54. Sura al-Qamar(The Moon)
Mecca Period 37
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَّبَتْ
ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ
﴿٢٣﴾
54: 23. The Thamud (also) rejected (their) Warners.
54: 24. For they said: "what! a man!
C5146. The psychology of the Thamud is more searchingly analyzed here than in 41:17, to show up the contrast between shallow men's ideas about Revelation, and the real sanity, humanism, social value, and truth of Revelation. To them the Revelation was brought by Salih.
... مِّنَّا وَاحِدًا نَّتَّبِعُهُ ...
a solitary one from among ourselves! shall we follow such a one?
C5147. Because the Prophet is one among so many, and different from them, although brought up among themselves, it is made a cause of reproach against him, when it should have been an index leading to a searching of their hearts and an examination of their ways.
... إِنَّا إِذًا لَّفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ ﴿٢٤﴾
Truly should we then be straying in mind, and mad!
أَؤُلْقِيَ
الذِّكْرُ
عَلَيْهِ مِن
بَيْنِنَا بَلْ
هُوَ كَذَّابٌ
أَشِرٌ
﴿٢٥﴾
54: 25. "Is It that the Message is sent to him, of all people amongst us?
Nay, he is a liar an insolent one!"
C5148. Pure abuse, as a contrast to Salih's expostulation!
See 26:141-158, and notes.
سَيَعْلَمُونَ
غَدًا مَّنِ
الْكَذَّابُ
الْأَشِرُ
﴿٢٦﴾
54: 26. Ah!
they will know on the morrow, which is the liar, the insolent one!
إِنَّا
مُرْسِلُو
النَّاقَةِ
فِتْنَةً لَّهُمْ
...
54: 27. For We will send the she camel by way of trial for them.
C5149. See n. 1044 to 7:73, for the she-camel as a trial or test case among selfish people who tried to monopolise water and pasture as against the poor.
... فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ ﴿٢٧﴾
So watch them, (o Salih), and possess thyself in patience!
وَنَبِّئْهُمْ
أَنَّ الْمَاء
قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ
...
54: 28. And tell them that the water is to be divided between them:
C5150. See 26:155-156.
All were to have water in due turn. It was to be no one's monopoly. And certainly the gates were not to be shut against the poor or their cattle.
... كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ ﴿٢٨﴾
each one's right to drink being brought forward (by suitable turns).
فَنَادَوْا
صَاحِبَهُمْ
فَتَعَاطَى
فَعَقَرَ
﴿٢٩﴾
54: 29. But they called to their companion, and he took a sword in hand, and hamstrung (her).
فَكَيْفَ
كَانَ عَذَابِي
وَنُذُرِ
﴿٣٠﴾
54: 30. Ah!
how (terrible) was My Penalty and My Warning!
إِنَّا
أَرْسَلْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ
صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً
...
54: 31. For We sent against them a single Mighty Blast,
C5151. See n. 1047 to 7:78, and Cf. the same phrase "single Blast" used for the signal for the Resurrection in 36:53.
In the case of the Thamud, the destruction seems to have been by a severe earthquake accompanied with a terrible rumbling noise.
... فَكَانُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ ﴿٣١﴾
and they became like the dry stubble used by one who pens cattle.
C5152. They became like dry sticks such as are used by herdsmen in making pens or enclosures for their cattle.
وَلَقَدْ
يَسَّرْنَا
الْقُرْآنَ
لِلذِّكْرِ
فَهَلْ مِن
مُّدَّكِرٍ
﴿٣٢﴾
54: 32. And We have indeed made the Qur'án easy to understand and remember:
then is there any that will receive admonition?
Asad’s Version:
54:23 [AND the tribe of] Thamud gave the lie to all [Our] warnings;
(54:24) and they said: "Are we to follow one single mortal, one from among ourselves? 13 In that case, behold, we would certainly sink into error and folly!
(54:25) Why - on him alone from among all of us should a [divine] reminder have been bestowed? Nay, but he is a boastful liar!"
54:26 [And God said:] "On the morrow 14 they will come to know who the boastful liar is!
(54:27) Behold, [O Salih,] We are letting loose this she-camel as a test for them; 13 and thou but watch them, and contain thyself in patience.
(54:28) And let them know that the water [of their wells] is to be divided between them, 16 with each share of water equitably apportioned."
54:29 But they summoned their [boldest] companion, and he ventured [upon the evil deed], and cruelly slaughtered [the animal]: 17
(54:30) and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!
(54:31) Behold, We let loose upon them one single blast [of Our punishment], 18 and they became like the dried-up, crumbling twigs of a sheepfold.
54:32 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?
[[Asad’s notes: -
13 For the general implication of this rhetorical question, see note 2 on 50:2. For the story of the tribe of Thamud, their prophet Salih, and the incident of the she-camel, see 7:73-79, 1 1 :61-68, 26:141-158, and the corresponding notes.
14 I.e., soon. In classical Arabic, the term ghadan ("tomorrow") often applies to a relatively near future, signifying "tomorrow" (in its literal sense) as well as "in time" or "soon". Hence - as pointed out by all authorities - it may have been used in the above context with reference to the Last Hour, which in the first verse of this very surah is spoken of as having "drawn near" .
15 For this and other Qur'anic references to the she-camel that was to be "let loose as a test" for the Thamud, see surah 1, note 57. God's "letting her loose" is in this context evidently synonymous with "allowing her to become" a test.
16 I.e., between their own herds and the ownerless she-camel: see 26:155 and the corresponding note 61. ]]