15:75 Al-Hijr (The Rock)

{ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ } أي: المتأملين المتفكرين، الذين لهم فكر وروية وفراسة، يفهمون بها ما أريد بذلك، من أن من تجرأ على معاصي الله، خصوصا هذه الفاحشة العظيمة، وأن الله سيعاقبهم بأشنع العقوبات، كما تجرأوا على أشنع السيئات.

وقوله " إن في ذلك لآيات للمتوسمين " أي أن آثار هذه النقم الظاهرة على تلك البلاد لمن تأمل ذلك وتوسمه بعين بصره وبصيرته كما قال مجاهد في قوله " للمتوسمين " قال المتفرسين وعن ابن عباس والضحاك للناظرين وقال قتادة للمعتبرين وقال مالك عن بعض أهل المدينة " للمتوسمين " للمتأملين. وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا الحسن بن عرفة حدثنا محمد بن كثير العبدي عن عمرو بن قيس عن عطية عن أبي سعيد مرفوعا قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اتقوا فراسة المؤمن فإنه ينظر بنور الله " ثم قرأ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم " إن في ذلك لآيات للمتوسمين ".رواه الترمذي وابن جرير من حديث عمرو بن قيس الملائي عن عطية عن أبي سعيد وقال الترمذي لا نعرفه إلا من هذا الوجه; وقال ابن جرير أيضا حدثني أحمد بن محمد الطوسي حدثنا الحس بن محمد حدثنا الفرات بن السائب حدثنا ميمون بن مهران عن ابن عمر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اتقوا فراسة المؤمن فإن المؤمن ينظر بنور الله ". وقال ابن جرير حدثني أبو شرحبيل الحمصي حدثنا سليمان بن سلمة حدثنا المؤمل بن سعيد بن يوسف الرحبي حدثنا أبو المعلى أسد بن وداعة الطائي حدثنا وهب بن منبه عن طاوس بن كيسان عن ثوبان قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " احذروا فراسة المؤمن فإنه ينظر بنور الله وبتوفيق الله ". وقال أيضا حدثنا عبد الأعلى بن واصل حدثنا سعيد بن محمد الجرمي حدثنا عبد الواحد بن واصل حدثنا أبو بشر المزلق عن ثابت عن أنس بن مالك قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم " إن لله عبادا يعرفون الناس بالتوسم ". ورواه الحافظ أبو بكر البزار حدثنا سهل بن بحر حدثنا سعيد بن محمد الجرمي حدثنا أبو بشر يقال له ابن المزلق قال وكان ثقة عن ثابت عن أنس قال: قال رسول " إن لله عبادا يعرفون الناس بالتوسم ".

The Destruction of the People of Lut

Allah said;

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ

(So the Sayhah overtook them) This is the piercing sound that came to them when the sun rose, which was accompanied by the city being flipped upside down, and stones of baked clay (As-Sijjil) raining down upon them. The discussion of As-Sijjil in Surah Hud is a sufficient explanation. Allah said:

إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

(Surely, in this are signs for those who see.) meaning that the traces of the destruction of that city are easily visible to any one who ponder about it, whether they look at it with physical eyesight or mental and spiritual insight, as Mujahid said concerning the phrase,

لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

(those who see) he said, "those who have insight and discernment." It was reported from Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak that it referred to those who look. Qatadah said: "those who learn lessons".

لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

(those who see) therefore the meaning is "those who ponder".

The City of Sodom on the Highroad

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ

(And verily, they were right on the highroad.) meaning that the city of Sodom, which was physically and spiritually turned upside down, and pelted with stones until it became a foul smelling lake (the Dead Sea), is on a route that is easily accessible until the present day. This is like the Ayah,

وَإِنَّكُمْ لَّتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُّصْبِحِينَ - وَبِالَّيْلِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Verily, you pass by them in the morning, and at night. Will you not then reflect) (37:137-138).

إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Surely, there is indeed a sign in that for the believers.) meaning, `All that We did to the people of Lut, from the destruction and the vengeance, to how We saved Lut and his family, these are clear signs to those who believe in Allah and His Messengers.'

Indeed in that which is mentioned there are signs indications of God’s Oneness for those who take note those who observe and take heed.

Learn Your Essential Lesson From Sites Ruined by Divine Punishment

In verses 75 and 76: إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ ﴿75﴾ وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ ﴿76﴾ (Surely, in that there are signs for those who read signs. And surely, it [ their city ] is located on the straight road), Allah Ta’ ala has pointed out to the geographical location of such ruined cities which fall on the main road which takes people from Arabia to Syria. Also said with it was that in them there are great signs of the perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala for those who believe and have the necessary hindsight and foresight.

About this, there is another statement in Surah al-Qasas where it was said: لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (not lived in after them except a little - 28:58). In other words, after their destruction by Divine punishment, these habitations were not repopulated except some. So, by combining these indicators, we can see that Allah Ta’ ala has made these ruined habitations and homes a site from which coming generations could learn their essential lesson.

This is the reason why the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، whenever he has passed by these sites, went through a particular emotional state under which he would be overwhelmed by the awe of Almighty Allah and which caused his blessed head to lower down and he would then try to make his mount hasten through these sites. This particular mode of action taken by the Holy Prophet ﷺ has established the sunnah that making sites which have been hit by Divine punishment a place of picnic and amusement is hard-heartedness at its ugliest. Rather than do something like that, the only method of learning a lesson from them is to think about and feel the very presence of the most perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala on the site being visited which should cause one to tremble with the fear of His punishment.

The habitations of the time of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) which were over-turned are located, as said by the Qur'an, on the Arabia-Syria route. This site is still present in the proximity of Jordan in the form of a wilderness below the sea level. On a major portion, flows a particular kind of water like a river. Sea life cannot survive here. Therefore, it is called the Dead Sea or the Sea of Lut (علیہ السلام) .