الَّتي لَم يُخلَق مِثلُها فِي البِلادِ
The like of which was not created in [other] cities.
EXPOSITION
Those who favour the identification of the term iram to a city take this verse as confirming their preference. Fantastic descriptions of the city of Iram have been narrated in exegetical works such as the one which says that ʿĀd had two sons, Shaddād and Shadīd, who reigned and were oppressive. Then Shadīd died and the entire kingdom fell to the lot of Shaddād. He heard about paradise and so he ordered that a similar entity be built for him. Thus Iram was built for him in a part of the desert of Aden in a period of 300 years while his age was 900 years, and it was a great city. Its palaces were built of gold and silver and its pillars and colonnades were made of chrysolite and rubies. In it were a variety of trees and continuously flowing springs. When its construction was complete, he travelled to it along with his subjects. However, when he was at a distance of a day and a night God sent a terrifying shriek as punishment and they all perished.
Lengthier and more opulent versions of this story have been recorded in some sources; however it has been noted that these reports are attributed to come from such figures as Kaʿb al-Aḥbār and Wahab ibn Munabbih, who are generally deemed unreliable narrators. They tend to be portrayed as people who were unduly attracted to lore and legends. Thus Tabatabai cautions against taking these stories seriously and advises that these be taken as mere legends.
Nevertheless, Ṭabrisī writes that if iram is taken to refer to a city then it means that the like of it was not built in any nation or place before it, while if iram is taken to refer to a distinct group of people then this verse is saying that such a people with such powerful comportment, physique, and strength were not created before.
[1] Tabrisi.J, 6/486.
[2] Mizan, 20/281; Amthal, 19/180.
[3] Tabrisi.J, 6/487; Razi, 31/154.