Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:150-151

It is as if he intended by this address the general populace of his people, and by "the extravagant" their leaders and figureheads in disbelief and misguidance. There were nine of them. Attributing obedience to the "command" is figurative, while it is literal in relation to the commander. There is an obvious hyperbole in this. The assertion that it does not befit the station is a matter of debate.

It is permissible that "obedience" is borrowed for "compliance" due to the resemblance between them in leading to the performance of what was commanded, or that it is a synecdochical metaphor (majaz mursal) because it necessitates it. It is also possible that there is a concealed metaphor (isti'arah makniyyah) and an imaginative one (takhayyuliyyah). It was deemed possible that "the command" refers to one of the matters, but that is quite far-fetched.

Al-israf (extravagance) is exceeding the limit in everything a person does, even though it is more famous in the context of spending. What is intended by it here is an increase in corruption. This was clarified, as has been said, by His saying—Exalted is He—: "Those who spread corruption in the land." Perhaps what is intended is to condemn them for their own misguidance through disbelief and sins, and for leading others astray by calling them to the same. To hint that the bane of their actions is not limited to themselves—thereby urging compliance with the prohibition—it was said "in the land," with the land of Thamud being intended, or it is said: all the earth. And since "they spread corruption" does not negate that they might perform reforms occasionally, He followed it with His saying—Exalted is He—: