Hud: (100-101) That is from the news...

Know that when the Almighty mentioned the stories of the ancients, He said: {That is from the news of the towns which We relate to you}.

The benefit in mentioning these stories involves several points:

1. First Point: Pure intellectual proof is only beneficial to a perfect human being, and this occurs very rarely. However, when these proofs are mentioned and then reinforced by the stories of the ancients, mentioning these stories serves as a means to convey those intellectual proofs to the minds of people.

2. Second Point: The Almighty mixed various types of proofs that the Prophets (peace be upon them) used to rely upon within these narratives. He mentions the refutations of the disbelievers against these proofs and their doubts, followed by the Prophets' answers to them. Then, He mentions that when they persisted and became arrogant, they were afflicted with worldly punishment, and the curse and punishment remained for them in this world and the Hereafter. Thus, mentioning these stories was a means to convey the proofs and the answers to the doubts to the hearts of the deniers, and a means to remove harshness and rigidity from their hearts. This establishes that the best method in calling people to God Almighty is what we have mentioned.

3. Third Point: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to narrate these stories without consulting books or being a student of anyone. This itself is a great miracle indicating prophethood, as we have established.

4. Fourth Point: Those who hear these stories become certain that the end result for the truthful, the heretic, the compliant, and the hypocrite is leaving this world and departing from it. However, the believer departs with beautiful praise in this world and a great reward in the Hereafter, while the disbeliever departs with a curse in this world and punishment in the Hereafter. When these stories are repeatedly heard, the heart must soften, the soul must submit, enmity must cease, and fear must enter the heart, prompting reflection and reasoning. This is a profound discourse regarding the benefits of mentioning these stories.

Regarding His statement: {That is from the news of the towns}, there are several discussions:

First Discussion: The word {That} (ذالك) is a demonstrative pronoun referring to something absent. Here, it refers to these preceding stories, which are present. However, the answer to this is what was previously addressed concerning His statement: {That is the Book about which there is no doubt} (Al-Baqarah: 2).

Second Discussion: The term (ذلك) can be used to point to the singular, dual, or plural, as in His statement: {Neither old nor young, but between that} (Al-Baqarah: 68). Also, it is possible that the meaning is: "That which We mentioned is thus and so."

Third Discussion: The author of Al-Kashshaf said: {That} is the subject (mubtada'), and {from the news of the towns} is the predicate (khabar). {We relate to you} is a secondary predicate (khabar ba'da khabar). The meaning is: "That which is mentioned is some of the news of the towns, related to you."

Then He said: {some of them are standing and some are reaped} (منها قائم وحصيد). The pronoun in {some of them} (منها) refers back to the towns. What remains of the traces of the towns and their walls is likened to crops standing on their stalks, and what has perished and been obliterated is likened to what is reaped. The meaning is that some of those towns still have something remaining, while some have been utterly destroyed with no trace left.

Then the Almighty said: {And We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves}. There are several interpretations for this:

1. First: We did not wrong them by inflicting punishment and destruction, but they wronged themselves through disbelief and disobedience.
2. Second: What afflicted the people was not an injustice from God, but rather justice and wisdom, because the people first wronged themselves by engaging in disbelief and sins, thus deserving that punishment from God due to those deeds.
3. Third: Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said: It means We did not diminish them in worldly blessings and provision, but rather they diminished their own share by neglecting the rights of God Almighty.

Then He said: {So their gods whom they called upon besides God availed them nothing}, meaning those deities did not benefit them in the least.

Then He said: {And they added to them nothing but ruin} (غير تتبيب). Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said: "Nothing but loss" (تخسير). It is said that tabba means to incur loss, and tabbaba means someone else caused one to incur loss. The meaning is that the disbelievers believed the idols would help them attain benefits and repel harm. Then, the Almighty informed that when they needed a helper, they found nothing from them—neither the bringing of benefit nor the warding off of harm. Furthermore, not only did they fail to find that, but they found the opposite: that this belief caused them to lose the benefits of this world and the Hereafter and brought upon them the harms of this world and the Hereafter. Thus, this was one of the greatest causes of ruin.

{And thus was the taking of your Lord when He took the towns while they were unjust. Indeed, His taking is painful and severe. Indeed in that is a sign for those who fear the punishment of the Hereafter. That is a Day for which mankind will be gathered, and that is a Day witnessed. And We do not delay it except for a determined term.}