Tafseer of The Sun · Ash-Shams · 91:11
Thamud denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,
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 saying: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا ("Thamūd denied because of its excess"). He says: Thamūd denied because of its transgression (ṭughyān), that is to say: because of its punishment which Ṣāliḥ — peace be upon him — had promised them, and that punishment was excessive, it went beyond bounds against them, just as the Exalted, whose praise is exalted, has said: فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِالطَّاغِيَةِ ("As for Thamūd, they were destroyed by the overwhelming [calamity]").
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the scholars of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken, even though there is disagreement among the scholars of interpretation.
* Mention of those who said the statement which we have stated about this:
Saʿīd ibn ʿAmr al-Sakūnī related to me, saying: al-Walīd ibn Salama al-Filasṭīnī related to us, saying: Yazīd ibn Samura al-Madhḥijī related to me, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning the word of Allah: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا . He said: the name of the punishment that befell it is al-ṭaghwā, so He said: Thamūd denied because of its punishment.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا : that is to say: the transgression (al-ṭughyān).
And others said: Thamūd denied because of their disobedience to Allah.
* Mention of those who said that:
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 — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا . He said: its disobedience.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا . He said: their wrongdoing and their disobedience.
And others said: no, the meaning of it is: in its entirety.
* Mention of those who said that:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Ayyūb and Ibn Lahīʿa informed me, on the authority of ʿUmāra ibn Ghaziyya, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Rifāʿa al-Quraẓī, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, that he said: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا . He said: in its entirety.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥīm al-Barqī related to me, saying: Ibn Abī Maryam related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Ayyūb informed me, saying: ʿUmāra ibn Ghaziyya related to me, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Rifāʿa al-Quraẓī, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, the like of it.
And it was said: طَغْوَاهَا has the meaning of: their transgression (ṭughyān); and they are both verbal nouns (maṣdar), [chosen] in order to achieve harmony between the verse-endings, because al-ṭaghwā corresponds more closely with the remaining verse-endings in this sura. And that is similar to His saying: وَآخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ in the meaning of: and the last of their supplication (duʿāʾ).
