Overview (Verses 13 - 18)

What Punishment for Turning Away?

Given this is the state of the entire universe, what position should be assigned to those who reject God's oneness and attribute partners to Him? How should their reckless arrogance be requited?

If they turn away, say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the 'Ad and Thamud.' There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: 'Worship none but God' They answered: If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message.' As for the 'Ad, they behaved arrogantly through the land, against all right, and said: 'Who is mightier than us?' Did they not realise that God, who created them, was mightier than them? They continued to reject Our revelations. 

Therefore, We let loose upon them a howling gale raging through several days of misfortune, so as to give them, in the life of this world, a foretaste of humiliating suffering. Yet the suffering in the life to come will be even more humiliating, and they will have none to help them. As for the Mama, We offered them guidance, but they chose blindness in preference to guidance. Therefore, the thunderbolt of humiliating suffering struck them in consequence of what they had wrought. And We saved those who believed and were God-fearing. (Verses 13-18)

A warning against the type of thunderbolts that struck the peoples of 'Ad and Thamuad strikes fear in their hearts. It suits the terrible offence they commit. It answers the idolaters' arrogance referred to at the beginning of the surah showing them to be the only ones in the universe who reject the truth.

What sort of effect did this warning have on the unbelievers in Makkah? Ibn Ishaq, an early biographer of the Prophet, gives us the following story:

One day, as (Utbah ibn Rabitah, one of the Quraysh chiefs, was sitting with a group of Quraysh notables, he noticed the Prophet sitting alone close to the Ka "Shall we go to Muhammad and make him some offers? He may have been spared the trouble. If he wins, whatever glory he achieves will be yours." They retorted: "He has certainly bewitched you." 

He said: "I have stated my opinion, and you can do as you wish."

Another report by Jabir suggests that when the Prophet recited these verses, (Utbah listened. When the Prophet read verse 13 which says: "If they turn away, say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Ad and Thamud," (Utbah put his hand on the Prophet's mouth and appealed to him by the ties of kinship to his people to do nothing of the sort. Then (Utbah left him, went home and stayed in doors. His people talked to him later about this and he explained his position: "When Muhammad spoke this warning, I appealed to him not to do so. You know that when Muhammad says something, he does not lie. I feared that such punishment be inflicted on you."

The Warning and Its Effect

This is, then, one image of the effect of the warning as stated by God's messenger to a person who did not believe in his message. Before we move on, we need to reflect a little on the image of the Prophet as he listened to (Utbah making his petty proposals, his refined manners and his focus on the great issue in question. Although the proposals `Utbah made sounded worthless, the Prophet listened attentively, without interrupting his interlocutor. He remained calm and friendly. When (Utbah stopped speaking, the Prophet then graciously asked him: "Have you, Abu al-Wand, finished what you have to say?" Then when (Utbah confirmed that he had finished, the Prophet said: "Then listen to me." He waited until (Utbah said, "I will do," before he read to him God's own words. Throughout he was friendly, calm, confident and reassured. This is typical of how the Prophet always captured his audience's attention, even though they might at the beginning jeer him and take a hostile stand. His was always a most admirable attitude. It is certainly as God says: "God knows best whom to entrust with His message." (6: 124)

What does this warning signify: "If they turn away, say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Ad and Thamud." (Verse 13) Essentially, it begins a fresh round showing us images oldie fates met by earlier communities who rejected God's message. The reckless arrogance of the present unbelievers is thus made all the more apparent through this reminder of what happened to similarly reckless and arrogant peoples: "There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: Worship none but God." (Verse 14) This is the single issue as presented by all God's messengers; it states the central point in every Divine religion.

"They answered: if our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message." (Verse 14) Similarly, this represents the same point of doubt faced by every messenger. Yet a messenger addressing human beings could not be other than human. This so that he would know the people he addressed and they would know him. In essence, a messenger should provide a practical example and share his people's problems. Yet the 'Ad and Thamad declared themselves unbelievers simply because the messengers sent to them were human like themselves. They were not angels as they wanted them to be.

Up to this point, the surah speaks of the fates of both peoples as if they are one: both were struck by thunderbolts. Now, the surah gives us some specific details about both peoples: "As for the 'Ad, they behaved arrogantly through the land, against all right, and said: Who is mightier than us?" (Verse 15) The right attitude is that all creatures should submit to God and that people should not behave arrogantly. Who, then, are the 'Ad in comparison to God's great creation? All arrogant behaviour, by whatever creature, is against all right. Yet these people thought themselves powerful. They asked: "Who is mightier than us?" This is the false sense exhibited by all tyrants when they feel that they have silenced all opposition and that none can stand against their power. They forget the truth: "Did they not realise that Goth who created them, was mightier than them?' This is a basic truth: the One who originated them is more powerful than they. He was the One who enabled them to exercise their power in the first place, albeit in the limited measure He allowed them. Yet tyrants always overlook facts: "They continued to reject Our revelations." (Verse 15)

We see them here boasting of their power, thinking themselves mighty. The image portrayed in the next verse shows us the fate their despicable arrogance deserved: "Therefore, We let loose upon them a howling gale raging through several days of misfortune, so as to give them, in the lift of this world, a foretaste of humiliating suffering." (Verse 16) It was a freezing gale lasting several days that brought them great misfortune. What was more was their humiliation in this life: a fitting response to their arrogance towards God's servants. Yet all this was a first instalment, a punishment in the life of this world. They will not escape further punishment in the life to come: "Yet the suffering in the lift to come will be even more humiliating, and they will have none to help them." (Verse 16)

"As for the Thamud, We offered them guidance, but they chose blindness in preference to guidance." (Verse 17) This appears to be a reference to their initial acceptance of God's message after they had seen the miracle of the she-camel which drank as much as all their other camels and cattle. However, they reverted to disbelief shortly after this, preferring to remain blind, straying from the path of truth. This is the worst type of blindness. "Therefore, the thunderbolt of humiliating suffering struck them in consequence of what they had wrought." (Verse 17) Humiliation is the most fitting outcome for such an attitude. It is not merely a punishment of destruction; it adds the suffering of humiliation.

"And We saved those who believed and were God-fearing." (Verse 18) The round is thus concluded. They should realise by now that nothing can withstand God's power. No one can give or seek protection against Him.