Al-Shams – Verse 11

كَذَّبَت ثَمودُ بِطَغواها

The [people of] Thamūd denied [Allah’s signs] out of their rebellion.

EXEGESIS

Ṭaghwā is from the root ṭ-gh-y, which means to cross the known limit, regardless of whether this is in the material realm or the spiritual realm. In this sense, the verb has been used in 69:11 when referring to the flood of Prophet Noah (a) whereby the water levels exceeded the norm: Indeed when the flood rose high (ṭaghā). In a similar vein, in 96:6, man is described as rebellious (layaṭghā) when he feels needless of God, as that is a form of exceeding the limits of one’s balanced self.[1] Ṭāghūt refers to those who have exceeded in their rebellious manners and stand opposed to the truth.[2]

EXPOSITION

After taking eleven oaths and emphatically stating that the one who does not purify his soul is indeed at a loss, the last set of verses presents an example of a community that did not purify their souls in the required manner, and were thus engrossed in sin and vices.

The people of Thamūd refers to a pre-Islamic, Arabian tribe to whom Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) was sent (see 7:73-79, 11:61-68, and 54:23-31). In summary, they asked their prophet for a miracle to prove that he is indeed an apostle from God. The narrations mention that they asked for a pregnant, red, she-camel to be carved out of a mountain and walk alive (7:73). Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) requested this from God, and his supplication was answered. The community saw what they had requested, but yet, due to their stubborn nature, they refused to accept Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) and his message. Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) warned his people not to harm the camel and to let it drink from their pond (54:27-29). However, the worst from amongst them stood up and hamstrung the camel and killed her (54:23-30), so Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) said: ‘Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days: that is a promise not to be belied!’ (11:65). Consequently, the punishment of God engulfed them. The Quran has mentioned several different punishments that were meted out to them: a cry (11:67, 54:31), an earthquake (7:78), and a thunderbolt (41:13, 51:44), which were all different features of one catastrophic natural event.

Some have opined that ṭaghwā is not a description of the people but rather their punishment, which was harsh and rebellious. As such, the verse would be saying: The people of Thamūd belied and rejected the coming of the punishment promised to them by Ṣāliḥ, and they ended up being punished by that which they rejected. This is similar to 69:5.[3]

The reason it is correct to name the punishment as ṭaghwā is because the root meaning of this word is to exceed a limit, and the punishment that befell them, such as the cry, was not an ordinary one; it exceeded what was normally heard.[4]

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

  1. It has been reported from Imam al-Bāqir (a), regarding The [people of] Thamūd denied [Allah’s signs] out of their rebellion: ‘The rebellious nature led them to belying.’[5]
[1] Tahqiq, 7/96-97.
[2] Tahqiq, 7/99.
[3] Tibyan, 10/360; Tabari, 30/136.
[4] Razi, 31/179.
[5] Qummi, 2/424.