighty God destroy the tribe of (Thamoud)?
3- Who is the most transgressing person as he exceeds God’s boundaries violating His orders?
4- What does the Almighty God illustrate for human In His saying in the end of Surah Al-Shams:{Does he (the transgressor) has no fear of its consequences?}.?