“So the Cry seized them at sunrise. (73) And We turned the highest part of it upside down and rained upon them stones of baked clay. (74) Surely in that are signs for those who discern. (75) And indeed, it lies on an established road. (76) Surely in that is a sign for the believers. (77) And the people of the thicket were indeed wrongdoers. (78)”
“So the Cry seized them at sunrise”: 197/b that is, when the sun had risen. The punishment began when morning came upon them and was completed at sunrise.
“And We turned the highest part of it upside down and rained upon them stones of baked clay.”
“Surely in that are signs for those who discern.” Ibn Abbas said: “For those who look.”
Mujahid said: “For those who perceive keenly.”
Qatadah said: “For those who take admonition.”
Muqatil said: “For those who reflect.” (1)
“And indeed, it”—that is, the towns of Lot’s people—“lies on an established road”: that is, on a clear road.
Mujahid said: “On a clearly marked road, neither hidden nor disappearing.” (2)
“Surely in that is a sign for the believers.” (3)
“And the people of the thicket were indeed wrongdoers”: that is, disbelievers. The lam is for emphasis. They were the people of Shuayb, peace be upon him. They inhabited thickets and densely interwoven trees, most of which were doum palms, namely the muql palm. (4)
(1) “All these meanings are closely related. Allah says: In what We did to the people of Lot by destroying them and inflicting punishment upon them are signs and indications for those who discern and take heed from Allah’s signs and lessons regarding the outcomes of those who disobey Him and disbelieve in Him. By this, exalted is He, He means the people of the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from Quraysh. That is, O Muhammad, in the people of Lot and the punishment of Allah that befell them when they denied their messenger and persisted in their error and misguidance, there is a lesson for your people.” See: al-Tabari, Tafsir, 14:45.
(2) In manuscript B: “known.”
(3) “Allah, exalted is He, says: In what We did to the people of Lot is a clear sign and proof for whoever believes in Allah, demonstrating His retribution against those who disbelieve in Him and His deliverance, when His punishment descends upon a people, of those among them who believe in Him.” See: al-Tabari, Tafsir, 14:47.
(4) Al-Mujam al-Wasit (1:305) defines dawm as “a large tree of the palm family, abundant in Upper Egypt and the Arab lands. Its fruit is approximately the size of an apple, with a hard red rind and a large seed containing a spongy kernel.” It also defines muql (2:881) as “the fruit of the dawm, which resembles the date palm.”