Fussilat: (17) As for Thamud, We guided them...

"As for Thamud, We guided them." Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and al-Suddi said: Meaning, We made clear to them [the way]. Those who said this intended by it the clarification of the two paths of misguidance and guidance, as in the words of the Exalted: "And We guided him to the two ways." This is more appropriate to His saying: "But they preferred blindness over guidance," meaning they chose misguidance over guidance. This makes it apparent that the two paths were made clear to them, and they chose one of the two. Ibn Zayd explicitly stated this, for it has been narrated that he said: Meaning, We made the guidance known to them, distinct from misguidance. Many others interpreted "guidance" here as "direction," meaning: We directed them toward the truth by setting up proofs and sending messengers, as well as [explaining] misguidance. They did not interpret it as the guidance that brings about the result, because their refusal is apparent [in the phrase]: "But they preferred blindness..." and so on.

The Mu'tazilah used this verse as proof that faith depends on the slave's own volition, independently, based on the fact that His saying "We guided them" indicates the setting up of evidence and the removal of the impediment [to belief], and His saying "They preferred blindness" indicates that they themselves chose the blindness.

The answer—as stated in al-Kashf—is that the word "preference" (istihbab) implies that while Allah’s power is the primary influence, the slave’s power also has a role. For "love" (al-mahabba) is not, by consensus, a matter of choice, yet the act of preferring blindness is a form of love, and "preference" is a voluntary act. Look closely at this subtlety, and you will see a wondrous thing. The Imam who calls to Allah—may his secret be sanctified—pointed to something similar. The meaning of love not being voluntary is that once the factors it depends upon—which are voluntary matters—are achieved, it occurs through the attraction of nature, without the individual having a choice in the inclination of their heart or the attachment of their desire to the one they love. Thus, it itself is involuntary, but it is voluntary in regard to its premises. For this reason, we are commanded to love Allah and to love His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). In Tariq al-Hamama by Ibn Sa'id, it states that love is a natural spiritual inclination; to this, the words of the Almighty refer: "And He created from it its mate, that he might dwell in her," meaning: that he might incline toward her. He made the cause of his inclination the fact that she was from him, and this is what is intended by the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Souls are conscripted soldiers." Love may also occur for other reasons, such as beauty, benevolence, and perfection. It has effects, and [sometimes] actions like obedience and veneration are called love; this is what is commanded because it is voluntary. So understand this.

Ibn Wathab, al-A'mash, and Bakr ibn Habib read: "Wa amma Thamuda" with a raf' (nominative case) and keeping it masruf (diptotic/triptotic). Al-A'mash and Ibn Wathab read it as triptotic throughout the entire Quran, except in the words of the Almighty: "And We gave Thamud the she-camel," because it is written in the Mus'haf without an alif. Ibn Abi Ishaq and Ibn Hurmuz read it with a different narration. Al-Mufaddal stated that al-A'mash, 'Asim, and a narration from Ibn Abbas read "Thamudan" with an al-nasb (accusative) and tanwin. Al-Mufaddal narrated both readings from 'Asim. The prohibition of sarf (diptote) is due to the status of a proper noun and femininity, intending the tribe. The one who makes it masruf treats it as the name of a man. The nasb [in some readings] is based on the assumption of a hidden verb necessitated by the context of interpretation, and one estimates the governing verb thereafter, because amma is usually followed by a noun. It was also read with a damma on the tha (Thumud), as the plural of thamad, which is "scant water." It is as if they were named that because they lived in the sands between Hadhramaut and Sana'a, and they were people of little water.

"So the thunderbolt of the humiliating punishment seized them," meaning: the disgrace. It is an adjective for the punishment or a substitute for it. Describing it as such uses the verbal noun for emphasis. Likewise, the genitive construction of "thunderbolt" to "punishment" signifies that their punishment is the very essence of humiliation, and that it has a thunderbolt. The "thunderbolt" refers to the fire emerging from the clouds, as is well known. The cause of its occurrence in the natural order is famous in the books of ancient philosophy. Those of the new philosophy currently circulating in the lands of the Romans and those near them have discussed it, saying regarding how the thunderbolt explodes: It is known that the discharge of electricity within the clouds—which is a specific force in objects similar to the force of electricity by which a straw or similar item is attracted—only occurs through the union of the electricity of objects with one another. When the clouds draw near to earthly objects, the cloud-electricity seeks to unite with the earthly electricity, a spark of electricity flashes between them, and the earthly objects are struck. The power of the thunderbolt varies according to the difference in the vaporous transformation, so it is not the same in all lands and seasons. They explained this with lengthy discourse, and whoever wishes for it should refer to their books. It is also said that what is meant by "thunderbolt" here is the "shout" (al-sayhah), as mentioned in other verses; there is no obstacle to reconciling the two.

Ibn Miqsam read "al-hawan" with a fatha on the ha and an alif after the waw.

"...for what they used to earn." (17) [Meaning] from the choice of misguidance over guidance, and this is an explicit statement of what the fa (so) indicates.