“So when Our command came, We turned it upside down and rained upon it stones of baked clay, layered one upon another, marked by your Lord; and they are not far from the wrongdoers. (82) And to Midian We sent their brother Shuaib. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah; you have no god besides Him. Do not give short measure or weight. I see you in prosperity, but I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day.’ (83–84)

As for His words, “So when Our command came”: that is, Our punishment. “We turned it upside down”: Gabriel, peace be upon him, placed his wing beneath the towns of Lot’s people—the overturned cities—which were five cities, containing four hundred thousand people. It was also said: four million. He raised all the cities until the inhabitants of heaven could hear the roosters crowing and the dogs barking, yet no vessel was overturned for them and no sleeper awoke. Then he overturned them, making their uppermost part their lowermost.

“And We rained upon it”: that is, upon their stragglers and travelers. It was also said that, after overturning it, He rained