“And many generations in between.” That is, We destroyed many generations between ‘Ad and the people of al-Rass.

“And for each We set forth examples, and each We destroyed with utter destruction (39). And they have certainly passed by the town upon which a rain of evil was poured. Have they not then seen it? Rather, they do not expect a resurrection (40). Whenever they see you, they take you only as an object of ridicule: ‘Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger? (41) He nearly led us astray from our gods, had we not remained steadfast in devotion to them.’ Yet they will know, when they see the punishment, who is farther astray from the way (42). Have you seen the one who takes his own desire as his god? Will you then be a guardian over him? (43)”

“And for each We set forth examples”: that is, examples by which the proof was established against them. We did not destroy them until after warning them. “And each We destroyed with utter destruction”: that is, We destroyed them completely. Al-Akhfash said: “We shattered them utterly.” Al-Zajjaj said: “Anything that you break and crush into fragments, you have tabbartahu—destroyed it utterly.”

“And they have certainly passed by the town upon which a rain of evil was poured,” meaning stones. These were the towns of the people of Lot. They were five towns; Allah destroyed four of them, while one—the smallest of them—survived, because its people did not commit that vile deed. “Have they not then seen it,” when they passed by them in their travels, so that they might take heed and remember? The cities of the people of Lot lay along their route when they travelled to Syria. “Rather, they do not expect” ⦗46/b⦘—that is, they do not fear—“a resurrection,” meaning a rising from the dead.

His saying: “Whenever they see you, they take you”—that is, they do not take you—“except as an object of ridicule,” meaning one ridiculed. This was revealed concerning Abu Jahl. Whenever he passed by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with his companions, he would say mockingly, “Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger? (1)” “He nearly led us astray”: that is, he came close to leading us astray, “from our gods, had we not remained steadfast in devotion to them.” That is, had we not remained steadfast upon them, we would have been turned away from them. “Yet they will know, when they see the punishment, who is farther astray from the way”: that is, who has erred more greatly from the path.

“Have you seen the one who takes his own desire as his god?” This is because an idolater would worship a stone, but if he saw a more beautiful stone, he would cast aside the first and take the other, worshipping it. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Have you seen one who abandons the worship of Allah, his Creator, then takes a liking to a stone and worships it? What will be his condition before Me?” “Will you then be a guardian over him?” That is, a keeper. He says: Are you then