إِنَّا مُنْزِلُونَ عَلَى أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ ﴿۳۴﴾ وَلَقَدْ تَرَكْنَا مِنْهَا آيَةً بَيِّنَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿۳۵﴾ وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَارْجُوا الْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ﴿۳۶﴾ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ ﴿۳۷﴾ وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَقَدْ تَبَيَّنَ لَكُمْ مِنْ مَسَاكِنِهِمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَكَانُوا مُسْتَبْصِرِينَ ﴿۳۸﴾

﴾34﴿ Innaa munziloona 'alaaa ahli haazihil qaryati rijzan minas samaaa'i bimaa kaanoo yafsuqoon
﴾35﴿ Wa laqad taraknaa min haaa aayatan baiyinatan liqawminy ya'qiloon
﴾36﴿ Wa ilaa Madyana akhaahum Shu'ayban faqaala yaa qawmi'-budul laaha warjul yawmal aakhira wa laa ta'saw fil ardi mufsideen
﴾37﴿ Fakazzaboohu fa akhazat humur rajfatu fa asbahoo fee daarihim jaasimeen
﴾38﴿ Wa 'Aadanw wa Samooda wa qad tabaiyana lakum min masaakinihim wa zaiyana lahumush Shaitaanu a'maalahum fasaddahum 'anis sabeeli wa kaanoo mustabsireen

﴾34﴿ We are the bringers of severe punishment upon the people of this village from the sky, due to their disobedience
﴾35﴿ And indeed, we have placed a clear sign upon that village as a lesson for a people who have understanding
﴾36﴿ And we sent to Madyan their brother Shu'aib, peace be upon him, who then said, O my people, worship Allah alone, believe in the Day of Resurrection, and do not go about the earth causing corruption
﴾37﴿ Then they denied him, so an earthquake seized them, and they lay dead, prostrate in their homes at dawn
﴾38﴿ And we destroyed 'Ad and Thamud, and their situations are clearly evident to you from their dwellings. Satan made their deeds seem pleasing to them, thus deterring them from the path of monotheism, though they were knowledgeable

[34] After the glad tidings of salvation, this verse contains a warning of punishment upon the people.
In the word (رِجْزًا), there is a reference to the rain of stones along with a scream (ṣayḥah) that descended from the sky.
Or, the phrase "من السماء (from the sky)" may mean by decree from the sky, i.e., divinely ordained.
[35] "(A clear sign - آيَةً بَيِّنَةً)" — this refers either to their ruins or the stones that were sent down upon them, which remained visible for a long time, or to the black water, meaning the part of the Black Sea (Bahr al-Aswad) where no living creature can survive.
Note: In the stories of Nuh (peace be upon him) and Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the evidence of Allah's power was mentioned through salvation.
But in the story of Lut (peace be upon him), the evidence of Allah’s power was shown through destruction — indicating that in both mercy and punishment, there is proof of Allah's power.
Also, in the story of Nuh (peace be upon him), the word "al-ʿālamīn (الْعَالَمِينَ)" was used because ships like the Ark are found across the world, and people everywhere can take a lesson from it.
In the story of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the address is specific to believers, because that story contains encouragement and comfort — and that is specific to the believers.
And in the story of Lut (peace be upon him), the phrase "for a people who use reason (لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ)" is used — because their ruins are in a specific place, and those who pass by with intellect can reflect and take heed from it.
[36] This is the fourth story, illustrating the fourth type of trial, which refers to the responsibilities and tests faced by Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) — detailed in Surah Hud and Surah Ash-Shu‘ara.
His people denied him in an extremely disrespectful manner, as mentioned in Surah Hud.
In his story, there is a call to Tawheed, belief in the Hereafter, and a prohibition against all forms of corruption — meaning: shirk, cheating in measure and weight, and unjustly taking people’s wealth.
[37] "(الرَّجْفَةُ)" — refers to a violent earthquake, which may have been caused by the scream (ṣayḥah) or may have arisen from within their hearts.
That is why in Surah Hud, the scream (ṣayḥah) is mentioned, while in Surah Al-A‘rāf and here, the earthquake (rajfah) is mentioned.
Furthermore, since rajfah itself carries a greater sense of dread and terror, there is no need to mention additional destruction — the horror is understood from the word itself.
But in the case of ṣayḥah, which is less terrifying than rajfah, the mention of the town's destruction alongside the scream is necessary to intensify the sense of awe and fear.
[38] The word "baʿḍ" (بَعْض) here means "some", so it functions as the subject, because some of their ruins still remained.
"(So he turned them away from the path - فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ)" — refers to shirk, innovations, and other falsehoods.
This clarifies well how such things become a cause for people being turned away from Tawheed and Sunnah.
"(While they were perceiving - مُسْتَبْصِرِينَ)" — this answers the misconception that Shaytan only deceives foolish or naïve people.
The response here is: they were very perceptive and intelligent, yet still they were misled.