Tafsir of Ad-Dhariyat 51:43

Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51): Verse 43

And in Thamud, when it was said to them: "Enjoy yourselves for a time."

Regarding the mention of Thamud:

The discussion concerning Thamud, and 'Ad before it, is the same as what was previously covered in the exegesis of the verse: "And in Moses..." (Surah Adh-Dhariyat: 38).

Regarding the statement: "Enjoy yourselves for a time" (تمتعوا حتى حين):

Some commentators have suggested that this refers to the three-day respite Allah granted them after they killed the she-camel. During those days, their complexions changed: their faces turned yellow, then black.

Critique of this view: This interpretation is weak (ضعيف).

The reason for this weakness is the subsequent verse: "But they defied the command of their Lord" (Adh-Dhariyat: 44), which begins with the letter Fā' (فـ). The Fā' indicates sequence, meaning the defiance occurred after the command to "enjoy yourselves."

The apparent meaning is that this refers to the lifespan (term/term of respite) that Allah has decreed for people. Every individual is granted a period of respite, and it is as if they are told: "Enjoy yourselves until the end of your appointed time." If one acts well, they achieve true enjoyment in both worlds. Otherwise, they have no share in the Hereafter.

Verse 44:

"But they defied the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking."