Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:11

This expression indicates intense anger and proclaims great wrath. Al-Qasm (crushing) is the most severe form of breaking—a breaking that renders the parts incapable of being rejoined, unlike al-fasm (snapping).

By "town," He meant its inhabitants; hence, He described it as "wrongdoing." He said, {and brought forth another people}, because the meaning is: We destroyed one people and brought into existence another.

Ibn Abbas stated that this refers to Hadur and Sahul, two towns in Yemen to which garments are attributed. In the Hadith: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was shrouded in two Sahuli garments." It is also narrated as Haduri. Allah sent a prophet to them, they killed him, and Allah empowered Nebuchadnezzar over them—just as He empowered him over the people of Jerusalem—and he eradicated them.

It is narrated that when the swords reached them and a caller from the sky cried out, "O for the vengeance of the prophets!" they regretted and confessed their error. But that was at a time when regret did not benefit them. The apparent meaning of the verse, however, denotes a multitude. Perhaps Ibn Abbas mentioned Hadur as one of the towns intended by this verse.

{When they perceived Our punishment, behold, they fled from it.} Al-rakd is striking the mount with the foot. From this is His saying: {Strike with your foot} (Sad: 42). It is possible they mounted their beasts, striking them to flee in defeat when the vanguard of the punishment overtook them. It is also possible that their speed on foot was likened to those riding and striking their mounts.

{Do not flee}—the verb "saying" is omitted. If you ask: Who is the speaker? I say: It could be some of the angels, or the believers present there, or it is as if they were told this even if no one spoke it. Or, the Lord of Might says it, and His angels hear it to benefit them in their religion. Or, He inspires them with it, so they say it to themselves.

{And return to what you were given to enjoy}—of luxurious living and soft circumstances. Al-itraf is to be made insolent by luxury.

{That you might be questioned}—this is mockery and rebuke. It means: Return to your luxuries and dwellings so that you may be questioned tomorrow about what befell you and what descended upon your wealth and homes, so that you may answer the questioner from knowledge and observation. Or, return and sit as you used to in your assemblies and ranks, so that your servants and dependents—those over whom you exercised command and prohibition—may ask you: "What do you command? What do you decree? How shall we come or go?"—as is the custom of the wealthy who are served. Or, people may ask you in your councils regarding the descent of calamities, seeking your counsel in important matters, seeking healing through your measures, and illumination through your opinions. Or, those who come to you and the greedy may ask you, seeking the rain of your hands and the milk of your generosity—either because they were generous, spending their wealth to be seen by people and to seek praise, or they were stingy, and this is said to them as mockery upon mockery and rebuke upon rebuke.

{That}—this refers to their cry, "Woe to us," because it is a claim. It is as if it were said: That claim continued to be {their cry}. Da'wa (claim) is in the sense of da'wah (calling out).

{And their cry was extinguished}—al-hasid is the harvested crop. It means: We made them like the harvested crop. He likened them to it in their eradication and total destruction, just as you say, "We made them ashes," meaning like ashes.

If you ask: How does ja'ala (made) take three objects? I say: The rule for the latter two is the rule for one; for the meaning of "I made it sweet and sour" is "I made it a combination of both tastes." Likewise, the meaning here is: We made them a combination of being like the harvested crop and being extinguished.

{And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that which is between them in play. If We had intended to take a pastime, We could have taken it from Ourselves—if We were to do so.}