﴾78﴿ Wa in kaana Ashaabul Aikati lazaalimeen
﴾79﴿ Fantaqamnaa minhum wa innahumaa labi imaamim mubeen
﴾80﴿ Wa laqad kazzaba ashaabul Hijril mursaleen
﴾81﴿ Wa aatainaahum Aayaatinaa fakaanoo 'anhaa mu'rideen
﴾82﴿ Wa kaanoo yanhitoona minal jibaali buyootan aamineen
﴾83﴿ Fa akhazat humus saihatu musbiheen
﴾84﴿ Famaaa aghnaa 'anhum maa kaanoo yaksiboon

﴾78﴿ And indeed, the inhabitants of the gardens were wrongdoers
﴾79﴿ So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both of these communities are on a well-known path
﴾80﴿ And indeed, the people of Al-Hijr denied the messengers
﴾81﴿ And We had given them signs, but they turned away from them
﴾82﴿ And they used to carve out dwellings from the mountains, feeling secure
﴾83﴿ So the awful cry seized them in the morning
﴾84﴿ So what they used to do did not avert the punishment from them

[78] This is the second example of punishment, referring to the people of Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him). “Aykah” refers to dense and lush trees, meaning the people of rich gardens. The preferred view is that after the destruction of the people of Madyan, Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) was sent to the people of Aykah, and upon them came the punishment known as “the Day of the Canopy” (Yawm al-Ẓullah). Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) was not from the people of Aykah, but rather from the people of Madyan. That is why, when addressing Madyan, the Qur’an uses the phrase “their brother Shu‘ayb” (أَخُوهُمْ شُعَيْبٌ), but when speaking about Aykah, it does not use the word “brother”—as seen in verses 176 to 189 of Surah al-Shu‘arā. As for their wrongdoing, it is detailed in Surah al-A‘rāf, Surah Hūd, and Surah al-Shu‘arā, where various forms of their oppression and injustice are mentioned.
[79] What is meant by (لَبِإِمَامٍ) is the main road, the path that many people frequently travel—a well-known and widely used route.
The towns of the people of Lut (peace be upon him) and the people of Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) were located along this major road used by the people of Makkah when they traveled to Sham (Syria)—so they would see the ruins of these destroyed nations during their journeys.
[80] This verse mentions the third example of punishment, which is upon the people of Ṣāliḥ (peace be upon him). Today, their location is known as Madā'in Ṣāliḥ, situated between Madinah and Tabūk. The word “Ḥijr” is used with various meanings, but here it refers to the central city of the Thamūd people. In the phrase (وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ), the cause of their punishment is mentioned—namely, their rejection. The term (الْمُرْسَلِينَ) indicates that rejecting one messenger is as if one has rejected all the messengers.
[81] The word “āyāt” (signs) is mentioned in plural form because the she-camel (nāqah) of Ṣāliḥ (peace be upon him) contained many signs:
– It emerged from solid rock, – Gave birth quickly, – Drank a large amount of water, – Produced abundant milk, – And had an unusually large body.
Or it may be that, in addition to the she-camel, other miracles were also given to Ṣāliḥ (peace be upon him), even though they are not mentioned to us explicitly.
[82] In this verse, there is an indication of their worldliness and love for material life.
The word (آمِنِينَ) points to the fact that they felt completely secure—having no fear of the punishment of Allah the Exalted.
[83] In the early morning, criminal people are heedless, unaware and unprepared—so it is at this time that punishment comes suddenly and catches them by surprise.
[84] What is meant by (مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ) is either: – Their fortresses and strong dwellings, or – Their polytheistic deeds, such as worshiping and making vows to others besides Allah, denying the messenger, killing the she-camel, and similar actions.
The same meaning is found in verse 101 of Surah Hūd and verse 26 of Surah al-Aḥqāf.