Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Mufti Muhammad ShafiAfter the mention of the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) ، the people of Musa (علیہ السلام) ، Fir'aun and others are taken up briefly. When Musa (علیہ السلام) delivered the message of truth to Fir'aun, the latter reacted thus: فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكْنِهِ (So he turned away along with his chiefs,...51:39) The original word used for 'his chiefs' is rukn which means power. Here it is used to refer to his army and chiefs of his government. In the story of Lut (علیہ السلام) he has been mentioned saying, أَوْ آوِي إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ (or that I had the backing of a strong group' The word rukn is used there in the same sense. (See Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, Vol. 4/p. 658, 661: '...or that I had the backing of some strong group...' )After this, the stories of the people of ` Ad, Thamud and Nuh (علیہم السلام) are told. These stories were narrated many times before.