Tafseer of The Rock · Al-Hijr · 15:79
So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear highway.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His word فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ — the Exalted says: We took vengeance upon the wrongdoers among the dwellers of the Ayka. His word وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ means: the city of the dwellers of the Ayka and the city of the people of Lot — the pronoun of the two (humā) in وَإِنَّهُمَا refers to the two cities. لَبِإِمَامٍ means: upon a road that they take as a guide on their journeys and by which they find the right direction. مُبِينٍ means: which makes clear to whoever takes it as a guide its straightness. The reason the road is called imām is that it is pursued and followed.
In agreement with what We said about this, the exegetes also spoke.
Mention of who said that:
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: ʿAbdallāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — concerning His word وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ — he says: upon the road.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — concerning His word فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ — he says: a clear road.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbdallāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibll related to us — all on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — concerning وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ — he said: upon a known road.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda — وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ — he said: a clear road.
It was related to me from al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning لَبِإِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ : upon a visible road.
