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Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

Al-Hijr 15:76

Word by word

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ

And indeed, they [i.e., those cities] are [situated] on an established road.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Destruction of the People of Lut

Allah said;فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ(So the Sayhah overtook them) This is the piercing sound that came to them when the sun rose, which was accompanied by the city being flipped upside down, and stones of baked clay (As-Sijjil) raining down upon them. The discussion of As-Sijjil in Surah Hud is a sufficient explanation. Allah said:إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ (Surely, in this are signs for those who see.) meaning that the traces of the destruction of that city are easily visible to any one who ponder about it, whether they look at it with physical eyesight or mental and spiritual insight, as Mujahid said concerning the phrase,لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ(those who see) he said, "those who have insight and discernment." It was reported from Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak that it referred to those who look. Qatadah said: "those who learn lessons".لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ(those who see) therefore the meaning is "those who ponder".

The City of Sodom on the Highroadوَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ (And verily, they were right on the highroad.) meaning that the city of Sodom, which was physically and spiritually turned upside down, and pelted with stones until it became a foul smelling lake (the Dead Sea), is on a route that is easily accessible until the present day. This is like the Ayah,وَإِنَّكُمْ لَّتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُّصْبِحِينَ - وَبِالَّيْلِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ (Verily, you pass by them in the morning, and at night. Will you not then reflect) (37:137-138).إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Surely, there is indeed a sign in that for the believers.) meaning, `All that We did to the people of Lut, from the destruction and the vengeance, to how We saved Lut and his family, these are clear signs to those who believe in Allah and His Messengers.'

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

Learn Your Essential Lesson From Sites Ruined by Divine Punishment

In verses 75 and 76: إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ ﴿75﴾ وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ ﴿76﴾ (Surely, in that there are signs for those who read signs. And surely, it [ their city ] is located on the straight road), Allah Ta’ ala has pointed out to the geographical location of such ruined cities which fall on the main road which takes people from Arabia to Syria. Also said with it was that in them there are great signs of the perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala for those who believe and have the necessary hindsight and foresight.

About this, there is another statement in Surah al-Qasas where it was said: لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (not lived in after them except a little - 28:58). In other words, after their destruction by Divine punishment, these habitations were not repopulated except some. So, by combining these indicators, we can see that Allah Ta’ ala has made these ruined habitations and homes a site from which coming generations could learn their essential lesson.

This is the reason why the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، whenever he has passed by these sites, went through a particular emotional state under which he would be overwhelmed by the awe of Almighty Allah and which caused his blessed head to lower down and he would then try to make his mount hasten through these sites. This particular mode of action taken by the Holy Prophet ﷺ has established the sunnah that making sites which have been hit by Divine punishment a place of picnic and amusement is hard-heartedness at its ugliest. Rather than do something like that, the only method of learning a lesson from them is to think about and feel the very presence of the most perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala on the site being visited which should cause one to tremble with the fear of His punishment.

The habitations of the time of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) which were over-turned are located, as said by the Qur'an, on the Arabia-Syria route. This site is still present in the proximity of Jordan in the form of a wilderness below the sea level. On a major portion, flows a particular kind of water like a river. Sea life cannot survive here. Therefore, it is called the Dead Sea or the Sea of Lut (علیہ السلام) .

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

إن فيما أصابهم لَعظاتٍ للناظرين المعتبرين، وإن قراهم لفي طريق ثابت يراها المسافرون المارُّون بها. إن في إهلاكنا لهم لَدلالةً بيِّنةً للمصدقين العاملين بشرع الله.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

وقوله : ( وإنها لبسبيل مقيم ) أي : وإن قرية سدوم التي أصابها ما أصابها من القلب الصوري والمعنوي ، والقذف بالحجارة ، حتى صارت بحيرة منتنة خبيثة لبطريق مهيع مسالكه مستمرة إلى اليوم ، كما قال تعالى : ( وإنكم لتمرون عليهم مصبحين وبالليل أفلا تعقلون ) [ الصافات : 137 ، 138 ]وقال مجاهد ، والضحاك : ( وإنها لبسبيل مقيم ) قال : معلم . وقال قتادة : بطريق واضح . وقال قتادة أيضا : بصقع من الأرض واحد .وقال السدي : بكتاب مبين ، يعني كقوله : ( وكل شيء أحصيناه في إمام مبين ) [ يس : 12 ] ولكن ليس المعنى على ما قال هاهنا ، والله أعلم .

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.