Tafsir of Ad-Dukhan 44:37

"Tubba‘ al-Himyari": He was a believer, while his people were disbelievers. For this reason, Allah condemned his people but did not condemn him. He is the one who marched with armies, founded al-Hirah, and built Samarkand. It is said: He demolished it. Whenever he wrote, he would say: "In the name of Allah, who possesses the land and the sea."

From the Prophet (ﷺ): "Do not revile Tubba‘, for he had embraced Islam."

And from him (ﷺ): "I do not know whether Tubba‘ was a prophet or not a prophet."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "He was a prophet."

It is said: He looked at two graves in the region of Himyar and said: "This is the grave of Radwa and the grave of Hubba, daughter of Tubba‘; they did not associate anything with Allah."

It is said: He is the one who clothed the House (the Kaaba).

The kings of Yemen are called al-Tababi‘ah (the Tubba‘s) because they follow one another (yatba‘un), just as they are called al-Aqyal because they succeed one another (yataqayyalun). The shadow is called taba‘ because it follows the sun.

If you ask: What is the meaning of His saying, "Are they better," when there is no goodness in either group?

I say: Its meaning is: Are they better in strength and power? Just as in His saying, "Are your disbelievers better than those?" (Al-Qamar: 43), after mentioning the people of Pharaoh. In the interpretation of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "Are they stronger, or the people of Tubba‘?"

"And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that which is between them in play. We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know. Indeed, the Day of Judgement is the appointed time for them all—the Day when no relation will avail a relation at all, nor will they be helped, except those upon whom Allah has mercy. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful."